In the United States, respect and admiration for one’s nation is too often associated exclusively with Americans. During the Festival of Nations, an international event held in Tower Grove Park in St. Louis, MO, my peers and I were able to see the pride foreign nationals and naturalized American citizens take in their home nations, while at the same time realizing the great degree to which other cultures’ staples are “Americanized.”
I believe the most enriching parts of the Festival of Nations came from simply observing the different visitors, patrons, and cultures. While, of course, there were guests dressed in shorts and tee-shirts, there were also women wearing elaborately patterned African dresses, old men who appeared to be of Eastern …show more content…
For example, while perusing through the many food tents set up in the park, I came across the Thai tent. After sampling some of my friend’s Pad Thai, I realized just how different it was from the dish I usually get at the Thai House, a popular restaurant near my house. The tastes were similar enough to compare the dishes, but the distinct notes of the authentic dish made me disappointed for having eaten a clearly Americanized version of such a culturally important dish. Similarly, when I drank some of the Thai iced tea for the first time, it seemed very similar to a popular chai drink my friends and I often get at Starbucks – an iconic American chain. That my first thought was to compare an overpriced, blended coffee drink to an authentic national drink was upsetting in itself, but then I thought about how so many Americans must be convinced that their grande chai latte is so one-of-a-kind when really, it is a borrowed essence – this made me even more disheartened. I asked myself, is the benefit of providing American customers with more comfortable version of something greater than the cost of losing the original and cherished version of …show more content…
I personally witnessed a cultural exchange when my friend Rose and I were visiting the Kenyan tent at the World Bazaar. After purchasing a small token, Rose thanked the owner in Swahili. The elderly woman’s eyes lit up, as did those of her daughter who was sitting right next to her. From there, a new conversation bloomed on beauty of Swahili and the importance of learning new cultures. It was amazing to see two cultures colliding – that of my American friend Rose and that of Kenyan woman, whose name I do not know, all because of a simple thank you. While pausing to reflect on the simple exchange I found myself wondering I was doing enough to understand other cultures and to show foreigners how interested I was in their customs. Passionate is something I always strive to be and it is a trait I saw in every single patron at the Festival of
I believe the most enriching parts of the Festival of Nations came from simply observing the different visitors, patrons, and cultures. While, of course, there were guests dressed in shorts and tee-shirts, there were also women wearing elaborately patterned African dresses, old men who appeared to be of Eastern …show more content…
For example, while perusing through the many food tents set up in the park, I came across the Thai tent. After sampling some of my friend’s Pad Thai, I realized just how different it was from the dish I usually get at the Thai House, a popular restaurant near my house. The tastes were similar enough to compare the dishes, but the distinct notes of the authentic dish made me disappointed for having eaten a clearly Americanized version of such a culturally important dish. Similarly, when I drank some of the Thai iced tea for the first time, it seemed very similar to a popular chai drink my friends and I often get at Starbucks – an iconic American chain. That my first thought was to compare an overpriced, blended coffee drink to an authentic national drink was upsetting in itself, but then I thought about how so many Americans must be convinced that their grande chai latte is so one-of-a-kind when really, it is a borrowed essence – this made me even more disheartened. I asked myself, is the benefit of providing American customers with more comfortable version of something greater than the cost of losing the original and cherished version of …show more content…
I personally witnessed a cultural exchange when my friend Rose and I were visiting the Kenyan tent at the World Bazaar. After purchasing a small token, Rose thanked the owner in Swahili. The elderly woman’s eyes lit up, as did those of her daughter who was sitting right next to her. From there, a new conversation bloomed on beauty of Swahili and the importance of learning new cultures. It was amazing to see two cultures colliding – that of my American friend Rose and that of Kenyan woman, whose name I do not know, all because of a simple thank you. While pausing to reflect on the simple exchange I found myself wondering I was doing enough to understand other cultures and to show foreigners how interested I was in their customs. Passionate is something I always strive to be and it is a trait I saw in every single patron at the Festival of