America, Don't be Stupid.

What is this I hear about Americans being "stupid" and have such low standards for ACTs and other test scores? I can't say I totally agree with this statement that was made in our classroom this morning. Yea, SOME Americans may have low standards as to what they receive on tests or more important tests that determine their future, but thats their decisions what THEY want to receive on tests and all. Plus, I don't believe that tests scores define who a person is or what their social status is in America compared to others from Europe or any another countries. But I do believe that America is a materialistic culture and money defines our status, here, in the United States. You can say what you want to about money and yet you NEED money to survive in this world. Everything has a price tag on it and if it doesn't then its just "heaven" to us because nothing is ever free around here. To prove my point that Americans revolve around money, I dare you to put away all your money and just try to live a week with out it, see where that gets you. Think it'd be hard? I already know my answer and its a definite Yes. Mostly because I have actually been in that predicament, but for more than a week. Mainly because my parents were immagrants from Poland and came with nothing in their pockets, but some food. Now my dad is a co-owner of a busniess and my mom is making a living at an RN (registered nurse). Money is well needed now a days, wouldn't you agree with me?

What did you say?

I wish I could remember more from Poland, but I only have the memories from when I was little and what my parents tell me about it now, oh and the polish news which I watch occasionally with my dad. Anyways, this week in class we talked about a crappy subject: toilets, but not just toilets we also got into how people can misunderstand you with certain hand gestures or even the way you word things. I can't say that I know any hand gestures that they do in Poland that would be weird to us, but I do know that in Poland is pretty much mandatory to take your shoes off when you enter someones home or your own and put on slippers, it's just a sign of respect. Hey, we like to keep our floors as clean as possible. (:
Sal also talked about words that can't be directly translated from another language into English or vice versa. There's obviously words in English when directly translated to Polish people would look at you weird such as "what's up" we all use it here almost on a daily basis, but if you said what's up to someone who lives in Poland, they would give you a dirty look and think you're an idiot. The person would answer back with "the sky obviously." If you didn't want to sound like a complete dork you would ask "jak tam" which literally translated is "how there" but it's just the norm...

A Suburb Story

Our class has been watching "A Bronx Tale" for the past 3 days now and it's been an absolutely amazing movie. I could probably say that movie goes into my favorite movie list, and what was even more cooler is that it's a TRUE story. It's just so amusing how the place we live have an excruciating impact on how we life, act, and respond in certain situations. Of course our parents had a part in it too, but the community, the place we live, the things we see have such an important role too. For example, I live in a neighborhood with lots of little kids living down the street and yeah they get annoying at times with the random screaming when my window is wide open, but I've learned to live with it. Kids will be kids and I get that, no matter how annoying they can get. I've learned to incorporate kids into how I live and actually respect them when my other friends would just make fun of the kids.

I have a Dream.

As Obama would put it "I Have A Dream..." that every kid in the United States has a right to education and SHOULD stay in school to get somewhere in life. I do agree with that statement he made, but that just got me thinking even more. Most of our parents/grandparents barely had any education years ago, some didn't even attend college, which would include my parents, and yet they made a living raising us, getting a job, supplying the everyday needs for us, etc. They received no speech that was addressed from the President of the United States to tell them to stay in school, once they finished high school they thought about marriage, and moving out, and living on their own, and so on. Times have really changed, I suppose the world expects you to have more education to accomplish the simple tasks now. I mean in a way its good, so it gives kids a reason to actually stay in school and not flunk out. Yet, some of us just choose not to listen and fail out of school either way. I know some people who just don't care about school and others that do, but remember some of our parents didn't go to college and just had a high school education. In the end who's the right one?

This isn't normal to me

As we were talking about how our society has shaped what we think about things, I thought about it more as the day went on and yeah, it's totally true. We have already decided what is nasty just like the spit on the spoon that Sal did in class (which was gross). As we were growing up our minds have been bombarded with this kind of information which we live up to each and everyday. But of course, what we have shaped is limited to our school, or our society, or even the United States. For example the Japanese bathroom our class talked about, it's normal to Japan, but not what we, here, have shaped in our minds as to what a bathroom should really look like.

I could probably relate to some "odd" things I do with my family that isn't considered the "norm" according to what we have set the standards to be. My family is from Poland and we have some interesting foods we eat that most people would just say 'eww' to, but it's perfectly normal to me. My family, and not necessarily me, eat a dish called kiszka which is made from a mixture of animal intestines, pig's blood, and rice. Sounds gross? not to me, my parents have shaped me to think that isn't the least bit disgusting. Wanna know what we do for broken bones or bruises? We use sour milk to heal ourselves. On top of that we drink that, so if you were healing your broken arm and you got thirsty, just take a sip of the sour milk, but before you put it on yourself of course haha (: