Marcia Selsor on thu 27 sep 01
I know Mel said no more BUT....
I taught English conversation at Tashkent University in Uzbekistan prior to the
beginning of the semester at the Tashkent Institute of Fine Arts. Due to how the
USA is represented on pop culture TV many people of the world think all Americans
have swimming pools and servants as portrayed on programs they see like Dallas,
Dynasty and Falcon Crest. These were the biggies when I lived in Spain and they
were also popular in Uzbekistan. As a Fulbrighter I represented the US as a person
trying to establish mutual understanding across cultures. I was in small villages
where no other American had ever been. I gave slide presentations about American
cowboys, ranching techniques, and Indian ceromonies of the Crow tribe -many of
whom had been my students in Montana. I emphasized that all Americans do not have
pools and servants. I showed them photos of Americans.
But remember that the rest of the world knows us through TV shows , Disneyland
not
Opie and Mayberry or Larewnce Welk. I gave lectures at the Universities of
Samarkund, Bukhara and the National Conference of Ceramics teachers in Tashkent. I
visited elementary schools, art schools and secondary schools as well as
Universities and Institutions of higher learning throughout the city of Tashkent
pop. 2,500,000 with over 200 ethnic groups.
Best wishes,
Marcia Selsor
Elca Branman wrote:
> I would phrase this differently.
>
> I would say that Americans , like every other nation or group, have the
> faults of their virtues.
>
> My hope would be that that Americans would seek justice rather than
> revenge.
>
> And I do feel that most people would agree that the cold blooded killing
> of civilians is an injustice worth attempting to right., whether done to
> Somalis, Americans or Irish.
>
> Elca Branman
>
> On Wed, 26 Sep 2001 09:01:30 +0100 Martin Howard
> writes:
> > Mel wrote:-
> > Americans like to teach others how to do things...the right way.
> > often not.
> >
> > That resonates with me. It is why I have been anti American.
> > Probably still
> > am. But each individual American I meet comes over as a lovely
> > person.
> >
> > Imperialists, empire builders have always been the same, whether
> > Roman,
> > Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, German, Brit or US.
> >
> > Imposing their method of doing things on another culture.
> > It is much like in the classroom, with a bad teacher.
> >
> > After September 11th the USA really must change its ways vis a vis
> > the other
> > cultures of the world. Become the good teacher, open to the
> > students' needs
> > and be also the good student with the open cup. Both together.
> >
> > Perhaps GB might also change in this regard, but I doubt it
> > somehow!!
> >
> > Martin Howard
> > Webb's Cottage Pottery
> > Woolpits Road, Great Saling
> > BRAINTREE, Essex CM7 5DZ
> > England
> >
>
> Elca Branman.. in Sarasota,Florida,USA
> elcab1@juno.com
>
> ________________________________________________________________
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>
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>
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>
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Charlie and Linda Riggs on fri 28 sep 01
Marcia,
This post really resonated with me this morning. I was just thinking about the
portrayal of the US on TV this morning as I was delivering caffine to my sleepy self
and staring at the morning sunlight on the trees. Then moments later I read your
posting about Uzbekistan.
I had a similar experience when I was doing anthropology fieldwork in the mountains of
Honduras. Even in the midst of one-room adobe houses with dirt floors at least one
more "prosperous" villager with a cement floor might also have some electrical wire
rigged up to the house....and an old tv set. There in the middle of nowhere I watched
spanish dubbed episodes of Charlies Angels, Dallas etc. And because I was from the
US most of my Honduran friends thought that I too had a palacial home and limitless
resources. I don't think any of them really believed me when I told them that I all I
owned was what I had with me there including my only mode of transportion--a bicycle.
What a shame most of the world sees the US through the eyes of Hollywood productions.
They are missing out on the people like my "country" neighbors who have live very
modestly on land that's been in their family for generations. People who are living
quiet lives rich in family and friends and in traditional music and song. (There is a
blue-grass gathering every month at a small "fish camp" down the road from us). I feel
honored to be accepted as part of their extended family/community.
Linda Riggs
Marcia Selsor wrote:
> I know Mel said no more BUT....
> I taught English conversation at Tashkent University in Uzbekistan prior to the
> beginning of the semester at the Tashkent Institute of Fine Arts. Due to how the
> USA is represented on pop culture TV many people of the world think all Americans
> have swimming pools and servants as portrayed on programs they see like Dallas,
> Dynasty and Falcon Crest. These were the biggies when I lived in Spain and they
> were also popular in Uzbekistan. As a Fulbrighter I represented the US as a person
> trying to establish mutual understanding across cultures. I was in small villages
> where no other American had ever been. I gave slide presentations about American
> cowboys, ranching techniques, and Indian ceromonies of the Crow tribe -many of
> whom had been my students in Montana. I emphasized that all Americans do not have
> pools and servants. I showed them photos of Americans.
> But remember that the rest of the world knows us through TV shows , Disneyland
> not
> Opie and Mayberry or Larewnce Welk. I gave lectures at the Universities of
> Samarkund, Bukhara and the National Conference of Ceramics teachers in Tashkent. I
> visited elementary schools, art schools and secondary schools as well as
> Universities and Institutions of higher learning throughout the city of Tashkent
> pop. 2,500,000 with over 200 ethnic groups.
> Best wishes,
>
> Marcia Selsor
>
> Elca Branman wrote:
>
> > I would phrase this differently.
> >
> > I would say that Americans , like every other nation or group, have the
> > faults of their virtues.
> >
> > My hope would be that that Americans would seek justice rather than
> > revenge.
> >
> > And I do feel that most people would agree that the cold blooded killing
> > of civilians is an injustice worth attempting to right., whether done to
> > Somalis, Americans or Irish.
> >
> > Elca Branman
> >
> > On Wed, 26 Sep 2001 09:01:30 +0100 Martin Howard
> > writes:
> > > Mel wrote:-
> > > Americans like to teach others how to do things...the right way.
> > > often not.
> > >
> > > That resonates with me. It is why I have been anti American.
> > > Probably still
> > > am. But each individual American I meet comes over as a lovely
> > > person.
> > >
> > > Imperialists, empire builders have always been the same, whether
> > > Roman,
> > > Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, German, Brit or US.
> > >
> > > Imposing their method of doing things on another culture.
> > > It is much like in the classroom, with a bad teacher.
> > >
> > > After September 11th the USA really must change its ways vis a vis
> > > the other
> > > cultures of the world. Become the good teacher, open to the
> > > students' needs
> > > and be also the good student with the open cup. Both together.
> > >
> > > Perhaps GB might also change in this regard, but I doubt it
> > > somehow!!
> > >
> > > Martin Howard
> > > Webb's Cottage Pottery
> > > Woolpits Road, Great Saling
> > > BRAINTREE, Essex CM7 5DZ
> > > England
> > >
> >
> > Elca Branman.. in Sarasota,Florida,USA
> > elcab1@juno.com
> >
> > ________________________________________________________________
> > GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!
> > Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
> > Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit:
> > http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________________________
> > Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
> >
> > You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> > settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
> >
> > Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
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