Gifting for the Gift of it

I am the type of person that does not go places empty-handed, whether it is to a birthday party, where clearly gifts are not supposed to be brought or to some one's new apartment for the first time. I usually bake cookies or find some nick-knack that is inexpensive and silly, however anything really is considered a gift. When I do this, I do not expect a gift in return, just a big huge, which in its self is a gift to me. When reading "The Gift" parts of the reading seemed to me that the gifts were not actually gifts, but just an understanding, which I suppose could mean the same thing as bringing a birthday present to a birthday party, however most of the "gifts" given from tribe to tribe were planned out. I guess when I think of the word now, as a modern word, I think of something, anything, materialistic or not materialistic, given to another person, without any previous indication.

Getting to the point where no gift is free, which I have never thought of until now. I think that every one's opinion will be slightly different on this because what a gift is to me, could not be a gift to someone else. Reciprocating makes sense to me, in that if you are given a present for a certain occasion or situation by a certain person, then if that situation comes up in the giver's life, you give back.

Blog Assignment #4: Is There Such A Thing As A Free Gift?

Read "The Gift", then tell me if there is such a thing as a free gift.

Your blog posts can be very dynamic: you can talk about the essay, you can talk about your own life, you can talk about rituals.

Remember that additional participation on the blog will earn you course participation points.

time keeping comfort

1)What would it mean to say “time is a gift”? How different is “time as a gift” from “time as money”? How might such a view change our lives? Can you think of any negative aspects to this view of time?

There are different facets to the idea of time as a gift. The first being simple, that we associate our existence with a span of time and that we are appreciative of that existence in that time span. The idea that interests me more it that concept that our ability to track time is a gift. People have a great love of categorizing and organizing their live and environments, we find comfort in this type of control through understanding. Out ability of understand time and use it as measurements and use to to make sense of things is one of the greatest gifts of comfort to people. This is particularly interesting because time and its much larger less daily and more scientific applications hold so many mysteries and unknowns. IT holds so much power and potential and is so often beyond the reach of human understanding... a fact which i find appropriate because even though people dispiritedly try of organize and categorize and understand we are forever falling short.

time and money for the governments society

time is a gift that is true but the time we get to live compared to the overall  spectrum of time is a little insignificant spec in that time line.  we have about 70 to 80 years to leave a mark on society and the people around you so you wont be forgotten. does everyone get to that point no and why is that because in the little time we have on this planet we are given we are force work for money and fit in with everyone else to keep the continuous flow of society. as much as we want to believe in our individualism we work for a higher societal power which believes that time is money and were the drones to make that flow continue. think about your life we have a daily set routine for our days we go to work or class we have deadlines to meet for papers or for work related stuff we get off either go home make something for dinner or go out for food and then we meet up with friends and repeat that over and over and over again.  we don't think about it its in our psychology to have a routine or habits but when it set on a higher level such as the government to not upset the time and money flow its not right. if for just one day everyone dint go to work or school and we all just did whatever we want what would happen.... would the government allow it would business executives lose it. when it all boils down are time that were given should not have to revolve around money.

Time > Money

To me, "time is money" rings true in many ways. While someone wasting your time may not actually prevent you from making money, time is still just as important, if not more. If your time is being wasted by something like seeing a bad movie, it was both a waste of time and money. Then, for people like Bill Gates with high-yielding stocks making him constant money even when he sleeps, time is also money but in a completely different way.

But what is more valuable? I would say time is clearly more valuable, as you could drop dead for any number of reasons at any given moment. I sometimes think of this when I'm made to sit through a really dull class. A thought like "If I were to get hit by a car tonight and die, this is how my last hours were spent?" crosses my head. I think making the best of what time you have left is getting more relevant as the dreaded year 2012 approaches. I personally think it's a load of garbage, but some truly believe it will be the end of the world and thus the end of time.

Regardless of your economic situation, time is money is relevant in the lives of everybody.

Time = Lunch, And money ain't free!

the phrase "time is money" constantly reminds me of the other ever popular phrase that states "there's no such thing as a free lunch".
Of course there's no such thing as a free lunch in a capitalist society, and because we live in such a capitalist society (thanks a bunch government/corporate bail outs!) time is also equal to money.

Lunch: its never free. Someone always pays for it in some way. Even if you don't pay any money for it, its still not free, you are then indebted to the giver/provider of the "free" lunch. If you believe in good (or bad) karma, even a found lunch isn't free!
If you make lunch yourself, its not free because you worked for it. Money and work are equal in this country, even though labor wages are disputable.

It's not necessarily a pleasant thing to think about everything we do in our day being equal to a monetary value.

I prefer to live by the motto: A good lunch should not be free, and quality time is priceless.

Time is Infinate.

Time is a gift. Time is a gift because we view it at limited. However, in reality there is enough of it to go around, which is something we tend to forget. Time allows us to evolve. However, the notion of “what time is it?” seems irrelevant to me. We only use time to organize our lives in a civilized manner. However, humans just decided that we would call 1 rotation around the sun “one year” and break it down into months, days, hours, minutes, and seconds. When this occurred, I believe we started to put limits on our existance, and try to fit as many things in a certain span of time that we could, before time runs out. There was a study done on a show I watched called “Time”. The study consisted of putting younger people in a room for a few hours and putting older people in a room for hours. The younger people predicted that the time went by significantly quicker than the older people predicted. Near the end of ones life, people start appreciating time more than younger people who are generally caught up in the future rather than the present. Always thinking about what your going to do next takes away from the gift of time we have on earth, which is to enjoy the very “now” moment that your living in. Americans especially take the gift of time for granted. The portrayed view on how to live the “American Dream” is to keep striving for more. More things, more money, more responsibilities, less time. Everything in America suggests “on the go”, “keep moving”, never rest. This is such a negative way to live our lives but so many people fall into it, and lose sight of the gift of time passing by and before we know it we ask ourselves…”where has the time gone?”.

Americans especially view “time as money”. Getting payed by the hour, charging services by the hour, and studio time are great examples of how we charge for each otheres time. When you pay for time, time gains value. However, it loses value in the sence that it is not being accepted as special, just “worth money”. I believe that it has a negative affect on society when time is sold, sectioned off, rushed, and passed by so quickly without ackknowledging the gift of being alive. Time helps us to realize that what we do with our lives, in the time we have to be on earth, is crutial to appreciate everything around us.

In the past few weeks I have been overwhelmed with deadlines, stressed out and felt there wasn't enough time to get things done. I haven't had a cellphone for three days now. This was the main source I used to tell what time it was. In the past few days I have felt relieved and it seems as though I made it to class on-time, without noting the time. And time seems to be going by much smoother not knowing what time it is. This has helped me come to my realization that we all have enough time for everything.

During those few weeks I was telling my mom how I was feeling. She decided to send me my horoscope which was freakishly accurate and also pertains to this weeks blog assignment.........


TIME is weighing a bit heavily on your mind, today, and all of your clockwatching could prove distracting. Deadlines, expiration dates and looming appointments don't have to steer you off track, though -- just set your alarm an hour earlier. Try to live in the moment. Don't worry about what's coming up in the next hour, day or week. You do have all the TIME you need, but you'll have even more of it if you stop wasting the moment on being preoccupied with the future!

Until when is the apple no good?

The term "time is a gift" in my mind means that every minute we spend doing something we enjoy and that makes life fulfilling, while still full of vibrance and life, is a gift. The way the world is today death can create itself in the masses if it wanted to, for no  good reason at all. Every second we spend living the life we are happy with is a gift because death is too common in our present day. "Time is a gift" and the term "time is money" are very different from each other. "Time is money" is creating a glass half empty. The humans in this world that look at time as money aren't searching for true happiness in life. They look at life as something they were suppose to have. Not something given to them. These kinds of people take it for granted and don't take time to grasp the whole concept of true happiness. They are sometimes masked with materialism. Time is time. It is not money, it does not make one man richer and one man poorer. It is what you do with time. Time is a gift. Some of us have relatives with terminal illnesses and the time we get to spend with them before they leave our lives forever is a gift. They could be dead at any moment, so any minutes you spend with them will forever be imprinted on your life. Yes we do get paid by the hour and have yearly incomes, but that is structure. Clocks are just structure. Time is intangible. Lacking time can be miserable. In order to tip the scale we should all look at it as a gift everyday. This may just change our lives.

She works hard for the money... but is she working for the weekend?

What time is a gift means to me is that every moment of life should be cherished. That every stage in life is special and should be welcomed. From childhood you develop your first socialization skills, friendships, responsibilities, and schooling. From young adulthood you begin to become independent, exercise dating and relationships, learn the importance of money, and other responsibilities such as living on your own. Then as an adult you are on your own, you go into a work force, consider marriage and child rearing or be in a childless relationship, and make your own decisions and choices to live how you want to live. Time is indeed important and something we take for granted. Such examples are an extension on a project we may of slacked off on, every moment you spend with family that may not be there the next day, and cherishing your youth and strength that will perish in decades.

Now time is money on the other hand is totally different. Instead of focusing on family, hobbies, and other things as most important i believe that it's more about the dollar. That time is money is a certain motto for people and that it's their lifestyle. Those who live by time is money I believe are focused to work and gain more income. This may be for security or for greed. They have a outstanding work ethic and will undoubtedly have a solid income. These people are probably very independent and only occasionally visit family or friends. 

I live by the time is a gift lifestyle. I think this lifestyle is more rewarding and whole, though since I don't live and understand the time is money lifestyle I may not be getting the whole picture that those who live this way may be. To me those who live in the time is money lifestyle are missing out on little things like walks on the beach or in the city and being in tune with that person and nature. Though on the other hand those who live the time is money lifestyle may be driving that sports car that I occasionally drool about. To conclude there are many different attitudes about lifestyles and where money stands in these lifestyles. Though most would agree that the time is a gift lifestyle is more rewarding they may not be able to really exercise the time is money lifestyle in the first place. Either way remember you can't always get what you want.

It sure is a shame.

It's a shame, but the fact of the matter in today's society is that TIME IS MONEY! The idea of time being a gift is a very nice thought, but just like any other gift, we as the human race would take it for granted. In fact, it just occurred to me that, humans do a very interesting thing with gifts, which is not to accept them. Every time we have a gift, it is in our nature to assign it a purpose. Time is money, life is to procreate and legs are for good ol' fashion hard work. At one point I'm sure we did consider time as a gift to us, and something to enjoy, but we also made currency equal enjoyment. It's funny how we don't take anything as is, and instead have to turn it into something else we feel is a better use for our gifts. Everyone still has those days where they are just happy to be alive, or happy to walk around, go to the museum walk by the lake, etc. It's all good, and we do have the capability to appreciate our gifts for a day at a time, but with that comes the racking guilt that we spent an ENTIRE day relaxing, instead of making money, furthering our careers or increasing our opportunities. The idea of appreciating life and relaxing has now been turned into guilt (another gift we spoiled) and so it is, human nature is to not accept gifts. kinda sad.

What is important though, is as human, realizing we are capable of enjoying these gifts, and just chosing to use the time we are giben to making money. It's a common, societal decision. Once you realize it, you don't feel so bad spending your time making money, or likewise, taking a day off to enjoy the sweeter things.

"Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time..."

In the American culture, it seems as though that we are always busy. I know that is how my life is. I run around between work and school, come home and clean and cook, help my daughter with her homework, do my own homework, and never get a chance to sit down and hang with my daughter or my boyfriend until it's nearly time to go to bed. The weekends are just as busy for me as well. I never seem to have enough quality time with my family and friends. But when I do get some spare time to just relax and hang I take advantage of it and enjoy it. So in that respect spare time is a gift for me.
Also, time can be a gift when you are given time off from work or if you get out of work or class early. I once had a pretty serious family emergency and I had to take some time off of work. My boss ended up giving me the time off without taking the time out of my vacation time, which was a very generous gift of time.
On the other hand, the phrase "time is money" is absolutely true. I work to get paid. If I work late or come in early, I get paid overtime or bank my hours for time off. I would not work late or come in early if I was not getting paid though. And obviously, I would not work at all if I wasn't getting paid. On days that I have school, I have to leave work early or I come in late. I also have to pay back my boss those hours that I am gone, otherwise I would not get paid for that time that I am gone. Any time I take away from work means I can get paid less. I don't know about any one else but I know I can't live without money.

Hustler?

The time we have in this life is precious. It is a gift we didn't have to ask for. It is limited. One wrong move, one slip..and that time you think you have is taken in fractions of a second. "Yeah..I got all the time in the world to ______." Fill in the blank. Really? Is anything certain? Maybe in the back of everyone's mind, whether they are conscious of it or not, lingers this thought of own's own mortality. I think that is the root of this idea that "time is money". I'm an observer of people by nature, so I find myself being captivated by the crowds of men and women as they're headed off to work in the morning. Suit, tie, heels, skinny skirt, breifcase, coffee[a lot of coffee], face forward, quickened step. All of them headed to different places of business, most of them with some desire to move forward, all of them with loved ones and memories and a story to tell. But when I see them..their stories almost have a way of blending into one. Money is status, money brings leisure, wealth equals security for the future. Is anything certain? Not in the least bit.

$7.75

1)What would it mean to say “time is a gift”? How different is “time as a gift” from “time as money”? How might such a view change our lives? Can you think of any negative aspects to this view of time?

Time is a gift, to me rings true. I take the phrase as meaning that the time we have in a day, month or year is a gift to us. I especially begin to appreciate time in the essence of how it is available to me, although I might fill it with mindless things such as a full time job. I think it's important, that you use the time that you have to do what you love doing whether that is reading, sleeping, fishing, cross stitching, martial arts etc....

Time as a gift versus time as money to me is completely opposite. When someone says "time is money" shows that their view of time is only measured in amounts of money, which is something that is very valuable to most people in our society. The easiest relation to time as a gift, for example, would be if your boss realizes your stressed and tells you to take a personal day and you realize how amazing it is to just do things for yourself (which I'm sure we can all acknowledge as rare at our age).

I don't think our mainstream society would consider time as a gift, until they have a close call with not having any time left at all, or having someone close to them that has no time left on this earth. Still, peoples lives revert back to the way society has built them to be.

It is entirely possible for people to live their life knowing that every second of their day is a gift, although they might categorize this way of living in the "crazy" section next to what the results of the Peoples Temple in Jonestown when they decided to live differently from our society.

/rambling

Milking Time For All It's Worth

In America we are so caught up with money and the acquisition of it. Most people who work, are paid by the hour, then they are either paid bi-weekly or monthly. We work hard from the beginning of the day to the end to accumulate the tools (money) to survive, and for some of us to thrive in this world. In this fast get up and go society it is hard to see time as a "gift". Most of us have our entire days consumed with work or some task that leaves us wishing we were off doing something else that was bit more enjoyable. I think if we all had the option to actually enjoy our lives without worrying about how we were going to buy food, pay rent, and all the other essentials of life we could reasonably believe in the notion that "time is a gift".

Time is something that is precious because it continues without pause or second chances. With time all we have is the now and the moment that comes after. I would love to lay down and relax and enjoy the time I have, but it is hard to do so when everything around me is telling me that I can't. When I know that I have this to do and that do. We have "to do list", not "to don't list". I wish I could treat each day as it was my last and make an event out of each day. I think we need more spontaneity as a culture, more fulfillment to our existence. I think we are all tired of the self-important routines we have etched out for ourselves. I am.

Do you have time to stop and smell the roses?

"Time as a gift", to me means that the time we have is precious because it could be gone before we know it. Sometimes I feel like Americans use time to their advantage better than any other place, however agreeing with the post by mariguz, Americans are always rushed. Nobody really stops to smell the roses anymore, which is sad. Thinking that time is a gift makes me think of other things that are gifts as well. Money is a gift, even though time is not a material, people use it in different ways as they do their time. All gifts are received in all sorts of ways: it all depends on a single person's preferences, morals and beliefs.

I talked to a boy in my pattern making class who is from Pakistan and he commented on the fact that when he is here for school life is more hectic because everyone is planning their lives down to the very minute in most cases, he is relating to the fact that he has to check when the train comes in the morning so he can get to class on time. There may not necessarily be more going on, however, there is little leeway in the way we, who live in the United States schedule our lives. So for the most part he is saying that "we" are not very flexible, but he wanted to make sure everyone knew that he meant it in the nicest way possible, "that Americans are very productive with their time, but they seem to not take their leisure."

Is it time yet?

I've met quite a few people from different countries or who have grown up in a different country other than their birthplace. What I've mostly heard from them is that Americans are always on the go. Everything and everyone is completely rushed. Which for the most part is true. Most Americans don't take vacatations or if they do it's often shorten compare to other countries. Also my friend was telling me that in France most businesses are closed on sundays as well as in Germany. Not only that but most countries in Europe and also in Mexico that I am aware of, they have a two hour lunch break unlike America where its anywhere from a half to an hour. Americans are miserable and stressed out as shown through polls. Like they say time is money and I'm running out of it as we speak.

Time is both gift and money.

To me..."Time is a gift" can mean spending time and effort into making something that may eventually  be converted into a gift. It does not have to be anything physical. It can be a way you feel or think...or you making someone feel/ think a certain way. Where as "Time as money" is more like you putting time to work at your job to make money. Simple as that. Working 30-40 hours a week just to pay off rent and barely having enough to spend on your own needs is a lot of time for most people. Why should there be more TIME as MONEY in our lives than TIME as GIFTS? Our world is based on money so much that it takes up so much time in our lives...But then if you work less and make more than you need, time can be considered a gift AND money in this case. But whos to say what time really is?...

"Ti-i-i-ime...is on my side....Yes it is."

"Time is money "- The notion that you are currently achieving nothing. By saying such a thing, you are expressing the need for faster, more direct action. Also, a completely reactionary statement; applicable only when someone else is already in motion and a goal must be achieved faster in order to be successful. Thought of as profound and motivational only by the monumentally lame.

"Time is a gift"- The notion that you are currently doing whatever you need to be doing. Saying such a thing expresses a devotion to sharing experiences with others and cherishing whatever activities you are engaging in. Applied, when found necessary, to functions that go by to quickly or when one is not sure to be relishing the company of others enough. Thought of as profound by the uninteresting and sentimental.

Time is a thing beyond reckoning, good only for recognizing elements of change. Maximizing the importance of time and it's imagined consequences has lead to minimizing the relevance of change. Thinking that the deal won't be done or worrying that you're not appreciating the company of others enough, completely dilutes the texture and subtlety of what is actually happening. Seeing time outside of action is dangerous and seeing action outside of context is purely destructive. An experience, any experience you have, is context. TIME is your action in that context- what you are doing is the only way to see that anything is happening at all.

Think about what you are doing, appreciate it, and feel time slow and expand. It swells up and gives you whatever you need. Invest in action, even passively, and time becomes your ally. Divorce yourself from context, corrupt an experience, and you feel time grind to a standstill. When you wander and try to move without time, you begin to see time; it becomes something to contend with, your enemy.

The gift of time may be precious to some...

There are so many ways to look at those to sayings. What I take from the saying “time is a gift” is that we only have one life to live and that we should live it to the most we humanly can. There are those of us who have a better quality of life than others, thus they would want to live life to the fullest while others would rather waste their lives and do nothing special with it. As for the saying "time is money" seems to have come out of our capitalist society that we live in. I see it as simple as that and nothing more. What we can positively take from both is that we all live and work around an ever powerful force that we know as time. There are some of us who care more about money than others and there are those who care about experiencing life and all it has to offer.

For the Archaeology Buffs-if you're interested

Multimedia from NYTimes.com:
The Mysterious Faces of Cave Kiva
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/09/18/travel/escapes/19Pict/index.html
Seven mask paintings that may have been religious symbols are hidden within caves near El Paso.
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View more multimedia from The New York Times at http://www.nytimes.com/multimedia, or search content since Jan. 1, 2000 at http://www.nytimes.com/multimediasearch.
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Blog Assignment #3--"Time is Money" or "Time is a Gift"

Of course Stonehenge:



The Mayan calendar:




Here's an artist's depiction of woodhenge:






Please answer one, or more than one of the questions below:

1)What would it mean to say “time is a gift”? How different is “time as a gift” from “time as money”? How might such a view change our lives? Can you think of any negative aspects to this view of time?



2a)Talk to a student with a cultural background different from your own. Ask that person what they have noticed about Americans’ view approach to time. How is it different (or similar) to the approach with which they are familiar?

OR

2b) If you are from another cultural background than most of the students around you, briefly describe any differences or similarities you notice between your own notion and approach to time and those that are dominant here.

Woodhenge (Cahokia Mounds)

Woodhenge 1
Originally uploaded by krixster

This is an image of Woodhenge today. Archaeologists believe that the people living at Cahokia used this to mark equinoxes, solstices, and as a way of determining the planting season.

language snap

In class we were talking about "television dialect" as well as people going back and forth between different dialects...

here's a great (funny) example

lang. for meaning and for stories

The preservation of langauge is the preservation of unique meanings and words. Emotions feelings and ideas that are convayed with words don't always translate between langages, there is not alwasy an equivalant. If we hope to preserve and study the human exsistance these non translatable difrences are a corner stone in understanding humanity through our differnaces and they must be preserved.

Beyond this i find it importaint to preseve the stories and narrative traditions of all langages, the simalarites and differences in culteral narratives offer great insight into human nature and culteral values. For the reasons listed in the preveous paragraph i think it is imporatint to preseve these stories in their original lang. and not it the best possible translation which will enevitable fall short.

Extinct cultures?

Language is the way in which we communicate. It's the way we learn about ideas, history, cultures, lifestyle, trends, and more. There are around 6,500 languages. Presently languages are dying as we speak. The English language is growing and taking over the world. This is a concern to me. I've learned four languages: Latin, French, German, and Spanish. When learning a language not only do you learn how to speak and write it, but you also learn about the locations where it is/was spoken as well as the culture that is associated with the language. If we lose a language chances are we would lose the cultures of these languages as well. For example holidays that are only celebrated in Germany or France may disappear and holidays that are celebrated world wide yet with different traditions according to country, such as Christmas, may become more Americanized since the English language is becoming more and more popular. If we lose more languages we're going to lack culture and the world will become boring and dull. We would also lose history lacking language. A good example is that unknown knowledge of how Egyptians built the Pyramids way long ago. Language is important and what makes us, us. If we lose languages, then what's next or the better question is what's left?

Is something that is not used worth keeping?

Would it cause clutter, or would it be better off as a memory? When a language dies, I absolutely think that something is lost. Language has very much to do with the culture it belongs to. There are words for certain things, ideas, philosophies, etc that may only belong to that particular culture. I think the greater question though, is if a language is lost, was it really still useful?

I don't think it's particularly damaging to let a language die a natural death. If it's no longer useful to a culture, is it worth being saved or revived? Unfortunately, not all languages that have gone extinct have been able to be documented, but if possible, the documentation of a language can give great insight into the culture it was used in, and the relation between other cultures and languages. But does it need to still be actively spoken to remain culturally relevant? There is a point where a language may become somewhat of a hinderance and prevent a culture from evolving, like the previous poster said about old english. What kind of society would we live in if the language was preserved the way it was for centuries instead of changing?

Be a trendsetter, save a language!

Whenever I read over homework assignments I tend to quickly read them over, get the major points down in my head and reread once more. I feel like i misinterpreted what I was supposed to comment about however this is what I have come up with:
Of course we should care about each and every language that is in danger of dying out, however this seems like a new found thing, like a trend. I am not saying that no one has EVER tried to save any culture from disappearing and it is even discussed in the book. I would compare it to how in the last year recycling has become a "trend" even though people have been doing it for years. I have heard several times in the past few months "did you know that seven languages were just forgotten during the minute conversation that we just had," which is in a sense true because they are disappearing. When we or more so a culture loses their language, it is a major part of what their lives were and what their relatives lives made up. Once lost, it can never be recovered. As said by a few people already, language is one if not the most part of a culture because communication is the most powerful form of understanding.
When writing up little blurbs about answering these questions earlier in the week i caught myself writing, "language is very important to cultural identity, it is a long running part of a culture even if the traditions change and the location changes, the language stays with a person or group FOREVER." In a way this is true because it does "stay" with a person because they remember it, however when they die it could be gone forever. And in contrast it is not completely true because another speaking group could come in and take over and force their language on the indigenous people, making them forget their original language, which is very apparent when the Spanish came over and conquered what they pleased.
So in the end, caring about our languages dying is the way to go, so let's make it a trend that sticks for generations to come.

Language lost through technology.

I was reading the previous posts and noticed the topic of how our culture and language is influenced by the large increase of technology in our society. And I think we can all agree that technology is only at it's beginning.

I'm just concerned that technology is going to get a bad wrap because it promotes the use of text instead of voice, which isn't always the case.

I feel like currently or society uses video chatting minimally. I remember in the early 2000's that if anyone saw a web cam in your house you were automatically judged as being a "creeper"... unless of course you were a grandparent or your children were away at college. Technology, in the future, will in fact promote the use of human interaction by voice instead of our standards now of email, texting, blogs, forums etc. Now web cameras are standard in most Apple computers and Dell is catching on as well.

Overall, I believe it is important if language is lost or untraceable in the future, but I think technology is only going to enable us to preserve the existing cultures of the world. I'm not denying that it has promoted the deterioration of our current language "standards".

Do we have those? Americans? Standards?

Does any one care?

Not for sure...

Language: identity or seperation.

Should we care about languages dying out? This is the toughest question posted because I believe very strongly in both sides of the argument....naturally, culture loses it's flare when it loses it's language, and often translations just don't do the trick, but the loss of language has been a part of evolution since day 1. A language is never fully lost, rather it is infused with the more common language and adds on to something greater. Language almost seems quite novel to me, it's cute and maintain aspects of culture, but is it worth all the problems it causes. As we continually strive for peace and unity, why are we so caught up on maintaining something that sets us all a part. Language is (obviously) at the heart of most communication issues and has been used for CENTURIES as an excuse to persecute and oppress. I know the past is very important to some people, but just because the past is important, doesn't mean it you have to keep it going in order to maintain it's importance.

I know I probably sound pretty cynical but to me, purposefully maintaining a language seems a lot like collecting. As a child most kids collected something, beenie babies , baseball cards, pez machines, whatever. It is novel and is a symbol of your childhood or your past. There has to come a time though when, however tempting that new pez machine is, you just have to stop collecting. Language is a great tool of the past and of culture, but culture doesn't die when a language does. At the base of it, people communicate on a far more basic level then language. Be it body gestures, expresssions or through creativity. Language is just a tool to express the human mood, but can be expressed in any language.

When a language dies, it's that moment when you realize you can no longer collect ad hold on to the past, but you must move forward. In doing so, another culture, and a greater unity is formed and built upon. It is just another phase in the evolutionary process. And it brings people closer and closer together.

Scatter-Brained[English Dialect]

Language. A noun. By definition; a body of words and the systems for their use common to a people who are of the same community or nation, the same geographical area, or the same cultural tradition. As I am a little late in the week for posting this entry, most of my thoughts on the subject of "losing language" have already been covered by others, and after reading their opinions on the matter, I have drawn a somewhat simple conclusion. Language plays a major role in every culture. That is a given. Dialect evolves like everything else..and I'm not sure if saving or preserving the "original" version of a language holds as much value as adapting to new forms does..I mean, I think it's a gift that we have Old English texts to study, and we can look deeper into the Latin language to better understand the history and basic beginnings of the words we use daily, but at the same time people will continue to communicate with other people no matter what the format. Just my take..and there's a high chance I could be totally off topic here. Caffiene makes me scatter-brained.

Language go down the hole!

When a language dies I think we all lose something. We may not notice it or care all the time because its not a part of our culture that is fading away. I think we should care though. When reading the New York times article I was shocked to realize that a language just drops off the radar about every two weeks. The fact that an entire culture's language just is gone every two weeks is insane.

Language is a huge part of a culture's identity. For instance slaves where brought to America they were not allowed to speak their own language, then they couldn't practice their customs, and the Americanization completely robbed slaves of who they were. It was a systemic process. In a generation or two the customs and words of their culture would be totally gone.

I believe that cultural identity is strongly linked to language. I had a co-worker who was half Mexican and she couldn't speak Spanish. The other Latina women would treat her differently because they tried to speak with her in Spanish and she had no idea of what they were saying. It wasn't anything she could control, but it seemed to them that she was betraying her culture.

I think if it is possible to record languages before we lose them completely. One day we could look up and English could be losing its grip as the dominant language in America. I doubt it would be a terrible loss since it is a well preserved language through film, literature, and other media. I just think we need to care more about what we as humans do to other cultures and their languages when we ask everyone to speak one language. Without language a culture loses it's essence and foundation. It becomes more accessible to outsiders and that can cause even more damage.

Uh-oh...I think I broke my language.

"I speak two languages! English and BAD English!"-Corbin Dallas, The Fifth Element

When language dies, it is most often only a symptom of a larger social or cultural extinction. Forces of change, coming politically or ecumenically, push against and erode the two simplest characteristics of culture first. Territory and language are the things that most easily define and represent a culture. The dialect you speak is, at the very least, as important as where you come from; so its no surprise that, with the intent controlling another, you take the land first and remove the language second. Transplanting one language for another is a dangerous business, one that I feel any right thinking individual would have no part of.

However, language also dies a natural death. One that breaks it apart or corrodes it for the sake of simplicity. Take Latin, at one time spoken, then taught to the wealthy and finally recognized only for it's canonical significance. The death of language does not mean the death of a culture. Cultures are resilient and evolve as time moves on, language, histories and stories can often survive the natural demise of a language. Sadly, it is a tragedy that not all languages are given that much dignity.

The Same Fate as Sumerian

Language plays an integral role in a culture. Of course, everyone communicates with it on a day to day bases. As the cultures of the world integrate and begin or continue relations languages will either change or die out, to make communication between cultures easier. Language helps make a culture unique, some mannerisms maybe only said with a word or the distance someone a speaker and listener should be.
However, when a language dies a lot goes with it because it is greatly intertwined within the culture. If a a language goes so will songs and stories that have been passed down. Now I understand, that a few current languages derive or relate from dead ones, listen to Latin words then Spanish and English words. However, some cultures (like the Sumerians) have Isolated Languages, a language system that has no relatives, nothing derives or uses words from it. With that the culture will be lost for a quite some time.
Therefore, economically for the word it would be easier for languages to die or merge but a great part of the culture will die with it.

Lost Language.. Lost Roots

What came to my mind when I first thought about the instance of lost languages was how we can trace languages and make connections based on the root of spoken/written words.
English is no romance language, neither are many harsher languages from Eastern lands. Many words from the various English vernaculars and regional dialects can be linked to other languages that are commonly spoken in English-speaking countries.
One language that I know has a relatively unknown origin is Euskara - which is spoken in the Basque region of Northern Spain. Euskara has served not only as a language but as a cultural tie between the Basque people. It is also a tool that the Basque region has used to gain leverage to aid their nationalist fight to secede from Spain's rule.
Euskara has no known origin in any language that is spoken today. Many have speculated and made loose connections between Euskara and other languages but none of them have turned up much.
I wonder what would have happened if the language that Euskara came from had never disappeared.
Is the loss of a language truly a loss? or could it be considered evolution of a language?
In this case, I would consider it a loss. We are simply left with nothing to connect the language to, leaving its speakers with little to identify their spoken word with.

Language Connects Humans

Language is crutial in separating cultures. Havent wet always said, "If everyone was the same people would be boring." Thats why language keeps these groups of people distinguishable to their own culture. Language in itself, is an art of describing emotions to bridge gaps between the human devine. It allows creativity of speech that helps us to identify with our specific culture and way of living. Language can compare to the way animals growl, chirp, meow, and purr. Although each sound comes from a different species it gives each species a way to identify with each other. Humans identify the animal by the sound, as well as other animals identify the species when they hear the sound of their fellow animal. Much like humans can identify with other cultures by hearing the way they speak. Language is authentic and epic. Language is something that should not be lost due to modernization. It's one of the few things left that separates cultures.

The modern American society and western civilation has not only been whiping out nature faster and faster every year but also changing the true nature of culture. With media being the largest source of dehumanization, it portrays to the world that their is only one way to be, and thats living by the American Dream. This image portrays to people accoss the world to live and be like Americans to live the "glamerous life". I believe that American ways are to blame for the loss of language throughout cultures.

What if the English language died???

As Andre put it, there are about 7,000 languages spoken in the world today. What if the English language died out? We would all either be speaking in some weird slang term filled language with nonsensical grunts and English slang terms. Swear words would take the place of all people, places, and things. Well in today's society it's almost like that now.

It's important we keep our language grammatical correct so the English language can live on for the rest of time. As for languages evolving, English is a great example. The is a major difference between Shakespearean English and modern English, not as much slang in those times (or so it seems). It's important to keep a language intact so that those who speak it now can speak it forever and keep it in their culture.

America may not be the biggest English speaking country (China), but we have taken it and made it our own. Without it we would not be able to come up with such terrific slang words like
"shiznit" and terms like "shank". And if or when we lose our language to slang words, we will sound like a bunch of drunk frat boys.

Evolution and Extinction

Language is one of the pieces of culture that people usually don’t recognize unless they go somewhere were the language or dialect spoken is different. Not knowing the slang or popular sayings of an area can make you feel like a real outsider, so it’s more than just communication. 

Languages dying out is just part of the human evolution in my opinion. Languages are constantly changing, new ones form over hundreds of years the same as they disappear. That’s not to say efforts shouldn’t be made to preserve a language that’s dying, but if it’s just the natural order of things, there’s nothing wrong with that. Even without knowing the language of a extinct culture, one can record its history. There are aspects of language that can tell us what a culture was like, but that’s not all there is to it. That being said, a people that is being forced to assimilate to a different culture forcefully- like the aboriginals of so many countries is wrong- and in that case a language is being forcefully snuffed out, efforts should be made to preserve it. 

Legacies

Languages, being the main source of communication, are obviously very important to a culture. Certain accents, mannerisms, dialect, and phrases that go along with a language are arguably what makes a culture. The whole history of a people could lie within what was once spoken. So, to see the last living member of a spoken word die is like watching history vanish. If there is no written record of a language, it may as well have not existed in the first place because no one will care about what they can't remember.

It would be an injustice to the past cultures to ignore their dying languages. It's good to hear that a team of researchers are doing what they can to track down the last remaining members of different cultures and record their languages. Even if the languages are no longer spoken, at least with a recorded history, their legacies will not be forgotten.

What if everyone in Chicago called "pop" soda?

Languages are the most important aspects of cultures. Language is what sets each culture apart from one another and gives each culture it's individual identity. Many cultures may share the same language, but there are different dialects, accents, and diction among each subculture. For example, in America there is a difference of how people living in say Memphis, Tennesse speak from how people living in Chicago, Illinos speak. They both speak English but our accents are very different (southern accent vs. midwestern or the stereotypical "Ditka!, Sausage!, Bears!" accent) and some of the words or phrases we use (soda-Memphis vs. pop-Chicago). If everyone in American spoke the same, there would be nothing that sests us apart from one another in each of the different regions. There would be no cultural difference as far as language.

If languages eventually start to disappear, then the cultures will eventually disappear. Cultures may still have their different rituals, beliefs, artifacts, etc., but the cultures would just kind of mesh together without having a specific language thats makes them special.

Blog Assignment #2: Following the Fate of the Dinosaur

and the dodo......

According to the NY Times article “Languages Die, But Not Their Last Words”, there are about 7,000 languages spoken in the world today. Of these languages, nearly half will likely be extinct in the next 100 years. [Read this article before your answer these questions.]

In your blog response, I want you discuss one or more of the following questions:

Should we care about languages dying out? Why? Is language important to cultural identity? What is lost when we lose a language?

Please think of an original title for each of your posts. I will count comments on other people’s posts as your post for the week when your posts respond to something that the original poster stated in her/his blog response.

I’d really like this blog to help us to create a class discourse. Any extra activity on the blog can help to supplement your overall course participation grade. I encourage you to read other people's posts.

Also, I’ve started adding labels to people’s posts. I'll probably hand that duty over to you soon. Feel free to change labels if you don't like them. Some people have already added labels to their posts. I encourage you to do so since, I think, the labels will help to create ties between blogs.

Also, I’m not really an expert in adding multimedia to blogs, but if you’d like to add a video, song, story, a relevant story from the NY Times (for example), or something else that you think is relevant to the material that we’re covering in class and you know how to do so, then feel free to post it on the blog.

I repeat: any extra activity on the blog that shows that you are engaging with the course materials can supplement your course participation grade.

Also, remember that there’s going to be a quiz next week, so don’t be surprised.

Jordan

I've been interested with cultures in the middle east and northern Africa, especially after I went to Morocco. Also, I'm a big fan of ancient history so to see the ruins of the ancient cities would make my day. I know a little bit of Arabic enough that can get me by, but I would brush up with a translation book.
I would pack summer clothes. It's going to be hot and I'll be expecting the heat, I believe the average temperature is in the 90s. I would bring some food like snacks or something to bounce back to in case the I don't adjust to the food out there. Other items I would bring along would be my camera, laptop to keep in touch with people in America using e-mail and instant messenger, a notebook to document my time out there if I take a tour to write down the information.
I would bring books and magazines and my drawing pad to help sustain me.
I'm sure that my hobbies and things that I'm into will be translatable. I enjoy soccer, find someone who would be into history, mention some of the music that they listen to, I would try to make myself one with their culture and fit in.

Japan ^_^V

Japan is definitely one of the main places i want to visit before i die. I'd have to go with my friends who speak Japanese though since i've only taken two classes of Nihongo so far. I will get myself to continue taking them eventually. I still keep up with anime and such so it helps a little!

I will of course bring clothes, shoes (not too much though since I would be shopping my ass off there), underwear, MP3 player, Nintendo DS, maybe a sketchbook, toothbrush...etc. I can just buy bathroom material there. If Im going to Japan, I'm bringing lots of MONEY. I will certainly need my camera to take fun pictures. Photos are very important, especially since Japan has such creative architecture and industrial designs. Another necessity is my laptop for keeping in touch with people at home and updating myself with what's been going on around the world.

I'm sure the things I like will be translatable if my Japanese speaking friends were with me. If not, things might be a bit conflicting. My poor Japanese, icons or maps might help a bit but that'll be it. I would educate myself more with the language before going though. 

The South of Spain

If I could choose any culture to visit, I would choose to go to the southern part of Spain. I would love to go and see their different customs and practice my Spanish. I would want to do it through an exchange program so I could live with a family and one of the members be close to my age. Then after my stay I would love to bring him or her back to the America.

I would need to bring all of my southern clothing with me because even in winter it does not get below sixty degrees. I would also bring my laptop so I could communicate with my family and friends from home. Even though I am up for trying new foods I most likely would bring some granola bars along because I am not a big fan of seafood.

Some things I do believe would be transferable. I know that young adults there listen to a lot of American music, mostly hip-hop. They are also very family loving people and have a lot of respect for their parents.

By M. VAZQUEZ

vanawatu

Its an Island nation.... I travel a lot and i never take much, light layers of clothing, (this area is tropical) a couple of books... basic needs (tooth brush, soap ext.)... and maybe some basic utenciles for cooking. comunications shouldn't be to hard because the islands speak a sort of pidgened english/french that is suposed to be pretty easy to understand..... i want to go here because the eople who live here are suposed to be the happyest people in the world and i would like to expereance a place where people can live comfterable of the land. Anyway i dont want to bring things with me, you dont go to a new place to bring everything from your old place along... you should be looking for somthing different.

Thailand

There is one country in particular I would love to visit more than any others and that is Thailand. The reason for it is, besides wanting to learn more of the culture and it's history it is because it seems completely out of my reach. Very exotic and the opposite end of my home. It is by no means a cheap flight ticket and and a long flight.

I'm not buddhist, however, I would love to visit the buddhist temples. I read somewhere that Bangkok is home to over 400 temples and that is bangkok alone! I think overall I'm just fascinated by Thailand not to say that I don't want to go to any other country which is not true. My goal in life is to get paid to travel the world. It just happens that is one country I would love to go. Besides I love Thai food, and I think it's only natural that I should have a taste of authentic red curry.

Mexico, querido, lindo.

The thing about travel is that I'd like to go everywhere. That includes Brazil living in the Amazon forest with the Tupi or Yanomamo tribes, then there's Bolivia and Peru with the Aymara or Quechua peoples then Costa Rica, Venezuela and Chile.. Okay I'd like to visit pretty much all of Central and South America but lets get to the point, the truth is I plan on traveling to Mexico for a semester abroad. That means five months but if I had to travel by myself for six months I think the location would stay the same. For one I'm deeply connected to my culture and the most time I've spent with my family over there is a week if I could I would still like to live in the area of San Luis Potosi or perhaps the Yucatan. I've been a Mexica dancer (also known as Aztec dancers) for about three months and even before that I've taken any and every opportunity to immerse myself in the indigenous culture of my people.
I'd love to live with a Nahua tribe and learn dances directly from the elders themselves, I'd love to become fluent in Nahuatl but outside of the community itself I'd manage to get along fine since I am a fluent Spanish speaker and although my Nahuatl vocabulary is limited I think there'd be someone bound to speak Spanish within the tribe and hopefully I'd be able to pick up things faster. Considering that I'd want to live in a Nahua community I'd probably have to venture to areas such as Oaxaca, Puebla or Tlaxcala among many others. So of all that narrowing down I'd probably pick Tlaxcala which in Nahuatl means place of tortillas or bread made of maize. Even if my primary station was Tlaxcala I'd travel around and visit as many ruins as I possibly could within six months. I wouldn't limit myself to just Nahua populations either I'd love to visit Maya areas and get to personally know the similarities between the many indigenous groups that populate Mexico.
As for what I'd take to entertain me while I was there well, what's a book when you can experience the landscapes and sites of your ancestors?
If I felt homesick I'd visit my family in San Luis and great uncles and aunts that I haven't had the chance to meet in Cuernavaca. The only thing I'd absolutely have to take with me would be my journal because after all I am a fiction writer and I doubt there'd ever me a drought of inspiration. Aside from that I'd have another seperate journal where I could write down what I've managed to learn in terms of Nahua considering that their are different dialects according to what region your in apart from that my camera would be essential and a video camera. I'd say I'd bring my cat too but I wouldn't want to stress him out with the constant traveling across the states. In short it'd be a very personal but extremely educational voyage to learn as much as I can about various groups and I think I'd do fine in explaining all the things that would seem confusing since I'm already close to the culture. There would be, of course, some time to get used to all the differences especially because I plan on living a very Native lifestyle while there but in the end it would be not only extremely valuable but very much worth it.

Also Japan.

A lot of people here chose Japan, and while I would like to branch out and choose somewhere else to go for 6 months, Japan has a special place in my heart. I have been studying the language for the last 4 or 5 years, and although I'm still far from fluent, I know how to get around and would like to continue working towards fluency. I also have been to Japan before and have technically lived there (I rented an apartment twice), so it's slightly familiar to me.

I tend to go for a minimalist's approach to packing also, so what I would bring with me would just be clothing, especially for the range of climates I would experience. I wouldn't want to stay in just one city either. I have been to Tokyo and Shimane already, and would like to move around and spend a bit of time in Hokkaido, Kyoto, and other places I haven't been to yet. So depending on what time of year and what area I'm in, I would need anything from rain boots to a heavy coat to shorts. Some areas can get very cold in the winter, while Tokyo remains pretty warm, and seems to rain pretty much all year round. Oh, and comfortable walking shoes.

In addition I would need to bring my computer obviously to use the internet and keep in touch with people back home, probably my Nintendo DS and PSP so I can play video games, and um. Money? That's pretty much it. Being away somewhere for so long, I think it would be frustrating to have over packed and have to keep track of all of your things. Any sort of necessities aside from my computer can be bought in the country anyway.

In this new culture, I like to try to throw away my own temporarily so that I can completely acclimate myself and experience it as less of an outsider. Even during the shorter periods of time I've been there, I know that I need nothing besides Japanese food (I have a harder time adjusting to the food coming back home than when I first land in Japan, in fact I'm more excited about food than anything else in Japan), I understand the transportation systems, and I have quite a few Japanese friends, some of whom don't even speak a word of English.

Also, I've heard many times that people think that most Japanese speak English. This is absolutely not the case. The English in Japan is taught very poorly and the students there, I guess, treat it like we do when studying Spanish in school is mandatory. It's not taken very seriously. Yes they know some. They know what plenty of words mean, but really don't understand a thing you say and cannot formulate a sentence that makes any sense to you. I'm not saying that fluent English speakers don't exist, they are just very hard to find. Learn Japanese, have a translator or guide with you, or be completely confused during your stay in Japan.

Uganda, Africa

If I were to visit another culture for 6 months it would be Uganda. I think the things I would need to bring would be very minimal in order for me to fully get in touch with the other culture. I would bring a journal, my guitar, and clothing. I would bring my journal to record most everything I see and to just simply write on my down time. I would bring my guitar as a source of entertainment and communication for myself as well as others, and clothing is an obvious choice. I would want to find the rest of my resources on the land I am on, so that I can be more in tune with how the people of Uganda function in life. The things that will sustain me while I am there is my music and writing, as well as the people. Those are the only other things that I would want to keep me busy while I am there, and the rest of the time I would be out living the land.

I think music would be translatable to the new culture because music is pretty universal. Although there are lyrics with different languages, everyone can relate to the fact that sounds can affect the way we feel. When a bass drum is hit at a fast pace you feel different than when someone is softly dragging there bow across a violin. When someone is humming in a soft voice, you feel different than when someone is screaming at the top of their lungs. Although different cultures have their different languages, we all have the same range of emotions that speak loudly.

Jerusalem

The place I would like to stay for six months would be Jerusalem of Israel. Having had a religious background in Judaism as well as in the past having lived with a rabbi I feel that Jerusalem would be a great place to retrace my religious steps. In my time of being a teenager to young adult I have really lost track of what Judaism really is.

(Judaism is the primary religion of Jerusalem as of now.)

What I will need to take is plenty of Purell hand sanitizer to help prevent me from getting sick, much bottled water to maintain my health, and plenty of books on Hebrew. What is not necessarily a need but a want is my iPod which I would take to carry me through tough times I may endure in Jerusalem. While I understand there is a war going on you cannot help, but be appreciative of the peoples that live in Jerusalem and continue to make it a holy city through times of death and grief. Also I believe being immersed at this time of the war going on is part of the whole experience I would receive in Jerusalem. 

I do not believe that books alone would help sustain me in my times of Jerusalem. I believe that to sustain my stay in Jerusalem I would need the love, kindness, and knowledge of the people who live there. To show me how magical Jerusalem is and their religious wisdom. I do believe any books I would would have to come from Jerusalem to educate me on the language of speaking Hebrew and to understand the lifestyle currently.

I do believe I would partially adapt to Jerusalem having had a background in Judaism and having had attended Synagogue. I do know however I would face many hardships in the current state of economy and terrorism of Jerusalem. With that I would have trouble adapting. 

With the rise of technology I think that the people of Jerusalem would be able to understand the things I like such as music, television, and other entertainment related things. I also would welcome the things that they would like as well.

London[England]

So..I can go anywhere in the world to study for six months..

This is such a difficult question for me to answer. I think if you asked me tomorrow my decision would be a different one due to constant changing interests, but as of right now, I would study in London. I know the culture is very similar to ours here in the states, but the differences fascinate me. The smallest nuances, the daily routines, the language, government and it's history, the fashion and music..I would love to be able to soak all of that in and just be in it.

Spending that amount of time in London would require some packing obviously. However, I wouldn't mind going with nothing in my hands. There's something very rewarding in letting go of one's possessions. Almost as if the less baggage you bring into a situation, the more you can recieve in terms of learning and growth? I guess for myself..letting go of the physical helps a lot in terms of the emotional..but that's another response entirely. Okay. Camera. iPod. Acoustic guitar. Laptop. An endless supply of notebooks and pens. I can't leave any place for an extended amount of time without the book "Skinny Bitch". Don't be fooled by it's "diet craze" marketing scheme! I'd recommend checking it out if you're interested in animal rights, veganism, enviromentalism, and the constant controversy that surrounds the USDA. So much for packing light. As far as my interests being translatable in England..again, it'd be a fairly easy transition because the American culture is so similar at times. I have a friend Claire from London who I met through the internet..and we get on just fine.

"I'm leaving because the weather is too good. I hate London when it's not raining."

An Ex-Pat in Kyoto

I recently read an article in Rollin Stone magazine about Ex-Pats (Ex Patriots) who go about life living freely in different regions of the world.....

what sets ex-pats apart from regular travelers is their unique ability to blend in with their new culture and form immediate bonds and connections with the "right" people. Based on my previous travels and experience, I would define myself as fitting into this category...therefore my essential needs may be drastically different then most when traveling..

I believe in a very minimalistic approach to leaving home and like the idea of making the most out of very little. I have always been incredibly intrigued with Japanese culture (not just a part of the recent fad) and have studied the language, the cuisine as well as both neo japan and old world imperial japan. I have yet to visit.

I would limit my needs to exactly that...what I need....and see what I can accomplish and gian on my own in this foreign country...I chose Kyoto in particular because it is a great mix between the modern world and the old world of Japanese Emperors and the Buddhism. I like the struggle of adapting to a less Americanized region and feel there is the most to be gained from that.

The city of Kyoto itself (at least in picture) looks complete GORGEOUS!!! Sorrounded by mountains and forrests, and covered in ancient shrines it seems like a very epacful place to get away, and I feel I wouldn't really need as much in an enviroment like that...

My main neccesities would be a place to stay, and upon first arriving I would try and find a job, both for financial reasons and to gain a better understanding of the work culture....something that has always intrigued me. sushi and rice all day, sake at night with a great culture who seems to be just as interested in me as I am them....sounds fantastic. I think if I have the internet that would be enough to hold me down and keep my roots firm back in the US......but who kows if I would want to come back.....

So basically!!! my neccessitys remain at a minimum.....my computer, my video camera, clothes......seems about right....

-davy

I would choose...

Italy. I've never visited before and I've always wanted to. Six months in Italy would be paradise. I'm a very picky eater but I'm fine with eating Italian food every night. Also, the accents aren't insanely annoying, which is a huge plus. For instance, if I were to be surrounded by Irish people I think all of my hair would be pulled out by day 3.

I would pack my iPod because I can't survive without music. I could go a few days listening to Italian people playing accordions in the alley but it would get old fast. I would also bring a sewing kit so I could sew a secret pocket to the inside of my pants to make it just that much harder for some kid on the street to pickpocket me. I would also have to bring a sheath for the authentic stiletto switchblade I would be sure to pick up (probably to defend my wallet). Lastly, I would pack a pair of boat shoes or something with good traction so I wouldn't slip on all of the pizza grease... On second thought, I wouldn't bring much besides a change of clothes.

I could use some Italian ice right now.

Paris, France

If I had to venture into any given culture, I would have to go to Paris, France. Ever since high school the idea (more like fantasy) of going there has always been sitting in the back of my mind. I love the feeling I get when I look at anything related to Paris or France. I love the architecture, the Eiffel Tower namely is beautiful when its all lit up.

The list of things I would bring are very much a product of my generation. I definitely would need my zune filled with any french pop, electro-soul, or R&B that I could find. My laptop if I could get it to work properly. My most fashionable clothes. Some for summer, winter, and can't forget clubbing. I would never leave without checking out the nightlife. And of course spending money so that I can find new music and movies that I could never find in America.

I love the language, the way it sounds and the way it feels on your tongue. I don't speak it at all sadly. I learned it for two years in elementary school but that was so long ago I didn't really retain any it . I hope that during my hypothetical stay I would pick it up and begin to speak without the aid of a French/English dictionary. I don't want to look like a silly American for the whole six month trip. You know the kind who goes every where in the world and expects people to know English for their convenience. I want to make an effort to adapt to the culture. I know if I got a good grasp on the language it would allow me to learn Spanish a bit easier. Spanish and French share some similarities.

Another thing that I love about the French people is that they are very body conscious without actively enforcing diets on themselves. Food is looked at in a totally different way than it is here. Food is something to enjoy not stress over. And their society is thinner because of this mindset. Here we stress too much over our weight and what food we can and can't eat. Its just a blase part of life there.

I also would love to visit because of the huge fashion industry in Paris. My whole love affair with Paris stemmed out of my love of fashion. It's one of the fashion Capitals of the world. I would just love to absorb everything about the trends there. I also want to hear what mainstream french pop and R&B sound like. Last night my friend introduced me to this attractive French R & B singer named M. Pokora. His music is obviously influenced by contemporary American R & B. I think its interesting that music is this commonality that the whole world can agree on.

Paris and Chicago are different but in the most basic ways they are similar. There is a difference in language obviously and the way that they live their lives. However the two are both world class cities, filled with most of the luxuries that grade A metropolitan areas possess. I think if I knew the language right now that I could go live in France with very little of a culture shock. That is just a blind assumption, but I like to think that there is some truth to that.

India

There are many places in the world that I have not been. One place that I would love to go to is New Zealand. I would also love to go to Spain and Ireland. I were to choose to spend six months in a place I've never been, I would choose a place that would not be easy for me to adapt to overnight (or even in a couple of weeks). That is why I would choose to go to India. India has a very interesting culture. I love the music. Actually I can't say I love all Indian music, but I love Ravi Shankar and his style of music. I think that the Hindu religion is very interesting and I have always wanted to study it. And there is so much history to learn.

I do not know a single word in the Hindi language not to mention the multiple other dialects you will find in India. Therefore, I will need a translation dictionary, not only for the Hindi language but for the other languages spoken in India. The only positive side is that there are many English settlers that came from Great Britain. Plus many of the large cities of India are very diverse and there are a lot of people who speak English in those cities.

I would not stay in one main region of India. I would travel throughout the entire county if I am able to. India has many different climates. I would need to bring clothes that for all of the extreme climates, from hot arid desert conditions, to monsoons in the jungles, to the frigid climate of the Himalayas. I would also bring all of my hiking and camping gear. I want to experience India "Jungle Book Style." I would want to explore the beautiful jungles and wildlife. I love the mountains and I think I would spend a great deal of my time traveling throughout the Himalayas. And while I'm at it, there is no way that I could possibly pass up the chance to ski out there. I'm not about to lug around my ski equipment but I'm sure I can find a place to rent some skis and hit up the slopes. But as awesome as visiting the extreme regions of India would be, it can also be very dangerous if I am not prepared.

I am not the most adventurous eater so I think this might be the hardest obstacle I may face while in India. I also have a serious addiction to Chicago style pizza. And when I say serious, I mean it. When I am in some of the major cities, such as New Delhi, I will have to figure out a way to get my pizza fix. I'm pretty sure Giordano's ships frozen deep dish pizzas. I just hope that they ship international, otherwise I may not make it. If I am able to have pizza shipped to me, this will be one of my contributions to the Indian culture.

In order to keep me busy I will bring some books from some of my favorite authors, namely Jack Kerouac and Hunter S. Thompson. I believe that these two authors are great examples of American Literature (and journalism). I would also have to bring some music. I do not own an IPOD, and I would like to keep it that way, but it would not be convenient carry around vinyl. Maybe I can bring along one of those Sony Disc-man things (do they even make those anymore?), my Beyer DT70 headphones, and some CD's. Or I can just suck it up and buy an IPOD after all, because I have to have my music, worse than I have to have my pizza. And I can't forget my camera. The whole trip would be absolutely pointless if I didn't bring a camera.

Last but not least, I would have to bring my daughter, because I would not be able to go away for that long without her. I would miss her greatly and she would be pretty pissed off at me if I didn't take her with me, especially if she finds out I got to cruise around on elephants.

My pseudo-trip to India

If I had to pick somewhere to go, it would be India. For it is a place completely foreign and a country that also a country with a HUGE population. Also Its a place with such a rich history, among that with the like of Mahatma Gandhi. Also It would be cool to be in a country that does not follow traditional Christian beliefs. Another reason I want to go there is because of the exotic wildlife that exists there.


To go to a country as large as India I would first have to make some connections there, someone who could help me get along. A country as foreign as India would be a complete 360 from how it is in the states. But I would imagine it would be easy to find someone who could translate because all of DELL's customer support people are in India. To keep my sanity I would first have to be able to break the language barrier. The whole religion thing isn't a problem for me because as a person without one I have no biases.


There would be two and only two things I'd take on my 6-month trip (besides clothes and toiletries of course). They would my Zune and my camera. I'd even rock out while shooting pictures. I need my music to keep me mentally sane and my camera to occupy my time. I would to spend a lot of time in the jungles of India taking pictures of the wild life. That would probably be my main intention of going to India, a photographic expedition. I would fall asleep every night listening to my music and going through my pictures to go to sleep and awake the next morning to do it all over again.

Brasov, Romania

If I were able to travel for six months I would chose to visit Brasov, Romania and the cities around and possibly do some volunteer work to keep myself busy. Because of the larger Roma population within Brasov and Bucharest there are many orphanage volunteering opportunities.

I would take essential clothing for colder and warmer summers and I'd try to take my most comfortable asics and some sandals.

In terms of electronics, I'm embarrassed to say that I would not be able to live without my laptop or iPhone, both of which I would utilize for learning Romanian and the phone for common phrases while I'm out and about. I would also take my dslr and medium format camera to document my trip abroad and more so the people and families I meet.

More specifically, I would definitely find a map of my city

I'm very attached to my American trans fat diet, and I'd definitely make it a point to pack some trader joe joes (oreos) but I'm definately prepared for the typical soup, mămăligă and cabbage rolls. Yum.

Thailand

Travel seems second nature to me. As important as the comforts of home are, there are certain elements of world travel that are bound to be discomforting, no matter what I bring to acclimate myself to new surroundings and cultures. I'm an "all or nothing" kind of girl.

My choice is Thailand.
Thailand has its own alphabet, so reading and translating written texts will be my first challenge. So I will be bringing my Thai/English dictionary with me, as well as hopefully preparing myself with some essential phrases to save myself in sticky situations.
A camera and sketchbook (and writing/drawing utensils) are my only other necessities in order to document my journeys.
Through photos, drawings and writings, I will be able to record and get the best out of my trip. Surely enough will come of my long stay there, that I will be full of inspiration and ideas upon my return.

I've found through domestic and international travel that sometimes its best to discover new products and items available in other countries. Falling in love with a different brand or method of using everyday items are often the most wonderful memories I am left with after I return home. Sometimes I miss the things I got used to enjoying while out of town more than the location itself.

Gifts. During some of my travels I've been relying on the help of others and it has been really invaluable to leave a gift behind to thank those who have led me in the right direction. Sometimes it is great to give a gift of something that is unique to the United States or to the Midwest, where I come from. Maple syrup is a product that is quite unique to the US, and goes over well as a small gift abroad. I'm not going to flash my huge American flag as a colonial "THANK YOU!", but sometimes its nice to leave something behind.

Cultural Survival and Me.

When going anywhere to stay put for a prolonged period of time you need the essentials first. Essentials are boring; you'll just have to trust that I packed enough clean underwear to last for a full year (you should always double up- in case of emergencies).

This is about sanity. Or, more correctly, the preservation of a recognizable identity in the face of massive cultural inundation. When out in the culture there is no tool or object that would prepare you for countless social faux pas' and encroaching feelings of isolation. Therefore, in an attempt to preserve sanity, surrounding yourself with the familiar is of paramount importance.

Music first, as there is nothing more interconnected to who we are emotionally.
An Ipod filled with the likes of David Bowie, Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones. Classical tracks to facilitate assimilation and some soundtracks to really great movies to help combat boredom. We could ague that there are no cultural universals but I disagree; music pulls what you like about it out of you. No one can explain what they love about a great song; it's just gone, like it was never there to begin with. You like or you don't- no translation required.

Books next, mostly because I couldn't figure out to fit a television into my suitcase.
Comedy! Comedy! Comedy! This also fits on the Ipod. I need to f*%king laugh. I need it, like drugs. Not that I need drugs. I need to laugh like it's a drug. There we go. Comedy is my heroin dealer. Books by George Carlin, scripts by Neil Simon- anything that gives me a chuckle. Also some popular fiction; Clive Cussler is a beautiful human being, no one better captures the awesomeness of the ridiculous. Also, I would need some comic books. My secret is out. I love comics and I am unashamed. Warren Ellis (Transmetropolitan) and Brian K. Vaughn (Y the Last Man) are my golden gods.
These things, sadly,would not be translatable. Although, I would enjoy attempting to explain George Carlin's Sh*t/Stuff routine to Zulu tribesmen.

A Camera also, to take pictures.
That's it. Just to have some.

Finally, a journal. Because what good is an experience if you can't hear yourself in the voice you had when it was happening?
Recording an experience for yourself is, I think, essential to understanding it. The journal helps to expel bias and exercise fear when confronted with something new. It allows me to be myself at both the most flawed and most secure.

I have done some modest traveling; I have been all over the United States and to Europe. In traveling, my life has changed dramatically and for the better. I didn't pick a particular place for this entry because I have found out I don't go to one place to learn about other people; I want to go to many places and learn about myself.

Patrick

Reading

This is a reminder that you should have done all of the reading for week 1 and week 2 by the next class.

Traveling

I would love to go to Cusco, Peru for six months. The weather seems to be consistently the same throughout the year, staying around 70 degrees, which is my favorite temperature.

I would bring my rain boots because it is situated in the Andes mountains where I imagine that the weather changes frequently. I would also not want to leave home without a journal so that I will be able to write about what I have seen and experienced. Silly things that I would bring with include: chap stick, because I can not live without it, photos of family and friends to keep in my wallet, hair binders, lotion, and a walking stick for the mountainous hiking. I have a feeling the people that live there will not understand the chap stick idea, and I would try to explain that the sun dries out my skin quickly. I also forgot that I would have to bring my SPF 50 sun screen, which the Peruvians would also not understand. I believe that they have tan skin, and they still produce crops, making them work outside. I think that the walking stick would be understood, maybe not the metal frame, but compared to a walking stick actually made from tree branches, they would get the concept.

I recently took a class where we learned about Latin America, and I find the Inca people and the ruins they left behind to be very fascinating. The Peruvians still speak Quechua, which is amazing that it is still in use, and I would love to be able to hear it and try to learn some.

Kelsey