"What I want....
A soda, a million dollars, maybe a pony too. Unfortunately intercultural communications cannot give me those things. Instead I hope to settle for learning how to keep my foot out of my mouth when dealing with other cultures." (Wagner 2011)

If it's not obvious, I failed the assignment on blogging about what I want to gain and what my expectations were for the class.

I feel that I summed up my wants fairly well, and I really don't think I have attained that goal. In all honesty, I'm much to blunt and frank for political correctness. I did learn plenty of skills in dealing with other cultures, but it seems the number one way to get by is to just say nothing. If another culture wants to communicate with me, just keep my end of the communication to a minimum, that way, I don't step on any toes. (As I often do)

As for expectations, not what I expected... I could probably rant about that for a while and perhaps I will AFTER I'm holding my certificate...

Bah, what the hell;

I expected it to be an introductory class teaching students that there are differences between cultures and how to best avoid delicate situations. I did not expect the 700 pages of reading, only two written exams, blogging, and the additional hours of work this class required versus what the 'other' required class required. That I couldn't take becuase of my Accounting class. "Oh well, whatever, nevermind. Hello? Hello? How low?" (cobain)

I must say that I did get more enjoyment, and did learn significantly more than I excpected, but I didnt expect to be expected to learn so much. It may be that my personality just doesn't fit with "intercultural communications" but since when do accountants need to be socialites? I'm the only one in the accounting II class that can ace every test WITHOUT using a calculator, but I have a difficult time accepting other cultures that don't accept me. Sure, I can keep my mouth shut (which is one of the things I learned from class, sometimes the best COA is to just STFU) but I have a hard time being accepting of un-accepting people.

As with most things I learn at the learning institutions I have attended, I will lock it away in some part of my brain and use it when necessary, and this class ranks right up there with Algebra II in terms of how often I use it... Which is everyday. But that's the way it goes when you sell stuff for a living.

*reads the list of things to touch on in this blog*

"What ideas changed?"
Not many of my ideas of other cultures have changed. Change is something I don't typically like, besides, my dislike of certain cultures is part of my culture... wow, that looks a lot more profound in type than it did in my head... it gets its own line.

"My dislike of certain cultures is part of my culture."

If all snorks are snoggles and some snoggles are zorks, then all zorks are definitely...

Logic, that is why I feel the way I do about certain cultures. Specifically those that will remain nameless for the sake of me not wanting to harm any future relations with anyone I may meet... But those of you who know me well know what it is I'm talking about.

uh oh... I totally just spent the last 15 minutes blogging about what should be on the paper. DAMNIT!

-Look at goals for class *CHECK*
-Have you met these goals *CHECK*
-What did you learn from this class *CHECK*

"Everybody needs to shut up and listen" --Kara Grace

The lost boys from Sudan weren't given very good guidance in living in the states.

Immigration is an important part of every country, and it is no different in the USA. Americans need to be accepting of other people moving in, but we have to make sure that we don't invite people in who intend to do us harm.

One big problem is "racial profiling" How many Orthodox Jews from Israel want to kill Americans? How many lost boys from Sudan want to blow up government buildings? How many Canadian doctors want to infect the population with smallpox?

Now, how many middle eastern muslims want to kill americans?

How do the numbers of each group compare to people that want us dead?

Once we are done screening possible immigrants, they need to spend some time learning the ways of our country. The best way to do this would be to have them live with an American for a few months. Either have an American stay with the immigrant, or have the immigrant stay with the American long enough to learn what they need to know to survive.

that way they will be more productive and beneficial to our country.

Red and yellow black and white we are... wait a second, are we really?

Why is it that I always miss class on the cool days?
That explains why I was so sure I saw Mr. Peterson's van in MPLS!
I'm tired.
I'm hungry.
I wanna go away.

After watching the video for class last week, I am now blogging about it.

First off, Mr. Peterson is awesome, even though he beat my helicopter in a race.

Handicap. The handicapper general, from that one book (looks up on google)"Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut.

The book tells of a future dystopia where everyone is equal, and because not everyone can be agile, smart, and beautiful; everyone is made crippled, retarded, and ugly.

Unfortunately there are problems that occur in any species, and injuries can happen to anything that is considered "living" What's cool about people, is that we can (for the most part) integrate people with handicaps into society. Automatic door openers don't bother me. Wheelchair ramps dont bother me. Handicapped parking BOTHERS ME.

Why?

Because I see it being abused. Go push carts at wal mart and look at the people using the handicapped parking. Mostly middle aged people who appear to be perfectly healthy (and maintain that appearance in conversation and after getting to know them) that park there because, usually, an old injury. One guy made me really mad, he's got this big ass truck, hell, I'd have a hard time getting in and out of it. He parks (terribly by the way) in the handicapped space, puts his tag on his mirror, hops out, does his shopping (which included a 40# bag of dog food) loads it all in his pickup then climbs in. WTF

It's not that the guy hurt me, and he probably didn't hurt anyone else, but I think (omg I said "I think") Let me rephrase that:

Parking in that space should be earned, not applied for and handed out.

Those parking places, toilet stalls, and elevators are there for somebody who really needs them. What happens if somebody needs that space and can't get it because somebody who doesn't really need it, took it.

Bleh, I'm going in circles. I'm tired, and the seafood isn't agreeing with me, OK?

I think it would be really funny to see somebody try to trip Mr. Peterson... lol, Stick his foot out and get it ran over!

Anyway, my experience with "Americans with Disabilities" has been pleasant, the only thing I don't understand is how to tell somebody that you have no time to talk to them, when THEY don't understand what you mean... But I run into that problem with 'normal' people too.

There was a kid I went to school with, the Watford kids know him, but his name will not be used. I consider him a friend. I have very few friends, as I use the term only for those that are truly, "friends."

He was always a little slower at everything, sometimes painfully slow, but he would finish whatever thing he was working on, and he had an understanding of what he was doing. I know this because I helped him with his algebra homework a few times. But he didn't seem to understand when people would make fun of him. He'd just smile and continue about his day.

It always made me so mad, one day I finally told the other guys to not do that, and for the most part (at least when I was around) they did. But this kid, my friend, would always greet me and ask how I was doing.

He would listen. "...instead of just waiting for their turn to speak?" --Marla Singer, Fight Club. He always invited me to his birthday parties, and it was always awkward, but those were some of the most fun ever. I'm worried about finals, girls, cars, work, and other crap and I sat down with him to play with hotwheels after a day at the go cart place. Sometimes I wish I could have that much fun doing something so simple.

I've often wondered how I'd react to being disabled. Losing a limb, or a lobe of my brain. If you haven't, read the book:

FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON

I can loan you a copy. I think it really helps the reader to understand what its like to know that you were once capable, but now are not.

Like that other guy in high school...

He's the same person, I never particularily got along with him, in fact quite the opposite, but it really hits home that it could happen to anyone at any time.

One problem that I see is a lot of guilt. People feel guilty for other's obsticles. I don't want anybody to have to be in a wheel chair for the rest of their life, but I wasn't the one driving the car. At least they are alive and living in a place where they can be productive members of society, where, for the most part, people accept and even help those who have it harder than the rest.

But guilt? Or pity? Those never helped anyone. If you feel bad about somebody's condition then do something to help fix it. Get involved in your local government. Volunteer for a local charity, meals on wheels, assisted living, whatever... just help.

I don't even know where I'm going, I don't really have a goal for this blog and it is a broad subject that involves everyone.

I think it really boils down to what I've said in other blogs (can't remeember if it was more than one or not) but I always say this, and I'm sure it's been said before.

We are all Americans. There are no African Americans, Norweagian Americans, Latin Americans, Asian Americans, or Americans with Disabilities.

There are only Americans. Treat your fellow Americans with respect, and they will do the same.

For the purposes of this blog, I will expand that statement to include People-kind (see how I used a gender neutral term there?)

Well, (deep subject huh) my fingers hurt, and I gotta hear that album again... in my new car.

Everybody go buy the new Foo Fighers album, Listen to song number... like 6, "these days" you tube it, it makes me want to cry :( but in a wierd way.

--Peace, and if that doens't work, then completely annihilate them.

It's all a blur, what week? What time? Maaaow....

In class we watched a documentary called, "Middlesexes, redefining He and She" It was an interesting movie about sexuality in different cultures. It ties closely to what Ed talked about. One thing that I see with people who are "lost" as to what gender identity they are don't seem to have much support from family members. What I thought was most interesting (and already kind of knew about) was same sex sex in nature. Animals screw each other because it feels good.

I would be willing to bet that anyone who is sexually active doesn't do it to make a baby. In fact, I bet that only 1 out of every 1,000 'sexual encounters' are to make a baby. Heck, probably more like 1 in 1,000,000

One thing that consistently angers me is people killing each other over stupid crap. "She was a he! People will think I'm gay! Oh no! He slept with the whole football team! We need to kill that guy!"

Sometimes I wish it was legal for stupid people to die by the hand of others.

Homophobic people are afraid of homosexuals because they are afraid that they are gay. And like any sane human being, violence is the easiest way to solve a problem. Bleh, I wish people would just defend themselves with more agression than they are being attacked with. But people are scared... That's the way it is, and it will never change...

Unless people realize that you can't legislate safety, peace, and love.

I dont know what week it is. But I do know it's early April... I think.

Day, ummmm.... 8
Documantary. Transgeneration

Has it affected your relationships in school? Friends left. Other people came closer. Many people were very supportive. Professors were harder to work with. Especially with the name.

[Kind of makes me wonder just how supportive my friends are...]

How did you pay for it? Raised 1/3 himself and a nice guy gave him a loan for the rest of the mesectamy

The best genetal doctor costs 50k

Girlfriend met him before he changed. She was very accepting about the change. "Hybrid set of parts down there right now"
Been together for 2 years. This may. Her dad had a huge freakout. He eventually decided it was ok. Lots of tech for making babies if he decides to have kids.
[I think its great that somebody can be so understanding, maybe there is hope for the world and society]

Parents are divorced. Mom didn't want Ed to mess up her life, but she has come to accept it. Hasn't seen dad in over a decade till spring break. Ed is the only kid that looks like his father.

[One of the millions of kids who are victim to divorced parents. That angers me, divorces. Parents act like it doesn't affect the kids, or maybe they just ignore it. Divorce is a rant for another time.]

In the middle lean to conservative and has some liberal views.
Working for target during the change, was fired from first job for the change "illegal in California" a coworker gave him he'll but management took care of it.

[Fricken People's Republic of Kalifornia, full of libtard hipocrites, yet another rant for another time...]

It was hard to find a job because paperwork wasn't done. Homeless for 18 months, family wouldn't even help. In most of the country he could legally be fired for it. Housing, employers and even doctors can refuse service.

[We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason.]

The change has helped immensely. He wanted to Change or die. It was that depressing. "rock bottom"

There are still challenges. At the end of the day he has never been happier in his life. The only moment of regret was the morning of the chest surgery, he looked at himself and decided to go for it. Lost all sensation in his nipples. That's a good trade for going shirtless at a beach.

Health concerns or risks throughout the process? Testosterone deteriorates the ovaries, and he has no money to afford removing them or fixing the cancer. Testosterone increases risk of stroke and heart attack. Fat and muscle and even the head changes shape. One transgender person is killed everyday just for being transgender. 200 worldwide, half in USA were murdered for being transgender. Bathrooms are very dangerous. Personal safety is the biggest problem.

[Somebody shood shoot the bastards that kill people for being different. Yeah, it puts me on the same level as them, but damn. People like that should just be shot. Give all the transgender people guns and permission to shoot any bastard that messes with them.]

Male to female has more options on genetal surgeries. It's not easy to create what isn't there. Can have a real small fully functional, or any size you want but it doesn't work. Lots of f 2m don't want to be guinea pigs for new tech.

The response of the male dating a m2f is usually to kill the woman.
['ZOMG I might be gay! I gotta kill the guy I slept with!' --Dumbass, on sexual insecurities--]

Self defense isn't too important, he focuses more on laying low and mediation. Wants to find more passive or peaceful ends.
[Noble, but sometimes words don't count. You can't reason with a moron after all.]

Gender stereotyping. It's important to know that there are differences it's not just acting that way because they want to but because that's how they are wired. There are a lot of things that society tells us are bad.

People see them together. Ed acts like a guy and his girlfriend acts like a girl. They are very normal relationship, "oh my god you're such a guy!"

Best experience so far having done the change? So many, but brothers sticking by through the entire thing was the best. But every time he does a presentation people come out knowing more and being more accepting.
[Kind of ties into the Women in the workplace thing. There are fundamental differences in men and women, making them better suited to different things. I won't start a flame war by saying much more, but, there are differences, and they have an affect on societial norms]

Things to think about, what do you think about transgender kids. There are entire generations of kids growing up confused about what they want to be. What do you have in your own life that you could do that you don't because you're scared?
[I think a lot of kids are confused because somebody effed up. I was really confused about algebra until somebody showed me what's up. If it wasn't for my parents doing (in my opinion) a decent job of raising me, I would probably be a confused young person. But I had guidance. Other kids, they aren't so lucky. What's sad is that a lack of guidance is the norm now-a-days.]
 
Think about what your authentic self means, and what do you have to do to get there. Challenge yourself to look at things differently outside of your own experiences.
[My authentic self... In all honesty I wanna do something important. Not to feel important, but to do something that has meaning to somebody else. I'm not sure what that means, but I'm hoping I can find it by becoming a forensic accountant and catching the bastards that cheat Taxpayers out of their money.]

People watching and questions from kim

Day 7
 
the bargain handshaking is kind of cool. "man watching"  
 
wow, high status feet placed on low status heads.  the 'OK' symbol isn't OK in 

all places.  anti-clockwise for crazy, clockwise for intelligent. 
 
horns sign in Italy, the finger is an ancient roman symbol.  two fingers, "v" 

for victory but backwards, is obscene.
 
head tossing (yes) is no, head shake is yes.  It is a two mile stretch, when 

the switch is made.  because that's where Romans stopped.  
 
in India the head is wobbled from side to side for yes.  like our maybe
 
thumbs up for good, thumbs down for bad.  thumbs up was spare the man, thumbs 

down was kill. that was wrong.
 
they actually hid their thumbs for spare them, and stabbed down with their thumbs

for kill him.  
 
in Australia there is a people that refrain from speaking for months to mourn the

death of a tribesman. instead of wearing black.  
 
gesticulation, unconscious  hand movements.
 
beating the air in time is a universal gesticulation. "da da, dada, da da"  raised 

forefinger, beating their heads with a club.  palm down gesture, pat the audience 

to calm them down.  hand chop to cut through the argument with a sharp blade. 

these hand signals even happen when talking on the phone.  
 
chimps chewing their nails. i chuckle.
 
a tight lip and lowered eyebrows are for aggressive action. tight lips for 

aggressive, lowered eyebrows for protection from retaliation.  
 
the staring eye, threatening. (the evil eye) if you could out stare it you were 

safe.  
 
as they become afraid, their mouths are pulled back, showing the teeth.  it looks 

a lot like a smile.  smiling is a human expression that comes from the fear face. 

the fear face is sometimes used as an anti aggression expression, i am not 

aggressive to i am friendly.  it is difficult to fake a smile.  
 
reminds me of my visit to watford city.  the psychology class.  
 
we often suppress our nonverbal communications because we want to hide our

intentions or feelings.  
 
face touching is a sign of lying, and hand shrug is done when lying as well, 

eyes blink and close more often than normal.  
 
blog is due next week.  not another due till the 29th of march, after we meet

again.

===end notes====

The people watching was pretty cool, I learned some things about actions.

The best part of class was listening to the dialogue between Kara and Kim. 

It is interesting the differing opinions on culture and what it means to 

different people.

What I know of my culture is that somebody who had enough money and was

educated came to North Dakota.

Other than that one fact, my entire family have been American citizens. 

One problem that I see with America is the lack of solidarity between the people.

America is full of 

Spanish Americans, Mexican Americans, African Americans, European Americans, and 

other elasticities.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I AM SORRY TO INFORM YOU BUT WE ARE ALL AMERICANS FIRST. A 

country cannot stand strong if it's people are too worried about where they are 

from and how they came to be where they are now.

No matter what happened in the past we need to keep both eyes on what's 

now. 

Sure, it is important to know that a train went by 15 minutes ago, but it is even

more important to remember that another train is coming, and you are standing on

the tracks.

Remember where you came from, but pay close attention to what is happening now.

Question 1: (insert hypothetical situation about visiting a foreign country and 

learning its language here) Most of my friends are too 

self conscious to practice on an everyday basis. I certainly try, I speak mandarin

to Whitney almost every day. She doesn't though.

Question 2: Tattoos mean different things to different people. They are like 

necklaces. Some people have them because they have a special meaning.

Some people wear them because they are cool. Others wear them under their shirt

because they have no need to let everybody know, and others wear theirs 

outside the shirt because they want others to see it and appreciate it.  The only

thing tattoos say about people that have them is that they are not afraid

to commit to a permanent change.

Question 3:  Language classes should be mandatory for schools. This wouldn't 

compromise other cultures because learning another language would help keep that 

culture alive. It isn't so important to be bilingual as it is exercise for the

mind. Students that learn a different language do better in all other classes.

Question 4:  Languages disappear because people learn newer easier or more common 

languages. If there is a room full of Spaniards, then you need to learn Spanish.

Kind of like the "When in Rome..." saying. When a group of people move in 

(read: Invade or colonize) when the people in power say "this is the language"

then said language becomes what people speak.  We can preserve languages by

putting them into a database and hoping that people want to keep using them.

From a societal standpoint, it doesn't make much sense to have more than one 

language in the world. Just think about how much more efficiently information

would be

passed between people, and how many misunderstandings would be avoided.

Question 4: YES we should have an official language that is used for legal

purposes (laws, licenses, taxes, and signs) The way laws are written in the US

are not friendly to 

translation. And it is a waste of time and ink putting two languages on every 

damned form, and every damned phone call to a government agency. They can certainly speak it, and 

use it in their lives, but when it comes to government involvement, ENGLISH ONLY.    

Rosh Hashana

Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish holiday that represents the beginning of a Jewish year. It takes place in either late September or early October and is unique in that it is actually two consecutive days.

The idea behind it is that God will decide who lives and who dies in the following year, and must atone for their sins so they will have a healthy year.  It is a time of self reflection for Jews. They examine themselves and try to right any wrongs they may have committed in the past year. They also strive to find how they can be better in the next year.

In a way, it is a time to atone for their sins and pray for forgiveness so they do not have to suffer the same fate as the sinners.  Rosh Hashanah is closely tied to Yom Kippur which takes place ten days after.  Both of the holidays are about repentance and making yourself right with God.

In my opinion, everybody should have a holiday similar to this one. It is a time when people can ask each other for forgiveness without having to feel funny about it.  Part of the holiday is about forgiving those who have done you wrong.  One of the rules is that a person must ask forgiveness for a wrongdoing three times if the first apology is not accepted, and apologies must be accepted and the situation mended unless the wrongdoing permanently harms someone. For example:

Situation 1: Person A steals a loaf of bread from person B. Person A asks for forgiveness, and person B accepts the apology, because a loaf of bread has very little meaning in the great scheme of things.  

Situation 2: Person A kills a member of person B’s family. Person A asks for forgiveness, it is then up person B to decide whether to accept the apology or not. However, if person B does not accept the apology, person A will ask twice more.

The purpose of this holiday is not just about ASKING for forgiveness, but also FORGIVING others of their wrong doings.  In Jewish faith, God is merciful, loving, and forgiving.  To forgive is to be closer to God.