Cultural Context: Why It’s So Important (Here’s why)
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- #culture #culturalcontext #america Are you aware of how dramatically your first world cultural context might affect your way of looking at problems in other countries?
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Living in Nicaragua, where cultural context is dramatically different than where I am from, I myself have to constantly watch myself and not allow my American upbringing to make me feel like I can impose recommendations on the local culture. Living here long term, I feel, to some small degree, the frustration that Nicaraguans must feel when one foreigner after another acts as though they are the first to ever think of obvious solutions and propose things that everyone is aware of and everyone locally knows already do not work or do not make sense in the context.
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17 July 2024
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I'm hyper excited. Today we signed the papers to begin the sale of our house to a buyer. Our dream is moving quickly now. All being well we should be moving to Nica in October/November. Cannot wait!
awesome, congrats!!
As a Norwegian-Canadian who has been an expat in 3 countries, I first and foremost understand that I am a GUEST who has chosen to embrace that country and its culture. I follow the laws and rules of that country and live an average lifestyle. I do not go to countries with a superiority complex, I go to live, embrace their culture and try to integrate into their community, therefore I prefer to live within local communities and not expat communities. As I integrate into the community and have committed to the country, I am no longer a guest but a part of the community and the country. I learn about and appreciate all that the country has to offer. Scott, your channel is amazing due to all the topics you cover. Bravo!
100% correct.
Man, if only I knew where Scott Alan Miller is living.
That was "right on". I wish there was some easy way to recognize when I'm in "fix-it" mode.
The most out of cultural context people that I come across in Nicaragua are the evangelical tourists. Many only speak English, eat and sleep in a hotel, never go to any Nicaraguan's actual home or school, and preach at local churches where no one speaks English. Nicaraguans definitely don't need anyone to tell them about Jesus.
The way donated clothing is baled up and sold as a commodity is strange. My favourite thing is all of the winter jackets that end up in Nicaragua. Their primary use is dressing up Año Viejo and being burnt in the street.
jajajaja, it's so true!!
As you may recall from our exchange a few weeks back, I'm 100% re your message here.
BTW Back then you recommended I watch that same video and I wasn't sure if my just leaving a "like" on your suggestion conveyed that I had, indeed, watched it.
BTW#2, I know that i described my skepticism of Peace Corps (both before and since serving, 30+ years ago). However, I also suspect that any negative impacts of the average (bumbling) volunteer, are balanced out by the profoundly humbled and broadened perspectives that they bring back with them to the US. Not sure if everyone is fully aware of the level of cultural and material (i.e. standard of living) immersion that is required of PC's during those 2 years (or, at least, used to be required). These are mostly just out of college "kids" who often would never otherwise leave the US.
Oh, no, the likes are appreciated, but I have no way to know who left them. It's just a total "like" count to me.
I don't have the same faith in the PC. I looked into it and being a working class kid, it wasn't open to me. It was only for the idle rich. I doubt the idle rich getting a vacation to a place that "sounds" third world paid for by mommy and daddy does little to make them appreciate the world. It's just another way that they can set themselves apart on job applications to let the rich know who else is a rich kid to do favors for.
@@ScottAlanMillerVlog Thanks for the response. That seems correct in some ways. At the same time, I'm actually not 100% certain we're talking about the same thing...
Regardless, here are just some insider facts so anyone else reading is not misled. First, no parent ever paid for Peace Corps; it is 100% funded by the Federal Government, aka your tax dollars. After putting myself through college, I certainly wouldn't/couldn't have considered it otherwise. On the other hand, while volunteers are only given a stipend (i.e. enough for food and clothes) and set up with near-local level housing (e.g. You get a latrine instead of having to go in the bush.), I did hear of a few volunteers getting some extra cash sent from home. (I was, as far as I know, the only one cheapskate enough to have actually saved half of my stipend.) The interview application process was much harder than to enter University and I know that one whiff of a "I'm looking for a vacation" vibe would exclude you immediately. Then there's an intense F/T training; mine was 4 months though that was a little longer than average. You flake on participating or don't achieve the required level of language fluency and you're gone. (Think about it. If the government is paying for it, whether or not you actually make a positive difference, the last thing USAID wants is someone who makes the US look worse than it generally already does.) At least in theory, the same went for flaking on the assigned projects. However, one of the reasons PC screens rigorously for self-starters is that, since you were usually the only foreigner posted in your village (or one of few), the only ones monitoring your work were the host-country nationals at the local goverment agency to which you're assigned. There were a few volunteers who my buddies and I called "the beautiful people" who visited each other a lot on "the party circuit." One of those got sent home along with two others from our training group who psychologically couldn't hack it, one a licensed MD and another an ex-Marine. Of course, you're never truly living like a local since, for example, no gravely ill local has the option of being medi-vac'd. One college friend PCV got sent home from a different country along with her husband after they contracted malaria for a third time despite the prophylaxis. I barely missed getting sent home after repeatedly having to be hospitalized with severe dysentery and dehydration. (Maybe I should have gone home since I've never been able to gain back the 20lbs I lost there.) In any case, one might be able to make that a "vacation"-like experience for a few weeks, maybe a few months; but two years?
From my experience, you were accurate in that an unfortunate percentage of volunteers seemed from upper middle class background. And probably a lot of employers do see PC as, at best, extra proof of college completion. (Unfortunately, the unfair automatic advantage given to undergraduate degrees in the US is only recently showing signs of cracking.) Since you graduated high school later than me, maybe things had changed as far as PC in the interim. It's true that every other volunteer-abroad program I knew of required self-funding and/or parents with connections. And those often seemed very cross-culturally superficial and even more specious as far as positive impact. None of this is to say that PC can't be critiqued in many (additional) ways, including along the lines of the theme of Scott's/your video.
Scott this is unrelated to your topic, but do you know of a bank that does not charge a foriegn transaction fee for ATM withdrawals?
Charles Schwab
What do you think about micro loans to help people start their own businesses? Do you see any unintended consequences with these?
I think true micro loans are just fine. A real micro loan system IS a bank that just focuses on tiny customers and tiny returns. But it should be loans with low interest rates, but expectations of payback, not gifts. BUT they do create risk for people who think that getting a loan and starting a business is a nearly sure thing and don't realize how many businesses fail. People giving up a job to attempt something on a loan is dangerous. But giving out gifts is worse. So you want to be careful, but it can be good because it's a legit business model.
@@BbTenn This is how India rose from it's abyss!
@@ScottAlanMillerVlog I agree with you that it must be a true loan system. It should also require that applicants present a business plan. That should help to reduce the number of applicants with unrealistic expectations.
@@Guillermo-ym5yn Interesting!
@@ScottAlanMillerVlog The micro loan programs that I have seen in Nicaragua have built in peer oversight because the group of entrepreneurs typical is responsible as a group to pay back the loans. So, if one person doesn't have the payment, the other entrepreneurs come up with the money. AKA Asociación Comunal or Banco Comunal. The result is that most people pay the money back (even though their businesses fail).
Cultural differences...
It took me some time to understand this but if a lady says: It's hot, isn't it? She might, she might be talking about the weather.
But if she repeats herself: Aren't you hot?
Then, it might be a good Idea to ask for her phone number...
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In regard to best intentions when hiring domestic staff. Looking at the total compensation plan: appropriate in-line wages, housing, & meals. Would offering to pay for English language app/subscription be an appropriate “perk”? Knowing IF a nica wishes to learn English, it can improve their future earnings. Thoughts?
Why not spend some time with her 'in English' . She could be your guide to whatever the country has to offer: restaurants, volcanoes, beaches, rhum factory...
Teach that person words associated with images...
Don't start with grammar...
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@@Guillermo-ym5yn , fully agree, learning Spanish myself as we speak. Looking to offer additional assistance if wanted (don’t want to give impression, “I expect my staff to learn”). Offering additional service that they can engage in on their own time; at their own pace.
It's a perk in a sense. But adults learning English is very hard. If it is someone who is nearly able to speak English and just needs someone with a clear accent to polish them, they'll be all set. But nearly anyone in a domestic staff position with have no English at all, or SO little to be meaningless, and using English will be stressful. You might get lucky and find someone who wants English exposure, but it would be a very exceptional situation.
@@ScottAlanMillerVlog , and that is why I asked and received the best response. Would never want to impose; offer if a staff member had interest. Thanks for the clarification.
@@ScottAlanMillerVlog At the age of 66, I have just started learning Spanish. Although I’m enjoying it immensely, it seems unlikely that I will ever become truly fluent. I think English would be an even more difficult language to learn as an adult due to the irregularities in grammar and spelling as well as the heavy use of idiomatic expressions.