Intercultural Interests & Experiences

[Drohn]

This thread is for members to share their cultural and linguistic interests, experiences, and knowledge.

As your first post you can fill in the following form by answering the questions that are relevant for you to introduce yourself. You are also free to have casual discussions and respond to other posts.

You can ask each other questions about country/culture related experiences, languages, interests, and other topics (sports, news, cooking, etc.).

Note that you don't need intercultural experiences to join the discussion. Talking about your interests is enough to participate!

If you have lived in multiple countries you can enter it for any or all of them.

---

[b]Country / State:[/b]

[b]What facts / opinions can you share about your country?[/b]

[b]Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)?[/b]

[b]Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them?[/b]

[b]Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why?[/b]

[b]Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?[/b]

[b]Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it?[/b]

[b]Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences?[/b]

[b]Do you have any other intercultural experiences you would like to share?[/b]

---

 

[Turtwig]

Country / State: United States / South Carolina

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience? Stuck in America.

Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them? I'm fluent in English...do high school classes count? If so, I know a little Spanish.

Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why? I'd like to learn French just because the dialect is so interesting to listen to.

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why? I love world history, so anything pertaining to other countries usually catches my interest. I'd love to learn about the Japanese culture mainly because it's so rich in history and tradition, yet there is a lot of hustling and activity in the more popular cities like, say, Tokyo. It would be neat to learn about the differences within each region there.

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it? I'm proud to be an America, where at least Overall, I am proud of being an America (despite the long list of its downsides). I wouldn't mind talking to others about it, though I will give a warning: it can get very, very boring. Understanding it isn't too hard because there isn't really anything different with America; it's more of a blend of every other country than a distinct set of qualities.

Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences? I can somewhat say I'm culturally aware, but not to an impressive level. I know some of the stereotypical phrases or gimmicks that Americans associate other countries with, though I am not too aware of specific cultures as a whole.

Do you have any other intercultural experiences you would like to share? Um...nope, not really.

 

[Heavenly Spoon]

Country / State: The distant land of Belgium. It is a magical place full of buildings, roads and even the occasional tree, especially in the south.

What facts / opinions can you share about your country? All the facts about the Atomium, including how to rent a globe and the do's and don't's of doing so.
Also, yes, our chocolate is the best, we did invent French fries and contrary to popular belief there are in fact 2 different kind of waffles which can be classified as "Belgian waffles" and they are both delicious.

What facts / opinions can you NOT share about your country? The beer, barely ever drink the stuff. Also, the sports, we're painfully bad at sports yet for some reason almost everybody here seems to be obsessed by it. Well, not me, and don't you dare ask me about it.

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)? I don't think I've ever not enjoyed a visit somewhere at least to some extent, but the enjoyment usually comes from different things. I hope you won't fault me for not elaborating here on my experience in each of these, do feel free to ask for more information.
Here's a short list: the Netherlands, United Kingdom (England and Scotland), Germany, France, Italy, Spain (including all the Balearic Islands and Tenerife), Greece (Crete), Sweden, Denmark, United States of America (Florida and California) and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them? I speak both Dutch and English fluently, and should technically be able to speak French as well, although my grades throughout the years tend to paint a very different picture.

Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why? Not at the moment. I've been meaning to pick up either Sindarin or Klingon, but I doubt they have any cultural significance beyond nerd culture.

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why? I'm not really interested in any specific culture per se, but I do find learning about the different cultures of the world and throughout the ages fairly interesting.

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it? It's difficult to be "proud" of what is essentially the consequence of random events (i.e. where you were born), but I guess Belgium's alright sometimes. Feel free to ask me anything about this magical land and the wonders it may or may not hold.

Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences? Culture is becoming increasingly hard to define and differentiate between in my opinion, but there are still quite a few noticeable trends. As an inhabitant of a country without national stereotypes (if you're not from the Netherlands and know of a Belgian stereotype, feel free to share, I have yet to come across one) it's quite fun to see how well the stereotypes match reality for those countries that do.

Do you have any other intercultural experiences you would like to share? Nope.

 

[Drohn]

Country / State:
The Netherlands

What facts / opinions can you share about your country?
I think the Netherlands are famous for being a lot more lenient in their laws. The people are generally friendly and it has a very low crime rate. You will see more bikes than in most other places. The country doesn’t have mountains and almost everyone uses bikes for traveling around in their own city (that doesn’t mean people don’t use cars; almost everyone has a car). A fun national holiday is Sinterklaas. It is based on a saint and during this holiday kids are given presents if they leave their shoe at the door.

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience?
Spain: I visited Spain multiple times and have in total almost spent half a year in the country. I am currently in Spain (Bilbao) for my study abroad and return to the Netherlands December the 19th. Other places I have visited are Salamance, Lloret de Mar, Barcelona, Madrid, Mallorca, and numerous other cities here in the Basque Land. The relaxed and open people as well as the beautiful country is what attracts to about Spain the most. I have loved it every time I visited.

Italy: I visited Italy (Venice) once for a week as a family holiday. The city is really beautiful and I loved walking around the city with the beautiful canals and bridges.

Germany: Germany is quite close from where I live and I’ve visited it several times. My most fun trip was to Hamburg. The city is booming with fun clubs and lots of other nightlife activities. It’s lively and beautiful.

Belgium: It was a school trip to the Ardennes. I didn’t get to be in touch with many locals, but it has a nice landscape and I enjoyed my time there.

Greece (Crete): This was also a family holiday I went to as a kid. Crete is a beautiful islands with amazing beaches and caves. There is a lot to do and I would like to visit it again now that I am older.

United Kingdom: It was only for about 5 days, but I got to travel around in London and take a boat ride in it. It was a great place and there is lots more to see, so I’m definitely returning.

France: One of the times I went to Spain was by bus and the other by car. During the trips we took several stops and I’ve also spend a day in Orleans. I look the scenery and friendly people; I’m looking forward to visit more cities.

Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them?
I’m fluent at Dutch (native) and English.
I’m currently intermediate/advanced in Spanish, although I can’t have difficult conversations in it. Reading is still a lot easier for me.
I can understand some Hindi and German. Reading German is quite easy due to the similarities it has with my native language.

Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why?
I’m planning to learn Japanese. I’m going there for my internship so I’d like to be able to speak to people. I will also be able to watch anime without subtitles after this *win*.

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?
Different cultures are definitely something that I find interesting. I love meeting people from other places and learn about their habits and lifestyles. I would love to travel around more and being able to see many of the things myself.

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it?
I am actually raised with two different cultures. I am a full-blood Indian, but born and raised in the Netherlands. I am proud of both cultures and would love to share it with those who are interested in learning about it.

Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences?
I have much to learn about many cultures, but there are a lot of cultures that I have worked with and know due to my studies. I study International Business and Management in a Dutch University. It’s an English-taught track with many students from all over the world. We work together on projects and I got to spend time outside of classes with many of them. Many teachers are also from other countries.

One course in this studies teaches about various cultures and theories based around them.

 

[Keeper of Night]

Alright Drohn. I was perfectly happy ignoring your thread forever. But then you have to go and drag me into it anyway.
If I was smart, I'd just c/p Turtwig's post.
Too bad.

Country / State:
USA, Arizona
(Currently. Although I've lived or been to most continental states in my country.)
Ahem. Not counting states I've only driven through, I've visited/lived in:
Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, N/S Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, California, Oregon, Washington (state), Washington (D.C.), Idaho, Indiana, Nebraska, Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Iowa
What facts / opinions can you share about your country?
Facts? Goodie! History!
>Quotes Wikipedia too many times<
And that is how babies are made.
Er...what were we talking about?
America is a diverse land of many cultures. Nothing too special about it. America is more fun to me because of how differnt each part of it is. With everywhere I've been to in my country, its hard not to notice. I've been to New York and the East coast. That was a fun trip. I've lived in California on the West coast. I have to say, its much warmer there (unless you go to Northern California...).
Oh yes, opinions. My overall opinion of America is that... it rocks, and all the people in it are just crazy.
Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)?
None. Yet.
Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them?
Besides English, Hebrew. While I'm not a Jew myself, I have several friends who are. I've started learning the language along with them, and am not very good at all.
Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why?
Eventually I'd like to learn several different languages including German, Spanish, and Chinese. On top of Hebrew.
Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?
I cant say which one I find most interesting, but my favorite subjects are History, World History, and Geography. I love learning about different places I haven't been.
Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it?
N/A
Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences?
Not a chance.
Do you have any other intercultural experiences you would like to share?
Not really, no.

Will probably come back to edit this after I wake up in the morning.
Or I could edit some now. Thanks again Drohn.

 

[Gardy]

Country / State:
United States of America

What facts / opinions can you share about your country?

Honestly, I know a lot about America, but it is general history; presidents, wars, etc. I don't really find any of that interesting so I am not going to share it. But my opinions however, I do have some. I dislike how homosexuals are not allowed to marry, all because it violates the "sanctity" of marriage. I personally find it stupid and wrong how they aren't allowed to get married. That is about the only opinion I have.

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)?

I have visited other countries, but I don't recall them. When I was about three my family took a trip to visit our Tunga (I think I spelled it right.) Inga in Germany. While there I apparently never quit laughing and I enjoyed myself. We also went to Austria and other places around there. (Can't remember everything.)

Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them?

Well, I speak English fluently seeing as how I was raised in an English household. I did take two years of Spanish, but seeing as how after the first year I didn't enjoy it anymore, because of the new teacher, I quit that and have lost my skill in it. I am currently taking American Sign Language and am quickly picking it up. I am able to hold conversations with professional signers so I can't be that bad at it.

Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why?

Extremely. There are so many that I want to learn, but first on my list is German, seeing as how my grandmother was German and my mother can somewhat speak it I would rather enjoy being able to learn it. Plus if I do learn it I could get into contact with my grandmother's family and get to know them. Second on my list is Japanese, which has been a goal of mine since late 8th grade. I have always found the culture there to be awesome and seeing as how my cousin married a Japanese woman and she isn't so good at English it would be fun to help translate and talk to her in her native tongue.

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?

Very interested. The most interesting for me are old German, ancient Greek, ancient Roman, ancient Norse, Japanese.

German - Strong family ties to it.

Ancient Greek - I have always loved ancient mythology and such.

Ancient Roman - See above.

Ancient Norse - See above.

Japanese - Like I said, with my cousin through marriage being Japanese she has told me some about the culture and I find it extremely interesting. Plus as Drohn said, the Anime helps.

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it?

Honestly, I don't really know what I would consider my own personal culture. It could be just general United States of America culture with some German. If you want any specific questions just ask me.

Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences?

Don't know how to answer this question so I will leave it blank.

 

[Drohn]

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)? I don't think I've ever not enjoyed a visit somewhere at least to some extent, but the enjoyment usually comes from different things. I hope you won't fault me for not elaborating here on my experience in each of these, do feel free to ask for more information.
Here's a short list: the Netherlands, United Kingdom (England and Scotland), Germany, France, Italy, Spain (including all the Balearic Islands and Tenerife), Greece (Crete), Sweden, Denmark, United States of America (Florida and California) and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

That's a nice list of countries you've visited! What did you think of Sweden? I have yet to visit a Scandinavian country. I think my first choice would be Norway, but I'd also love to see Sweden. What was your impression of the people there? What kind of food do they have there? Do you know whether they have typical Swedish food that is vegetarian? I know fish is a major hit there, but I'm hoping there is something nice for me to try as well.

Alright Drohn. I was perfectly happy ignoring your thread forever. But then you have to go and drag me into it anyway.
If I was smart, I'd just c/p Turtwig's post.
Too bad.

Country / State:
USA, Arizona
(Currently. Although I've lived or been to most continental states in my country.)

Thanks for sharing your experiences! We have a former staff member on PokéBeach that is always making me jealous with beautiful pictures of Arizona! They convinced me to visit it at some point. How do you like it there? What places do you recommend?

 

[Keeper of Night]

Country / State:
USA, Arizona
(Currently. Although I've lived or been to most continental states in my country.)

Thanks for sharing your experiences! We have a former staff member on PokéBeach that is always making me jealous with beautiful pictures of Arizona! They convinced me to visit it at some point. How do you like it there? What places do you recommend?

...Is that just your nice way of saying I didn't put enough effort into my post?
Fine.

To answer your question though, I only just moved to Arizona two weeks ago. So I'm not too familiar with it yet.

 

[Drohn]

Not al all. I'm actually interested and planning to visit Arizona. It will be great to hear more about it once you got the chance to see more of it too! You have probably lived in the most states out of everyone I know.. Why did you move around so much? You're probably the best person to ask what the differences between all the states are too regarding culture/habits/lifestyle.

 

[Mistryss Nite]

Country / State:
The United States of America / Texas

What facts / opinions can you share about your country?
We are a melting pot of cultures, and many of us cannot trace our ancestor’s homelands (although I can because I love genealogy) or speak their languages. We love food and television. We love any excuse to feast and spend time with family or friends. We can be very passionate about politics or just not care. We tend to have strong views about certain foreign countries (i.e. France and North Korea). We are known as “those lazy Americans,” which can be very true. We are a country that can come together during times of crisis. And so much more…

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)?
I spent the summer of 2008 living with a family in a suburb of Cologne, Germany. Although my time with the family was full of drama and discontent, I loved Germany and the feeling of freedom from being on my own. I, with a group of classmates, got to visit many places, such as, Heidelberg, Munich, Bamberg, Hamburg, Berlin, Rugen, Potsdam, Aachen, and Bonn. We went to like a million museums and cathedrals. This was also during to 2008 EURO and we watched TV or went to an open area with a big TV every night there was a game. I would love to go again and possibly even move there at some point. It was really lovely, the food was delicious, and I even still remember which trains to take to some places.
I was also able to visit Austria during my summer getaway. We spent the day in Innsbruck. It was one of the loveliest places I’ve ever been to. Unfortunately, it was during the summer, so no skiing or snow.
While in Aachen, we were able to go to the Dreilӓnderpunkt, where Belgium, Germany, and The Netherlands meet. So, we did trek a few miles into Netherland’s territory to get there. From what I saw, it was pretty and they, like most of Europe that summer, were really into the EURO.
I also went to the Bahamas when I was little. I don’t remember much, except that my mother hated it because we were not at a good location, we almost got into a car wreck because we were driving on the wrong side of the road, and I got a huge conch shell for $4.

Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them?
I have taken classes in 7 languages: French & Spanish in middle school, German & Japanese in high school, and Japanese & Korean & Chinese in college. I don’t remember much Spanish or French with the exception of some Texan Spanish or French menus. Since I haven’t spoken German since I was in Germany, it’s probably not as good, but I have still retained some of it. I don’t remember much of my Japanese, but when I watch a Japanese drama or listen to J-rock, some of it comes back. Korean is still with me because I am constantly watching Korean dramas. Chinese is still with me because it is what I’ve been learning for the past year and a half. It’s my most fluent at the moment, surprisingly (it’s a hard language).
I did attempt to teach myself Italian, Irish Gaelic, and Finnish years ago. However, no success. I still have stickers of Italian words on things like my lamp and clock in my room. ^.^

Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why?
Of course. I love languages. I might not be able to master them at this point, but I will learn ANY language. I might be interested in Wallonian, because my closest ancestors that came to America were from small towns in the Ardennes portion of Wallonia, Belgium. I might also be interested in Catalonian, Swedish, Norwegian, Hungarian, Russian, Greek, Latin, Icelandic, and so much more.

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?
Yes. I was originally planning to be an Anthropologist ^.^ I am currently in love with East Asian cultures. I have always loved European cultures and history. I can’t really say what draws me to certain cultures, but it wasn’t always this way. There was a time when I never thought anything of learning Asian languages or about their cultures. I was pro-European cultures. It might have been via music that I started to get into it (J-rock) or Asian dramas friends recommended me.

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it?
Of course. Like America, I too, have a very diverse background. I love talking about history and cultures. It’s one of my most passionate subjects of conversation ^.^

Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences?
To both questions, I believe so. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a very diverse city and have classmates of various cultural backgrounds.

Do you have any other intercultural experiences you would like to share?
Am I allowed to share pictures from my trips?

*[smod]Drohn[/smod]: Of course! Feel free to include them in this post. Remember to use spoiler tags!*

 

[Keeper of Night]

Not al all. I'm actually interested and planning to visit Arizona. It will be great to hear more about it once you got the chance to see more of it too! You have probably lived in the most states out of everyone I know.. Why did you move around so much? You're probably the best person to ask what the differences between all the states are too regarding culture/habits/lifestyle.

Ha.
My family moves around a lot because of my father's work and just not being happy with where we are. Since me and my brothers are homeschooled, we could still do our school anywhere, so we never were tied down by much. I was actually born in Arizona, though I didn't live long here. I was a little little kid in Virginia, so I only remember bits and pieces. Though we took a trip back there and visited a bunch of places we used to go I all the time (apparently). Williamsburg, Virginia is a great historic town. I remember, when I was little, we would always pick up muffins from the bakers shop before heading over to the shoe makers shop to watch him hand make shoes. That's a good memory.
I actually lived the longest in a little town called Pittsburg, Texas. It's a few hours from the border to Arkansas, so we would travel up there sometimes.
We visit family often. My grandmother used to live in Anaheim, California. Two blocks from Disney Land!
We could always watch the fireworks from her driveway. Almost everyone there has a pool, and orange trees can be seen growing everywhere.
Our Aunt lived in Las Vegas, Nevada, for a while. And we'd visit all the time. We moved to Vegas shortly before she moved to Chandler, Arizona. Las Vegas, once you get away from the main strip, is just another large city. It's nice, lots of different community projects (at least, where we lived, the Summerland area). Actually, before we moved there, we had families praying for us because we were going to "Sin City" when, in reality, it's not that bad.
After a year in Vegas we moved to Monterey, California. It's usually always cold and foggy there. Nothing like Anaheim. The days the sun does come out are still chilly, but at least then you can go to the beach.
We lived military residency that they had opened to the public. Right across the street from our house were huge plots of land. Completely wooded and filled with wildlife. It used to be full of jogging trails, but apparently they used those grounds for mine testing (yes, the kaboom kind). They shut down all the trails so that nobody would accidentally find a forgotten one and get hurt. A couple imes the actually were digging up leftover mines. You could never see what they were doing, but you could hear the loud roar of heavy machines and, once, a small explosion.
But the wildlife there was extensive. There were Deer everywhere. You'd see them in the woods, down the street, and even in people's yards. Raccoons got into our trash every night. Opossums and Vultures would occasionally be seen, as well as hawks. Wild turkeys would come across the road in flocks. Me and my brothers would have fun chasing them. But, their favorite spot is on top of house roofs. No way to get them down from there.
Now that I'm living in Arizona... Well... I don't know. I'll take each day one step at a time.

 

[Chaos Jackal]

Drohn and I will definitely go to Arizona one day. There's someone we need to meet.

Country / State:
Greece, the land of history, philosophy, democracy and civil warfare.

What facts / opinions can you share about your country?
Greece is a beautiful, sunny country, a great destination for holidays. Beaches, museums, restaurants... it has everything. But its people... well, let's say the more people in a place, the worse. Greeks aren't good at following the law, some have a tendency to believe they are great only because "Greece introduced the whole world to civilization, and we all have a habit of hating our neighbor. Greeks have engaged in civil war many times, a pity if one sees their accomplishments the few times they managed to unite.

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)?
I've visited The Netherlands, mainly staying in Amsterdam and the surrounding area. I liked how clean and lawful the place seemed, especially compared to Greece. The country has some of the most lenient laws in the world, yet everything seems to work. I wonder why?
I've also visited Rome. A great trip, in a great city, in a great country. Rome is an ideal city, of those that make you happy you're a city boy. Too bad I don't live there.

Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them?
Well, I speak Greek (native) and actually have quite the vocabulary and grammar, since many Greeks tend to not know the language very well, grammatically speaking. I'm also very fluent in English, they've become almost like a second language to me.

Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why?
Well... In the past, I've picked some French from here and there. I can read some basic French, but I'm generally unable to communicate except in a very basic level. I don't really know if I want to know other languages. Definitely not for the time being.

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?
I am quite interested in different cultures. There is no specific culture I'm more fond of, I just want to learn as much as possible.

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it?
Yes, I am. And I know many aspects of it, so I can easily talk about it.

Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences?
Yes, I believe I can.

Do you have any other intercultural experiences you would like to share?
I'm a moderator in an English-using site... Does it count?

 

[Athena]

Country / State: Current Residence: Amsterdam, Netherlands - Original Home Town: Chicago, Illinois, USA

What facts / opinions can you share about your country? I think the biggest thing I need to mention, coming from the point of view of someone who moved to this country as an adult, is that a lot of people seem to have misconceptions about the Netherlands, especially in my native country of the USA. A lot of people think that "Holland" (yes, most people I know from the States refer to the Netherlands as "Holland") is either the old-timey stereotype of blond women in white dresses and wooden shoes with old-style windmills everywhere, or the "new" stereotype of gay people and pot-smokers everywhere surrounded by prostitutes in buildings with red-tinted windows. Neither of these misconceptions is really fair to this country, which overall I found very friendly and welcoming, with a vibrant city life and lots to see and explore and do.

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)? I've traveled all around the States, mostly to visit family. Probably my most-frequent stop is Disney World in Florida. Obviously I've been in the Netherlands, though the only other mainland European country I've visited so far is Belgium, where I went to the awesomest bar I've ever seen. When I was 13, I did a student ambassador program where I went to the UK (all 4 parts: England, Scottish, Wales, and North Ireland) and Ireland. I also went to Curaçao for my honeymoon this past summer. I do enjoy traveling quite a lot and have enjoyed all of my various travels. I hope to do more in the future.

Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them? I'm fluent in my mother-tongue of English, and I speak decent Dutch. My Spanish is very rusty, but I'm decent at understanding, so long as I don't have to speak.

Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why? I studied Japanese for a year and a half in college and would love to pick that up again, but I need to get better with my Dutch first!

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why? I've always enjoyed learning about different cultures, and this extends to the present. I generally find Asian cultures more interesting because they're so different from the Western cultures I grew up knowing and learning, but everything is interesting.

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it? Always willing to help out however I can, whether it's with Dutch culture or American, since I know a good amount of both.

Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences? I would like to think, so, yes. I think living in the Netherlands has actually helped me a lot in that respect, both the experiences of an expat living in a new country, and living in a city (Amsterdam) where so many different people from different cultures congregate.

Do you have any other intercultural experiences you would like to share? Not at the moment, but I'm sure I'll think of something later. This post feels long enough as it is!

 

[Ysmir]

Country / State:
United States of America, Arizona & Texas
What facts / opinions can you share about your country?

Well....forget about US facts how about some Arizona facts? ;-)
Largest Copper producing in the US is AZ. Hence the nickname "Copper State"
Arizona of course holds a Natural Wonder of the world: The Grand Canyon
Arizona has some of the most extreme temperatures in the country ranging from 40 below zero to as high as 128 degrees.
Despite the common misconception that Arizona is all desert about 1/3 of the state is covered in forest which is comparable to as much forest as the entire country of France.
The southernmost ski resort in US is located in Tucson, Arizona
The Sports (Football, Basketball, etc) rivalry between the Wildcats (Tucson) and Sun Devils (Phoenix) is the oldest in the country and our territorial cup is also oldest.
Tucson (my hometown ;-)) was the Capital of Arizona when it was a territory and is the oldest established city in Arizona at 238 years old.
Oraibi located in Arizona is one of the oldest continually inhabited settlements in the US and is believed to have existed since around 1100 AD.

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)?

I have visited Mexico before. That's it. It was fun. I visited some family and got to see some of the interior of Mexico which is much more forested and tropical.

Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them?
American English, Spanish. Fluent, and not fluent although I understand Spanish perfectly I reply in English.

Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why?

French, Spanish (continue from what I know), maybe something like Serbian/Bosnian or German.

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?

Of course, my life's pursuit is to learn about others....it's a passion for me. I've met so many people already over my short life and I realized I want to know more beyond the borders of the US and perhaps understand more the parts that made this country of foreigners my home. As for specific cultures....well I'd love to learn more about Spain where I have ancestral roots. I have friends who are Serbian and I am learning about Serbia and Croatia. I also have some friends from Canada and Northern Europe who love to exchange stories with me about my culture; not just American culture but Mexican-American and Western US culture. I'd also love to learn more about Greek, Irish, Scandinavian, Slavic etc. I'm interested in Japanese culture but their actual culture and not simply their pop culture and modern trends.

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it?

Absolutely. Most of the Pokebeach staff knows I am very proud of my culture; American, Mexican (and Spanish), and Western culture. I love to talk about traditions, customs, food, and properly educating people on specifically my homestate of Arizona. I'm definitely on a mission to dispel the ONLY notion people have of my state: Hot and Desert. The Pokebeach staff will definitely back me up on this. Although America isn't the perfect country no country is perfect and while I am not a "America is best, lulz you all suck" type I am definitely proud to be an American.

Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences?

Wanting to be involved and visit many places and learn of cultures I'd definitely say I am. I make mistakes of course but over all I listen with an open mind and heart.

Do you have any other intercultural experiences you would like to share?

Perhaps another time, I will say though I have definitely bonded with some of the Beach staff and while we haven't hit the finer points I am happy to say I got friends in the Netherlands and I definitely have bonded with my brother from another mother Dusan who lives in Belgrade, Serbia.

Now for a bonus; answer me this Pokebeach people...if I said this was in Arizona...would you believe me? All this really IS in Arizona. (Hopefully I don't get in trouble with the spoilers)

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

[Leaf_Ranger]

Country / State: Portugal / Lisbon ( it's a city and my country's capital since Portugal, unlike the U.S.A., isn't a federation)

What facts / opinions can you share about your country? For those of you who are from the U.S.A., if you want to know where Portugal is, just cross the Atlantic Ocean and you'll find us as the (west) gate to Europe (since we're not a rich contry, we're frequently called the tail of Europe -.-). Hey, your country even has control of a military base on an island that's Portuguese in the Azores archipelago.

Nowadays my country isn't well known in terms of financial capability since it has a huge debt but despite that, its history is rich, going back to the Middle Ages and it has almost 1000 years of existence all the way since the "Reconquista" (reconquest) of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors by the Christian kingdoms, namely the ones that would unite and become what is now known as Spain (unfortunately sometimes Portugal is thought to be some region from Spain which is wrong - we're an independent and sovereign state).
Portugal is known as one of the countries that started globalization, since it was a, if not THE, pioneer in the sea and naval expansion that took place in the 15th century. We've explored and made ways along the coast of Africa, bending the Cape of Good Hope (made by Bartolomeu Dias) in an attempt to find a route for reaching India as an alternative to the Mediterranean route. On other atempt to reach India by heading west, we've discovered Brazil (thanks to Pedro Álvares Cabral). Fun fact: we call native people from the Americas (and also from Africa, Australia and Southeast Asia) "índios" since when reaching Brazil we thought that it was India (and those native to India (indians) we call "indianos")! We've ended up landing on India thanks to Vasco da Gama and, some time after Columbus' discovery of North America (an exploration in the service of the Spanish Crown), Portugal and Spain signed the Treaty of Tordesilhas that established that the world (with the changes made thanks to the discoveries) would be divided in two, one half belonging to Portugal and the other half to Spain (unfortunately for us and the Spanish it didn't last long since Britain and Holland also wanted a share of the riches from the newly discovered contries and so they started to use and hire pirates to attack and steal the Portuguese and Spanish ships coming from the New World). Portugal also reached Asia, being the first european country to make contact with the Japanese on the island of Tanegashima. It was our introduction of firearms in Japan that helped some warlords, namely Oda Nobunaga, in gaining the upper hand in combat and helping reunite Japan.
Nowadays there are also evidence that the Portuguese were also the first to reach Australia despite not settling there since it had no strategic value to the commerce being made far North in Asia.
Moving foward some centuries, to the Napoleonic Wars, and one can found that Portugal was the only country that Napoleon tried but didn't conquer (we had three major invasions, each made by a different general...Napoleon didn't bother coming here -.-), not only thanks to English help (Fun fact: if I'm not mistaken, the alliance between Portugal and the United Kingdom is the oldest one still standing in the world) but, more importantly, thanks to the militias made up by our people.
Fun fact: it was a Portuguese princess, Catarina de Bragança, married to Charles II of England that is credited as introducing the custom of drinking tea in Britain, in the 17th century!

If you want to know more fun facts in a short amount of time just watch the video bellow, made when Finland wasn't keen on voting for the E.U. lending money to Portugal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXw5fMIYGqg

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)? I've only traveled to the south of France when visiting an aunt and uncle so it wasn't a cultural tour but it was a quiet and enjoyable place, though I can't recall the name of the place, sorry.

Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them? Aside from Portuguese, my mother tongue, I speak English, though I'm a little rusty but by participating on this site, I'm able to keep a decent knowledge.

Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why? Of course. If I could, I would learn all the languages in the world in order to be able to speak with every person out there but, since this is not possible, I'd like to learn Japanese not only to understand the anime but also because Japan has a great culture and I plan on going there someday.

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why? Like' I've said above, I'm mainly interested in Japanese culture because it's rich, very different and yet it has some marks from the Portuguese, but I'm always willing and interested in learning about as much cultures as I can.
Edit: I forgot to mention ancient cultures, namely Greek, Roman and Egiptian but since I love history I just like to sit and read a book about a country's history, from East to West and from South to North. More importantly, we're all from Earth so that's what matters.

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it?
Do I need to answer? YES and YES!!

Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences?
Despite considering myself culturally aware, I sometimes find it hard to separate cultural differences from personal differences and not falling in some wrong cliches. I try to fight it by trying to know different people that can give me different experiences and opinions.

Do you have any other intercultural experiences you would like to share?
No, I don't have.


Congrats to Drohn on creating this thread!!

 

[Buzzword]

Country / State:
Currently: USA, North Dakota

What facts / opinions can you share about your country?
Honestly, I'm not terribly fond of the majority of how American culture operates, BUT I am very fond of the many of the smaller, 'small-town' cultures that seem to be so common but less pervasive in American society.

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)?
Well since I don't personally own any countries I would say Canada. I haven't really ever been a tourist in Canada but I have been through it and it was actually very pretty and the people were (excuse the stereotype) really friendly and polite.

Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them?
In order of fluency: English, Japanese, ASL, Spanish, German, Russian, Korean, Tagolog (the last three are literally just small, common phrases)

Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why?
I want to learn ASL more fluently. As is stands, it is very uncommon for hearing people to know ANY signs.

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?
I've always been fascinated with Scandinavian cultures and languages. Not really sure why.

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it?
This is a confusing question at best... I'm not sure how to explain my cultural-ness beyond that I was a military kid from a double divorced family and have been moved all over the globe.

Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences?
In my life, I've learned to call this idea 'survival'. You have to be culturally aware to go from people to pleople, place to place, and not completely lose your mind.

Do you have any other intercultural experiences you would like to share?
I think the most extreme culture shock I've ever experienced was moving from Okinawa, Japan to Berthold, ND (go a head, look it up on Wikipedia). Not only was I shivering in 60F weather, I was constantly remarking to myself that there were sooo many white/american people around and everyone was speaking only one language and TV was incredibly boring despite having 500 channels. I was 16 and I felt like I just walked into a timemachine/spaceship and some how everything was familiar and bizarre at the same time.

 

[Riraito]

Country / State:
The Netherlands

What facts / opinions can you share about your country?
I think we don't mind anything. We don't find anything to be weird or stupid! We love to cycle since we have the flattest country possible. I do think we're not really social. Hugging or kissing when you meet someone is starting to become really rare here. We think mostly about ourself. Last week a lady was found dead in her house, she'd been dead for over ten years. She was never discovered because everyone thought she wasn't someone who wanted to talk much and left er alone.

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)?
Belgium, France, Germany, the UK and Italy! I loved them all, especially Italy with its awesome pizza shops <3

Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them?
Dutch, English, a bit of German and French and some words of Japanese (warning: otaku)

Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why?
Yes! I love learning other languages, but I'm sooooo bad at it ;.;
Of course Japanese is on top of the list of languages to learn!

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?
Yeeees, all of them! Tell me all about your cultures because I want to know everything!

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it?
Hmm, I guess I do. But of course we have some bad things as well. Sure!

Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences?
I'm not sure :c

Do you have any other intercultural experiences you would like to share?
Not really, I should leave the house more often :U

 

[Heavenly Spoon]

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)? I don't think I've ever not enjoyed a visit somewhere at least to some extent, but the enjoyment usually comes from different things. I hope you won't fault me for not elaborating here on my experience in each of these, do feel free to ask for more information.
Here's a short list: the Netherlands, United Kingdom (England and Scotland), Germany, France, Italy, Spain (including all the Balearic Islands and Tenerife), Greece (Crete), Sweden, Denmark, United States of America (Florida and California) and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

That's a nice list of countries you've visited! What did you think of Sweden? I have yet to visit a Scandinavian country. I think my first choice would be Norway, but I'd also love to see Sweden. What was your impression of the people there? What kind of food do they have there? Do you know whether they have typical Swedish food that is vegetarian? I know fish is a major hit there, but I'm hoping there is something nice for me to try as well.

Sweden was fun. I've only stayed there for 3 days, though (it was part of a week-long road trip which also included Denmark and Germany), so I'm afraid I'm not the best source. Having only really seen Stockholm, I'd say it's definitely a nice place to visit, and while it does have its fair share of fun musea and the likes (Vasa especially was pretty fun), it feels more like a modern city than anything else. If you want to see a lot of old weird-looking buildings, cool fountains and the most awesome old-timey theme park Copenhagen is the place to go. While I did enjoy Stockholm quite a bit and it had one of the most awesome geeky bookstores I've ever come across, I did feel I'd rather have stayed an extra day in Copenhagen (where we sadly only stayed for 2 days).
The people in Scandinavia seem to be as nice as you'd expect them to be (they're Europe's Canada, aren't they?), though I can't say I've had a lot of contact with them. As for food, I only really remember the meat, sorry, I'm a big fan of Salmon so whenever I got the chance to try a dish with Salmon in it I took it. I guess vegetarian swedish meatballs exist, but I can't say I remember seeing any.

 

[Haunted Water]

Country / State:
Michigan, United States of 'Merica

What facts / opinions can you share about your country?
Fact: Merica. Merica. Merica.
Opinion: Somebody PLEASE get us a leadership w/o the mentality of a five-year-old.
Also, we aren't like every stereotype. except the overweight one. that one is mostly true.

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)?
Canada. Not really, as it was basically just passing through to New York every time. Canadians are awesome people though.

Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them?
English (New England dialect), some German, and basic Spanish.

Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why?
Yes, because if I get an angry customer, they probably won't know German. Their loss, my win.

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?
Yes.
Germany & Russia: The motherland.
British: Because it's awesome.
Japan: It's most likely always a setup.

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it?
Yes and no. Keep the mixing pot, lose the bigotry and fundamentalism. Seriously, we're nice people, but a lot of us openly admit or advocate not caring about foreign ideas.

Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences?
Yes.

Do you have any other intercultural experiences you would like to share?
I work as a cashier in a Meijer 15 miles from the Canadian border. I have too many, and I loathe most of them, including that one French-Canadian who has a milk fetish or something. Seriously, like, you were here last week man, and you're buying another ten friggin' gallons of milk? Bad enough I hate most things French, including the language, and it's hard to understand you without tearing my ears off, but SERIOUSLY?!?!
Plus I tend to attract the different language customers more, it seems. It's a running joke in the department.

 

[WanderingWolf]

Country / State: Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Region

What facts / opinions can you share about your country?
- We're the lowest populated continent
- We killed hundreds of thousands to get to the place that we are now: a broken government (at least we have healthcare)
- Prince Charles went to an expensive private school in Sydney (nothing notable here)
- We have one stop for theme parks, with a few little amusement parks dotted around: Queensland

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)?
I spent about a month in Vanuata when I was 14. This was both for culture, and a vacation.
Other than that, I'm trapped (HALP me)

Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them?
I know one word of French (Je'mapelle James86134)
I know a bit of basic Japanese (numbers, time, hopefully the 46 basic hiragana, descriptive words, 8 or so doing words, and how to put sentences together)
Teensy bit of Italian.

Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why?
- Japanese, I'm getting tutored with my brother every fortnight.

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?
- The Traditional Japanese culture, mainly because of how it seemed so neat (well, for most of the time)... Not neat but, kind of fresh from just 'millions of people being killed die to race, wars, wars, wars, truce broken, take over the land'

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it?
I'd be happy to teach someone else about our culture (if they want racial abuse, disease and how we're all descendants of convicts). But... Notice how I didn't use proud to teach above... I'm not proud. Compare us to some countries, and yes, I am. But alone, Australia isn't exactly the best it could be.

Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences?
Teacher, can you repeat the question? (Not sure)

Do you have any other intercultural experiences you would like to share?