The other day I posted a Top 10 of Danish ideas about Alaska and a Top 10 of Alaskan ideas about Denmark. I’ve had a lot of funny conversations and awkward misunderstandings with Alaskans that led to the revelations I put in the two top 10 lists. But this is what it’s all about when you live in and with a culture different from your own. There are so many things that we take for granted when we are among people from the same culture as ourselves. My anthropological self would like to turn this into a very long and nuanced analysis of what culture is, but I’ll keep it simple in order to make my point clear. Culture is the customs, traditions, attitudes and behaviors of a particular social group and when you find yourself surrounded by unfamiliar customs and traditions with people who’s attitudes and behavior differ from your own, you have a challenge on your hands.
There are all the obvious things like different language, different fashion trends, different food. It is absolutely impossible to find healthy bread in Alaska. It’s all white and filled with sugar even when it says WHOLE GRAINS on the ingredients list that just means it wasn’t bleached to death. And what’s with all the cheddar? But then they have a huge selection of vegetarian products and all restaurants have vegetarian options. In Denmark the vegetarian option is chicken or shrimp. The culture confusion is present and you can only accept it and let the enthusiasm about all that is new and refreshing guide you.
Then there are the less obvious things. I wasn’t really confronted with these until I returned to Alaska last January and stayed for 8 months straight and I’m sure I’ve only seen the top of the cultural confusion mountain. Alaskans don’t sit down and have dinner together at home. Now, I know all the Alaskans will object to this, but it’s true. They might throw a barbecue or go out to a restaurant but the simple “set the table, turn off the TV, sit down together and eat” – tradition doesn’t exist. So how do they catch up, get to know each other and develop deeper relationships? In Denmark we do this over a good meal with good wine and long conversations. Alaskans also go out to party but stay sober. I say “but”, because in Denmark to party sober is an oxymoron. It took me two years to realize, because I -the Dane- didn’t party sober, but when I finally did I realized that so did a lot of others and they still give everything they have on the dance floor.
To live in a culture different from the one you’ve grown up in and have learned to navigate is both rewarding and challenging. And I’ve only just begun. I got my visa today and with 18 days to go, I’m headed for two years of cultural confusion and evolution.
If you have any examples of cultural confusion you would like to share feel free!
1 comment:
The best thing is that you will hopefully be able to keep all the great things in Danishness, like having dinners together (If you like that sort of a thing of course), and forget about the less-than-awesome traditions :) Alaskan multi-cultural mix will hopefully be accommodating. I'll be following this blog!
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