is cultural immersion possible?

We started off this school year with an activity that our director had us do. We approached it in the usual spirit of 'team building' but quickly found that it wasn't meant to be one of those exercises. This activity involved a reading that made us closely examine our roles as expat teachers. I don't remember the reading but I still think about what we talked about.

In this reading the question was asked, "do you live with or in the native culture?" As someone who has traveled a bit in the course of his lifetime, I have taken pride in the fact that I have always tried to do as the locals do and immerse myself in the culture that surrounds me. But as I reflected on what my experiences were in those foreign cultures, I came to realize that I was only living WITH a culture, not in it. What's the difference? IN involves being accepted into the culture and considered to be one of the group, an insider. WITH means that I am a perennial outsider and that I am observing from the fringes looking in.

Living in certain countries, I will be totally unable to live in a culture. Based on my appearance, blending into some areas is impossible. But as I am living in Holland right now, my heritage should allow me to look the part if nothing else - which should help me out, right? But yet I find that no matter how hard I try to live IN the Dutch culture, I am still an outsider. When I asked my friend whom has lived here for 15 years, he feels the same. His Dutch is great but yet his Canadian accent makes it known that he isn't a local. As a result, he is still considered an outsider. This is not a criticism of the Dutch, just an observation of how hard it is to become accepted by any culture.

Nevertheless, I will continue my travels and continue to learn about other cultures in the world. As a 3rd culture kid, I will probably never live IN any culture, unless there is a country out there composed of people who are like me (see bio for 'hardest question to answer'). I will always be the American expat who never knows where he wants to live, the nomad who can't find a place to settle down. But life could be worse and while I may always be an outsider, it is quite a view from here.

new spam

I was reading the comments that people leave on my blog and came across an unusual post that offered a stock 'tip'. I needed to get into the timber industry NOW because the easy money is to be made NOW before the chance passed ME by. It perturbs me the spammers are going this low to sell their product but I am not surprised. It also saddens me to know that people are going to act on this bit of information and waste their money.

Word to the unwise - 'tips' are only for waiters. Don't believe stock 'tips'. These are people who want to get you to buy their worthless (or soon to be) stock so that they can get out of it. There is no such thing as a free lunch on the street and the only way you should get into the market is to do your homework.

If you don't know how to invest, don't jump in until you get a clue. Give it to a reputable mutual fund and let the manager take care of it. If you want to learn how to invest, I suggest Jim Cramer's Real Money. Sane Investing in an Insane World . Read it and THEN start.

lack of luster

I recently had a friend comment to me about how she missed reading my thoughts through my blog. I wish I had something good or bad to write about but I really don't. I'm just going through the usual business of being a teacher at the beginning of a school year.

My favorite part of a school is not the beginning or the end (well, maybe sometimes) but rather sometime around March. The start of a year is usually filled with the basics of a curriculum that "builds the foundation" on which the course is taught (read - tedious and boring). April and onward are kinda crap too because most are so busy looking forward to the end of the year that lose focus on what's important (read - teachers are as distracted as the students). My best teaching time is February and March.

If for no other reason than I have the kids full attention. The weather is so shitty that no one is asking to go out and play. The long winter vacation (formerly known as Christmas but is now known as 'Winter Break' to be politically correct) has satisfied both kids and adults since they got to spend 3 weeks away from each other. With the end of the year being so far away, kids are somewhat focused on what I am shoving into their brains that they actually think and do a good deal of learning. So bring on winter! Bring on the misery of February and March! Let the sun shine only for brief periods because the clouds hide it!

Or then again, maybe not.

Perhaps I'll just enjoy the summer/fall while it lasts...

grandeur

rise
Originally uploaded by davenyc.

When you have feelings that you are the king of the world, remember to be humble. There are many things on this earth that will remind you of how small and insignificant you can be...

flickr moment

Originally uploaded by Grains And Light.

Another reason why I love using flickr. Being able to see other people's artwork is truly inspiring.

lola loves the yankees

lola loves the yankees
Originally uploaded by dockmaster.

Another one of those "Moments brought to you by Flickr". The artist has been visited by many a person on flickr and this one is my favorite of hers. If you know anything about me, you know that I have a thang for redheads. This one is no exception...

back home

As most of you are probably aware, I have returned to Holland after my journeys through England. School was full of fun experiences and I had a wonderful time being with my friends. We laughed and drank and yelled and drank and had such a great time together (and drank). But now the reality of it all is coming back and the time has come to get back to the grind - far too soon in my opinion.

Thursday (less than 48 hours from now) is when I am to report back to school for the beginning of the end for me. This will be my third and final year in Holland, I don't know where I'll be heading after this. Per chance back to the US but odds have it that I will be heading elsewhere as an expat. Something about this lifestyle is just stuck in my veins. There are far worse vices to have...

But this year is going to be tough and a challenge to say the least. Its my year before free-agency and I'll need to be have my top game going so that I am ready for the upcoming frenzy of the upcoming next several months. I'll try to keep you, my faithful reader, updated with all the latest and greatest events that transpire here in Rotterdam.