Dear Students,

At the end of our Week 10 Module, your Self-Reflection Journal will be to reflect on a cross-cultural EXPERIENCE you seek out this semester.

This could be a cultural event or fair, dinner with a friend's family whose culture/language differs from yours, a conversation on culture with someone you've never really spoken to about your cultural differences, a new religious or spiritual experience (such as a new-to-you church service), attendance at a Massasoit club you've never attended (such as the LGBTQ club on campus), a museum or film...there are many possibilities!

Whatever you choose, it's important to enter a new situation with sensitivity. If you wish to attend a temple, for example, call first to find out if people who do not share that religion are welcome, how you should dress, where you should sit, whether you should wear shoes, and so on. Better still, go with a friend or acquaintance who is familiar with the cultural situation, so that they can welcome you into the situation and help you to avoid blunders and cultural faux pas.

What you don't want to be is a cultural tourist. You are not there to "gawk" at the "new" or "exotic" people/language/experiences.

Anthropology, as you probably know, is the study of culture. Anthropologists are now talking about privileging the ear over the eye. What does that mean? It means instead of OBSERVING culture, we LISTEN. Using our eyes means we watch--it implies we are lurkers, tourists, gawkers. That we are somehow removed from the situation--we are researchers who "know better" or "do better" than what we are observing. But privileging and honoring our ears instead--learning to listen--implies that we are taking the experience in to our bodies. That we are interested in learning, in changing our perspectives, in becoming students of our experiences and the experiences of others.

As you think about seeking out a new cultural experience for our Culture Vulture Response Journal, please consider this: In what cultural space would you like to listen this semester? Where would you like to be, so that you can truly hear and learn something new?

Next week, you will have opportunity to use a discussion board (if you choose) to share your ideas for Culture Vulture experiences with each other. You'll even be able to invite each other to cultural events if you'd like. This week, just begin thinking about what cultural event you might want to experience.