Blog Post #1

1. I was surprised when I heard that cuy was a popular dish in Ecuador. Guinea pigs remind me of the furry little pets my friend Erica had in 5th grade; I’ve never thought of them as something to eat. I thought it was extremely weird at first but I know that this is an ethnocentric attitude. Different Cultures have different foods that they eat on a regular basis. There are many things that we eat in America that may seem weird to Ecuadorians. In addition to foods I thought that certain practices such as throwing away toilet paper instead of flushing it or being legally required to vote were odd. In reality, no culture is “odd” or “weird,” we all live in different cultures that simply have unique practices.
2.I have heard stereotypes that Latin-Americans are lazy or too laid back. I have also heard that they have very large families and can be very touchy. Stereotypes can be damaging and dangerous, particularly those like the first one I mentioned. It is unfair to lump any group of people into a category.
3. I think that Latin-Americans might believe that Americans are loud, materialistic and have large portions. I think that globally these are some stereotypes held of Americans but it is important to remember that stereotypes are not in any way an accurate portrayal of a group.  Limiting a group to one static definition is not right even if there are some people it may pertain to.
4. Keeping up with the slang and fast paced speech of native speakers will be very challenging for me. I am fairly confident in my Spanish abilities to get things done and be understood but I hope that I can also operate with decent grammar and work around words I don’t know well.

5. I hope to strengthen and gain more confidence in my Spanish speaking skills as well as gain a better understanding of the way that other cultures, and Ecuadorian cultures in particular, operate.

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