Think of the first time you visited a foreign land. Perhaps that was when you were in grade school or later in college. Maybe your first trek abroad was as an adult. It’s possible you are still yearning for that wonderful journey to present itself. Regardless of when it was, there was probably someone along the way who said, “When you go to (insert country) you will get to experience the typical (insert nationality) culture.” It certainly happened to me as a 17-year-old heading off to Cancún, México (as if I were to be exposed to anything typical other than tourists and spring break!). Upon my return, I still remember my Spanish teachers asking, “Did you try typical Mexican food? How were the typical Mexican markets?” Fast forward nearly forty years and I can’t get that word out of my mind: typical.
As a lover of all things global and someone who has spent the last three decades planning experiences abroad for my students, I have often been expected to create learning moments that represent the “typical” culture of a place. But one has to wonder – is it typical or stereotypical? Furthermore, who defines what is typical, and with the amalgamation of today’s world, can we even say a typical culture exists anymore? It’s certainly a common approach to educational travel we should question.
Red, White, and Blue: For me and you?
Before examining what we call “typical” culture abroad, it is worth asking what that word even means here in the United States. Not too long ago, I was confronted by a situation at a school where the parents of a kindergarten student were upset that the first assignment of the school year asked their daughter to bring in an item that represented their culture. The Middle Eastern parents were fearful and concerned that their daughter would be exposed to anything other than the “typical American culture.” They were immigrants, but their daughter was born in the U.S., and they expected her education to expose her only to what they considered standard American culture. One of the first questions I asked was, “How do you define that?” The response was, “Friday night football, baseball games on Saturday, and backyard barbecues on Sunday.” As someone who was born in this country and grew up on suburban Long Island, that was not my reality. Was I not truly American because I played fútbol as opposed to football, was part of a bowling league instead of baseball team, and preferred my mother’s family recipe of macaroni and cheese to hamburgers and hotdogs? It was one of the first times I really pondered, “Who defines what is a typical culture?” As you can imagine, while we may have politely agreed that the assignment aligned with the school’s mission, they did not completely buy into what the school was promoting.
Even as recently as a few weeks ago, during one of the most iconic moments in American sport—the Super Bowl halftime show—we were bombarded with statements about what was and what was not appropriate for an American audience to enjoy. I grew up speaking English but learned Spanish, moved to Miami, and now speak both languages with my friends. I listen to salsa and merengue, but I also enjoy Broadway show tunes. I love 80s music—both pop hits and hair band favorites. So which show was I supposed to watch, and which one would have been typically American for me? Others were quick to define that for me when I couldn’t even do it for myself.
Greece: The Cradle of (many a) Civilization
Over the past three decades, I have taken more than 45 school groups abroad. When students reflect on their experiences, they almost always mention getting to see “typical Greek culture” or trying “typical Italian food.” We can go on and on, and I’m sure any chaperone has heard something similar. But when we truly examine history, we often find that cross-pollination between disparate cultures has taken place for centuries, so we must ask ourselves, “Has there ever truly been a standard or typical culture anywhere?” Let’s take the case of Greece. On a recent street food tour with students in Athens, we heard over and over again about the Turkish influence on Greek food. With the recent influx of refugees from Syria, Greek culture continues to transform. Even the Evzones Presidential Guard, perhaps one of the most iconic symbols of Greece, wears the fustanella skirt with 400 pleats signifying 400 years of Ottoman rule. It may be cliche, but it bears noting – everything is interconnected and a truly pure culture, save an indigenous one, is hard pressed to find.
The Southern Melting Pot
Let’s take another example: Argentina. What comes to mind when we think of this vast country in the southern hemisphere? The gaucho…the sensual tango…the delectable cuisine. Yes, sí, por supuesto – they all evoke the image of traditional Argentine culture. That said, if we examine even those iconic facets of this unique society, we will still find that they had influences from abroad.
The relationship between a gaucho and his horse is a special one. One would understand this if they ever witnessed a taming ceremony in which the gaucho masterfully and artistically exerts dominance over his horse showing a symbiotic relationship between man and beast. But this horse – an essential part of gaucho life – was not present in colonial Argentina until reintroduced by the Spanish conquistadors. To say that the gaucho’s horse is typically Argentine would be to ignore its roots from somewhere else. Yes, the two are intertwined, but they would not exist in unison if not for influences from beyond the country’s borders.
When we watch the tango, we are treated to an art form that exudes grace, sensuality, sadness, and power. Yet even for this most culturally identifiable of dances, we cannot escape the influences from other cultures. Its very existence is due to the mix of international communities coexisting in the lower socioeconomic neighborhoods of Buenos Aires such as La Boca and San Telmo. The dance was born out of a fusion of cultures, coming together out of a sense of purpose, yearning, connection, and struggle. If not for these cultures interacting with one another in the solidarity of trying to forge a better life, who knows if the beauty of the tango would have ever been born?
When we think of Argentine cuisine, our mouths water for the asado, the feast of meat that serves to not just fill the stomach, but to bring together family and friends in a social event so important to the country. But another staple of Argentine cuisine is, shall we say, its Italian food! May all Italians forgive me, but the best pizza in the world is found in Argentina. The crust, the mozzarella, the sauce – all are different and uniquely Argentine in their own way. Gnocchi with pesto, a veal milanesa, and fainá are all essential and adapted to the Argentine culinary palette, yet all arrived in this South American country with the influx of Italian immigrants in the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Yes, meat is king, but a good Argentine pizza or plate of pasta are not too far behind. Traveling tip – upon arriving in Buenos Aires, make one of your first stops the famed Güerín Pizzería on Avenida Corrientes. Your stomach will say, “Gracias.”
Interconnection
Let’s go back to our sticky word: typical. While we may have images, architectural styles, tastes, dress, or even language that we consider typical, we generally will find influences from other countries and cultures. Therefore, to claim that the parts that make up the sum of a particular culture are truly typical is often inaccurate. Wanting to only study “the typical culture” of a particular country begs the questions that we should always ask: “Who defines what is typical,” and “Is what is typical for you typical for me?” We can even take it to the next level and wonder if this way of thinking does not continue to create an “us” vs. “them” mentality insofar as claiming something is typical will undoubtedly create a feeling of othering when one does not identify the same way.
Returning to the case of the kindergarten student, were I not confident in who I am, perhaps the parents defining for me what they believed to be “typical American culture” would have othered me or made me feel at odds with my own upbringing. In the end, there is no “typical.” Our interconnected world has moved us beyond that notion. There are certainly iconic representations of particular cultures, but we must recognize that even those have origins somewhere else. To not believe so defies history and reality. Instead of “typical,” why don’t we consider “interconnected”? It would be powerful to say to a group of students in Cairo, for example, “Today’s activity is going to expose you to the interconnected cultures of Egypt.” Imagine the higher-level thinking that would then be born.