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gelynch52ph
Joined: 15 Feb 2011
Posts: 132
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 Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:42 am Post subject: Re: IH |
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| vva wrote: |
| veiledsentiments wrote: |
| gelynch52ph wrote: |
| They also eat like animals with no manners and apparently have little or no concept of utensils other than fingers. |
Could it be perhaps the logical development of a culture that had no water to waste for washing... utensils?
VS |
While the topic's been derailed...
I've got to wonder, do you guys eat your pizzas and burgers with utensils? I certainly don't.
Viewing others' cultures by the standards of your own is truly an unfortunate way to travel the world!
I'd be curious to see how the KSA's health statistics match up against our own (US)... |
Most people who read have the general impression that Americans, Canadians and Brits are generally overweight and they would be correct. However, because KSA is a small, insignificant country their gross overweight problem is usually overlooked in the general scheme of things.
No, I do not eat finger food with utensils. Nor do I eat chicken with a fork and plastic spoon (used like a knife) as do Filipinos in the country I have chosen as my adopted home. |
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Badar Bin Bada Boom
Joined: 01 Jun 2011
Posts: 192
Location: Fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man
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| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:49 pm Post subject: |
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Everybody knows KSA and UAE health statistics (those that are even kept, as these are NOT information societies) certainly do not compare well with others around the world, for several simple and obvious reasons, which locals will tell you themselves. (1) People generally don't exercise. (2) The smoking culture is like Japan and Korea 20 years ago. Pervasive. (3) They consume a LOT of sugar, per person.
Last edited by Badar Bin Bada Boom on Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:29 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Badar Bin Bada Boom wrote: |
Everybody knows KSA and UAE health statistics (those that are even kept, as these are NOT information societies) certainly do not compare well with others around the world, for several simple and obvious reasons, which locals will tell you themselves. (1) People generally don't exercise. (2) The smoking culture is like Japan and Korea 20 years ago. Pervasive. (3) They consume a LOT of sugar, per person.
(MOD edit for poster edit) |
I have nothing against their eating with their fingers, but have to agree that the food served at many of these large and often small Saudi 'cultural' functions are nothing to rave about...culturally speaking sitting on the floor and eating from a communal platter is also a difficult concept for most westerners to partake in...maybe as novelty, when one first arrives in KSA, but as a regular habit...I give it a pass as well. Not everything cultural has to be embraced, nor need to be embellished...to sound like some tourist travel brochure...now what was the OP's main question  |
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vva
Joined: 19 Sep 2010
Posts: 42
Location: NY, USA
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| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:18 pm Post subject: Re: IH |
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| desert_traveller wrote: |
| vva wrote: |
| Viewing others' cultures by the standards of your own is truly an unfortunate way to travel the world! |
indeed a bit off international house, but still...
about the quote above: in my opinion, it would be both hypocritical and unreasonable to expect anyone NOT to view anything by standards of their own. by what other standards, i wonder, can one view anything other than their own? |
Being "open-minded" is neither unreasonable, nor hypocritical and in fact, just the opposite is true: being open-minded is expected from adults, especially those who have had the opportunity to travel abroad.
To travel without an open mind, by consistently impressing one's personal standards upon others, is certainly an impairment to the experience of visiting other cultures.
True or False?
I believe the above statement is true and that's what I had previously said.
But that's my...wait for it...opinion.
| Quote: |
| and what is wrong with saying 'i don't like this or that'? |
never said there was something wrong with personal opinions.... |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:29 pm Post subject: |
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 double post... |
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desert_traveller
Joined: 28 Nov 2006
Posts: 335
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| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:40 pm Post subject: Re: IH |
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| vva wrote: |
| being open-minded is expected from adults, especially those who have had the opportunity to travel abroad |
open-minded... i have noticed western ppl are obsessed with 'travelling' and 'exploring and understanding' other 'cultures' and love to role-play 'i'm now a local' and pose smilingly and wearing local traditional clothes with natives of foreign lands to show how deeply understanding they are and how they have become 'one of them' in the course of a 2-week exotic holiday (or a two year long residence, doesn't really matter) which shows nothing but unprecedented superficiality and ignorance. open-minded?
the opportunity to travel abroad? as if people were going to saudi arabia to grab an 'opportunity' to 'travel' and 'understand' and expand their mental horizons lol
imho |
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Badar Bin Bada Boom
Joined: 01 Jun 2011
Posts: 192
Location: Fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man
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| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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Indeed. I remember posting a very similar post a long time ago.
In another dimension of the topic, I get tired of the CNN and BBC commercials and PR features (well paid for) promoting Abu Dhabi and Doha as amazing cultural icons shining a beacon of innovation and freedom around the world. Says the girl wearing a black tent...and having the temerity to tell us that ABU DHABI is the most vibrant center of film making in the world!!! Nuff said? |
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Badar Bin Bada Boom
Joined: 01 Jun 2011
Posts: 192
Location: Fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man
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| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:46 pm Post subject: Re: IH |
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| vva wrote: |
To travel without an open mind, by consistently impressing one's personal standards upon others, is certainly an impairment to the experience of visiting other cultures.
True or False?
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This is simplistic black-and-white politically correct blather. Nothing in intercultural relations is that simple, and we're not imposing our values on the local people just because we don't like the culture--what little of it there is. We come here, we live here, we work here, we recognize the people we deal with as individuals to be judged as individuals. But there's no need for us to like or even respect the culture if we have already spent decades growing intellectually. We can, of course, keep our opinions to ourselves to the extent of necessary diplomacy. |
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Daktari
Joined: 08 Mar 2010
Posts: 57
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| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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Well said BBBB.
Just 'cos it's foreign don't make it great, likewise, just 'cos it's from our own culture doesn't mean it's wonderful.
Be selective and enjoy as you broaden your mind BUT remember if you don't like it - don't jump in with criticisms - just let 'em get on with it.
As my grandpappy said - you got two ears and one mouth - Listen twice as much as you talk. |
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vva
Joined: 19 Sep 2010
Posts: 42
Location: NY, USA
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| Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 12:03 am Post subject: |
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| Daktari wrote: |
Be selective and enjoy as you broaden your mind BUT remember if you don't like it - don't jump in with criticisms - just let 'em get on with it. |
lol, that's all I was trying to say...
dunno why everyone got so defensive -__-;
anyway, to you your way and to me, mine 
(that's what's called an open mind, folks)
it's possible! |
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mashkif
Joined: 17 Aug 2010
Posts: 178
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| Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:18 pm Post subject: Re: IH |
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| Badar Bin Bada Boom wrote: |
| vva wrote: |
To travel without an open mind, by consistently impressing one's personal standards upon others, is certainly an impairment to the experience of visiting other cultures.
True or False?
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This is simplistic black-and-white politically correct blather. Nothing in intercultural relations is that simple, and we're not imposing our values on the local people just because we don't like the culture--what little of it there is. We come here, we live here, we work here, we recognize the people we deal with as individuals to be judged as individuals. But there's no need for us to like or even respect the culture if we have already spent decades growing intellectually. We can, of course, keep our opinions to ourselves to the extent of necessary diplomacy. |
Hear, hear! |
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