Street Fair

For my last cultural event I attended the International Street Fair. For the event, they shut down all of Court Street and they filled it with booths of different countries. The part that really struck my eye was all of the traditional clothing that students wore representing the different cultures from Ohio University. My favorite part was all of the jewelry that was for sale. There were a lot of pretty bracelets and earrings that embracing traditions and cultures. My second favorite thing about the street fair was all the different foods. I was so excited to be able to try all of the different foods and the smells were amazing! I was excited that I chose to go to this event because I was able to learn about several different cultures rather than one!

Things Fall Apart Book Reflection

While reading the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, I was impacted by the differences in our cultures. My vision of Africa was changed greatly by reading this book. I never realized how many traditions and ceremonies that took place within African culture.

            The book is about a man named Okonkwo from Nigeria. His main goal in life was to be better than his father because he viewed him as a weak man, which is something very negative in their culture. He did not think his father amounted to anything and he even feared being a weak person. In Okonkwo’s tribe, polygamy was part of their traditions and he had three different wives and sets of children. This is very different from American culture because we do not promote a polygamous lifestyle and the majority of families are happily monogamous. Domestic abuse was also common throughout the book. It was hard to read about the violence toward loved ones and I do not think I will ever believe it is okay to act that way to anyone. I think he was violent in order to counteract his fear of weakness.

            The majority of the book discusses how white men came and took over Okonkwo’s land. This book showed how Africa was changed by white people and different cultures. The Christian’s came to Okonkwo’s village and tell them their God is wrong and that they must believe in Christianity. This part was very upsetting to me because we should be accepting of all people’s cultures and religions. Because of the Christian missionaries there was lots of confusion within the village and resistant efforts began to build. I believe it is never okay to force your beliefs on someone else.

            The book ends with Okonkwo killing himself because he murdered someone from the religions clan. The people of Okonkwo’s tribe thought he was evil because it is a sin to commit suicide according to their religion. Because of his suicide it symbolizes how assimilation can cause great turmoil within a group of people. It was unfair of the Christian’s to change Okonkwo’s tribe’s traditions and beliefs. As a teacher this makes me realize that it would be wrong to try to change a students culture. I must be accepting of every student’s culture and special traditions. I hope that I can incorporate each student’s culture within my classroom and maybe even have a cultural week.

            As a teacher, I could not imagine teaching in a place. I obviously disagree with most behaviors that Okonkwo displays towards his children and family but their ceremonies and customs should be appreciated. Things Fall Apart was an eye-opening experience to the cultural difference between Africa and America and I have learned a lot from reading this book.

Factory Girls Book Reflection

The book Factory Girls by Leslie T. Chang gave me insights about China that I have never known before. After reading this book, I was shocked to find out the conditions of the factories and workers. The girls that work in these factories have fourteen or fifteen hours a day and have poor meals and living conditions. Pride is also another important topic within this book. The girls move to the cities to make money for their family and do well for their family name.

            My favorite part of the book was the personal diary entries of both of the girls. It was an eye-opening experience to have tangible evidence of the horrible conditions these girls have to work in. If the experiences were made up or fabricated, they might not have had the same impact on me as a reader. I was surprised to find out how much the girls switched factories. They knew that if they kept jumping from job to job they might be able to find something that is manageable. Also, I was sad to hear about the girls having no real friends to talk to or depend on while working in the factories. I would feel so alone in the world if I did not have anyone to lean on.

            One of the most surprising topics the book discussed was the fact that men were expected to stay at home and women were expected to go find work in the city. This is completely opposite than most western cultures, especially the United States. Also their standard workdays are nearly fifteen hours, whereas a long week to someone in our culture would be a 60 hour work week. I feel terrible for the girls because they have no free time to themselves. In the book one of the girls talked about having free time but it was only an hour or two. In college, I have felt like I have less free time to myself than I did in high school but compared to their life I have all the time in the world.

            In our class discussion last week we discussed how Min lost her cell phone and lost all contact with all of her friends and family. Because of this discussion it made me realize how dependent we are on technology to keep us connected with the world. It does make me feel better about western society, because we are not the only people who are so heavily dependent on technology. We also discussed the value of the items that they make in the factory. One of the girls explained that if they met their quota for the day they were sometimes allowed to take items off the line. In the United States we pay hundreds of dollars for a small Coach purse that she just gave away for free.

            Overall, I really enjoyed reading Factory Girls. I was glad that the author used real girls stories because it was easier to relate to them and go through their life stories. I was disheartened to know the working conditions for these girls to make items that we buy. I hope that because of this book people are trying to make a difference for these girls.

Journal 10

This week we did not have class because of Memorial Day so I wanted to take a minute to reflect upon the class as a whole! I really enjoyed this class because it opened my eyes to different cultural perspectives. I thought we would be learning more about other cultures education systems but I was surprised to find that that was a small portion of our class. I grew a new appreciate for exchange students and their struggles and difficulties coming to America and learning. I also learned a lot about Africa and the hardships that people, especially women and children face in their everyday lives. I am very thankful for the life I have here and I have a new appreciation for foreign cultures.

Journal 9

This week I was unable to make it to class due to work :(

Journal 8

Today in class we watched two different videos. The first one was about a few boys who went to Africa determined to document their trip and hopefully spread the horrors of the Sudan to the world. As a member of Ginghamsburg Church in Tipp City, OH we have learned a lot about the Sudan and made many of our offerings towards the Sudanese. Although dangerous, we have made several mission trips to the Sudan in order to build schools and help them have clean water by building water towers. It is heartbreaking to see the horrible treatment of children and how so many young kids are forced to kill and steal.
The second video was about Mexican immigrants and the hardships they have faced while trying to live in America. I was interested to hear their side of the story because we have such prejudice against illegal immigrants/immigrants in our country.
In the book, Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo was banished from his tribe for shooting someone. There was a very long section about his journey back to his mothers original clan. It was interesting that they tribe punished him through exile rather than having some sort of prison system or other form of punishment. Still a little hard to follow the characters even after reading it already but I'm trying!

Journal 7

This week in class we watched a film called Invisible Children. This movie was really touching and made me want to do something for the children. I cannot believe that children have to go through such hardships and are treated so poorly. Watching this movie was very hard to accept that kids are really treated this way.
I also have been enjoying reading the book Things Fall Apart. I had to read it for my anthropology class last quarter and I really enjoyed learning about their culture. It was hard to keep the families straight when I read it at first, and luckily my teacher helped sort them out the first time around so it is easier now! I am excited to discuss it more in class!

Journal 6

This weeks class was great because we had a chance to go to Ghana Fest. I wrote about that for one of my cultural events so I'll let you read there :)

Journal 5

This week I was unfortunately unable to make it to class. I did however, read more in Factory Girls and I admire the pride they have for their families and themselves to do well. It takes amazing courage to go away from home and make money for your family, especially in the conditions of the factories. I am interested to keep reading and find out the ending of the book!

Week 4

This week Shelly gave a presentation about China and really kept the class open to discussion and debate about the Chinese educational system. Her presentation really changed my outlook on exchange students coming from China and gave me a greater appreciation for someone who wants to enter a foreign country and try to fit in and learn their cultures. I was disappointed to find that our teachers are not good at accommodating students who come to learn in America, I would hope that we were more welcoming. As we talked about Factory Girls we discussed the intense pride that these girls have for their families and how they are determined to go off on their own and make a life for themselves. They do not want to put shame on their family name and send money home whenever they can. I cannot imagine working those long hours with such poor conditions.

Week 3

In class this week we discussed The Akans in Ghana. I learned that the Akans believe in God, spirits, dwarfs and ancestors. I found it very interesting that they had so many different spiritual beliefs. Their idea of conception was most interesting to me; they think that the male spirit mingles with the woman's blood during conception. As a woman I was particularly interested in the woman's rite of passage. They are paraded naked in the streets while the men watch. I cannot imagine having to do this, I would be so embarrassed! Although, this is a valued part of their culture, which I understand. Also in class we discussed the book Femail Ritual Servitude. I was happy to share my thoughts about the book with my fellow classmates and to find that they shared the same horror. I feel so awful for those women who had to endure the Trokosis and I cannot imagine being in their place. I am happy that people are relieving those women of their pain and suffering.

Ghana Fest

May 9, 2011 I attended Ghana Fest on South Green in the Martzolff Complex. This was the third year for Ghana fest and the purpose is to inform others of Ghana's culture and give those from Ghana a chance to celebrate their culture. When I first arrived we sat down and waited for the food to be served. They had many different dishes, most had rice or noodles and meat. The food was delicious and I enjoyed trying a new cultures main dishes! After we finished eating President McDavis spoke to us about his visit to Ghana and how it opened his eyes to how great traveling abroad can be. Next there was a fashion show.Most of the clothing worn were brightly colored and patterned tunics. The most interesting part of the evening were the ladies who performed a traditional African dance for us. The wore the tunics similar to the ones I previously described as they performed. I really enjoyed being able to be apart of this cultural event and it really went along with some of the things we have discussed this quarter.

Project Search 2- HIV and Education

http://www.actionaid.org/main.aspx?PageID=117

This article is about the effects of HIV/ AIDS and it's impact on education both teachers and students alike. Research says that countries are not responding very well to teachers who are suffering from AIDS. The program known as STAR is helping to educate teachers working in Africa about their own risks to AIDS and to help them get rid of the negative stigma AIDS portrays.

Interview- Felix Steiner

I chose to interview Felix Steiner from Lichtenfels, Germany. Felix came to my high school as a part of a Sister Cities program for my sophomore and part of my senior years. We communicated via Facebook and here are his responses to my questions!

From the left: Felix, CJ and Kevin. 

These are my friends from high school and Felix at an OSU game their Freshman year. I think these boys and Buckeye pride are the reasons why Felix thinks sports and American education go hand in hand haha :)

1. Where are you from?

 I'm from Lichtenfels, Germany

2. What level of schooling have you completed?

 Highschool degree

3. What is/was your life like growing up in Germany?

Educational wise I went to Kindergarten until i was 7, when I was younger I spent most time with my friends from my neighborhood playing soccer both on soccer fields but most of the time in the streets.

4. Describe the type of government in your country.

Germany is a democratic republic with Angela Merkel as it's chancellor. The Chancellor is the head of government and is therefore the executive power as the parliament is the legislative power. The Chancellor always gets elected for 4 year terms but can indefinitely get reelected.

5. What is the structure of the educational system in Germany?

1) The Gymnasium: after grade 12 pupil finish with the final exam the Abitur what prepares them to attend university
2) The Realschule: final exam is the "Mittlere Reife" after grade 10. The school has compared to the Gymnasium a broader range of emphasis for intermediate pupils

3) The Hauptschule prepares pupils for vocational education: final exam is the "Hauptschulabschluss" 

What type of school children can attend is all depending on there GPA of the "Grundschule"

6. What motivated you to come study in the US?

Well as you know I didnt study there yet but for me the motivation is or would be more for social than for educational reasons. First of all I always wanted to study abroad and since I'm so much into sports I like how sports and education are combined in the U.S.

7. What are your views on American education?

For me being used to German education I think the American education (Highschool!) is not as strict and easier to get through considering tests. I think it's a good thing sports are appreciated as part of the education but with the US having college sports in my opinion lots of kids invest way too much time into sports instead of their studies, i think for me this is one big weakness educational wise because when people don't make it far enough to make sports their living they end up having a bad educational level.

8. What are your views on American culture and social life?

Socially I feel like Americans have a very strong company as a community if needed. Americans obviously are very patriotic what I personally like a lot since patriotism is still such a big problem in Germany because of its history. What i recognised most about American culture is how people are very religious and appreciate life. Also sports play one important role in most Americans lifes.

9. What were some challenges you faced adjusting to American student life?

 can't really think of serious challenges that i faced. If there is one I would say that sometimes it wasn't always easy to have people understand how Germany is like and how certain things work in our country.

 10. What were some strategies you used to adjust to American learning and culture?

I think the best way to adjust to any culture is to just be open minded and leaving own cultural values behind. When I came to America for the first time I always tried to be open for new things to experience and tried to talk to people a lot. For me it was the easiest way to understand what people think and how they feel about life in general.

Female Ritual Servitude Reflection

Female Ritual Servitude The Trokosis in Ghana by Wisdom Yaw Mensah and Francis Ebenezer Godwyll is the first book read in EDCS 205. After reading this book it brought to my attention the major differences in cultures of the non-Western world versus a more Westernized society. As I was reading I wondered what accommodations I would have to make in order to live in this type of society. This book made me feel very grateful for the privileges I have today as an American citizen and student.

            I understand that our culture as American’s and that of a non-Western country differs greatly; however, I found the Trokosis hard to accept even though it was apart of their culture.  The idea of sending their virgin daughters to these places because of the acts done by someone else is completely unfair. Why should they have to suffer because of the wrongdoings of another family member? I was pleased to read that there are several relief agencies helping the people of Ghana and providing rehabilitation and counseling to the women and families affected by Trokosis. As a future teacher I am immediately drawn to the educational portion of the emancipation of the Trokosi girls. I admire the people that help these women and their children. Teaching in a culture that is completely different than my own would be one of the biggest challenges to face. I think teaching the Trokosi women trades that they can use to make a living a great idea by ING. These women need to be able to sustain themselves and their children that have been abused for so many years. ING also supplies them with the tools needed in order to implement their chosen vocation upon graduation, which I believe is a very effective way of assuring their survival after Trokosis. As for the Trokosi children, I questioned whether or not it was effective to mainstream them into basic schools. I believe they should be exposed to a culture that is safer than what they have previously known but I wonder if this exposure to a new environment is too much at first. Will the children obtain some sort of grief counseling while in these basic schools? I think it is just as important to educate the children as they have with the women when “dealing with the psychosocial, emotional and vocational needs and traumatic past of the…Trokosi women” (Mensah and Godwyll, 58).

            The most amazing part of the Trokosi women’s emancipation was the emphasis that ING and other relief helpers placed upon it. I thought it was sympathetic to the culture to trade livestock for women, lifting the fears of the curse off of their families. If they would have merely said the women were free then the people still may worry that they had curses upon their families. I also liked that they made the emancipation public by broadcasting it through the media, making it harder for the priests to go back to their old habits. Also providing the sustainability programs for the women and their children really demonstrates how much ING cares about their freedom.

            As an American college student reading this book I think about how grateful I am to have all of the resources that I need. I cannot imagine my family sending me to be a sex slaves for the crimes of someone else in my family. These women gave up their freedom in order to break a curse for their family. I think as a student in a Western culture, I never realize how good I really have it until I read something like this story. These ideas and beliefs seem so inhumane to me, I wonder why the people had not fought against these ideas sooner. I am forever thankful to live in a free society where I can make my own decisions and choices.  As a teacher in the Western world, I know I will deal with many disheartening situations, but none as severe as the Trokosi survivors.  I would be nervous to teach and help a Trokosi child or woman because the amount of trauma they have endured is so great. I am not sure I would be able to provide the resources they need in order to overcome the experiences they have been through.

One of the main lessons I have learned from reading this book would be to respect other cultures. Although I do not agree with the Trokosi practices and what the families made their virgin girls do, I must understand that what they did was the best solution for their situation. They obviously did not have the resources or belief system to do what I think would have been the right thing to do. If I have students in my classroom that are from different cultures I must respect and make an effort to understand what they believe. This will help me create a harmonious classroom and further educate one of my students effectively.

            

Project Search 1

Recruiting in China Pays Off for US Colleges

This article is from a February edition of the New York Times and describes how Chinese applicants to American colleges has been on the rise due to a spiking economy. I found the process of choosing applicants interesting when dealing with international students because their grading scale is much more difficult than that of an average American school. Many Chinese students receive nearly perfect scores on the SAT and ACT, but their GPA is much lower than that of an American student. I think being on the board of admissions for any school would be difficult because it would be challenging to chose between so many applicants with different talents.

Female Ritual Servitude

While reading Female Ritual Servitude I could not help but be in shock at the treatment of the women in Ghana. To me, the idea that families must give a virgin in order to break a "curse" seems wildly superstitious, although I understand it is a way of life for these Africans. I thought about placing myself in the shoes of those women and I cannot imagine being so brutally and unwillingly mistreated. As I read further I was happy to see that so many people were willing to help create these organizations such as the ING in order to free these women. I found it interesting that they made gaining their freedom so public and I thought it was respectful to the beliefs of the people in Ghana. Instead of merely allowing the women to be freed they publicly emancipated them and traded for the virgins in order to relieve the curse upon the families. If this did not happen many families may still fear the curse upon them and never stop Trokosis. Another thing I liked about ING was that they not only set the women free but provided jobs, counseling, schooling for the women and children and support programs. I thought bringing in Planned Parenthood was very necessary because of the distorted views of sexuality these women must have. I thought that these programs did a good job of not only freeing the women but helping with their sustainability within the outside world.