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* G * O * A * N * E * T **** C * L * A * S * S * I * F * I * E * D * S *
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There is no better, value for money, guest house.
Confirm your bookings early or miss-out
Visit http://www.garcabranca.com for details/booking/confirmation.
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Mercy, your's was an excellent post. Your last line is the icing on the cake.
To expand on what you said (and to prove I am not being gratuitous), the reason
why you learn and enjoy learning other cultures encompassed in your
"multi-cultural outlook" is because:
1. You know very well your own cultural identity.
2 You have expanded your horizons by interacting with others.
If one does not know their own cultural identity, one would likely be a
cultural and religious drifter when interacting with others. And this
individual would fail to truly appreciate the subtleties and the causes behind
the differences between the cultures one encounters.
One authority has defined culture as the language of social behavior. And as
in a case of EVERY language, there are written and unwritten rules that the
individual needs to know and follow, even if one is multi-lingual. And being
multi-lingual is to build on he language one already has very well mastered.
As you well point out, being multi-cultural is not denying or diluting one's
own identity (or assuming it is superior to another). But it involves mastering
one's identity, along with learning newer opportunities to grow and mature. As
with everything in life there is always a time and place to display one's
ethnic pride.
Unfortunately, there are many of us (including my close relatives) who proudly
call themselves multicultural without knowing the Goan traditions (performed at
birth, wedding, funerals etc,) not to mention knowing Goan history, geography
etc. I will be the first to mention, that my knowledge of amchi bhas is also
machem machem.
Kind Regards, GL
----------- Mercy Fernandes
In the US, where I have been for the past 20 years, I have deveoped friendships
with all kinds of peope.....besides Indian Catholics and non-Catholics,
American-Caucasians, African-Americans, Asian-Americans and dozens of other
international folks. We do have an Indian Catholic association of which I was
president a couple of years ago...this keeps us very much in touch with all our
Indian traditions, celebrations, foods etc. For our parties we enjoy our Goan
foods, and sing the Goan mandos and folksongs. On the otherhand, my colleagues
at work are mostly Americans...
A big factor in my "multicultural" identity are my international college
students. While they are grateful for all that they learn from me, I feel
gratified for the intercultural exchanges I have had with them. I appreciate
all the knowledge I have gained from them about their religions, customs,
social life etc. The various international potluck parties have let me
experience foreign cuisines and try out Mexican, Korean, Chinese, Brazilian
and South American recipes. I am happy at this confluence of cultures. Whenever
it is appropriate, I do share info about my culture, food, customs and so on.
Everyone has tremendous tolerance and respect for one another inspite of their
cultural diversity.
However, inspite of all these multicultural influences, I never forget who I am
and where I came from.
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