The activity that we did in class was by far the most awkward activity I have ever done. The class got divided into two different cultures and of course with different cultures come different customs. The simulation was tricky since one group was suppose to start a conversation with a hand shake, but the other group was not allowed to have any kind of physical contact with another person. The simulation turned really awkward and confusing real fast since nobody knew what was going on or what to do. The different cultures had totally different customs that one must follow. It was hard at first, not being able to communicate with the other culture, but eventually the class pulled it toward people started to have some conversion. In real life something similar occurs just about every time one interacts with someone from a different culture. It can be something as simple as not being used to doing another cultures customs, as to not being allowed to do another cultures customs.
At the very least we know that people can never stop learning something new from the so many different cultures that the world has to offer.
The most awkward moment of my life was also the most wonderfull moment in my life. The day that my grandparents first came to West Chicago was by far the best day of my life. The first time that I met them was when I was three and that was in Mexico ( some good, funny memories ) , years passed (5 years ) before I saw them again. I was only a little kid, and I didn't know my inherited customs good enough when my grandparents first came. I had been waiting for the day that they would arrive at the airport, I was really excited to see them even though I hadn't seen them in a long time and I didn't remember much about them. My mom told me great stories of my grandparents ( really funny ones ). Days before my grandparents were to arrive at the airport, my mom tried to teach us as much as she could about how to behave in the presence of my grandparents. When they finally arrived at the airport, my whole family went to the airport to pick them up, everyone was excited and nervous to see them ( specially my mom). My mom was the first to recognize my grandparents, she started crying since it was her first time seeing them since she came to America. She tried to walk as fast as she could towards them ( my mom was in the process of giving birth to my little brother ) and she automatically went up to them and hugged them and kept on hugging them for a long time . When it was finally my turn to greet my grandparents, my mom taught me that they weren't used to shaking hands and that instead I should just skip to the hugging. I guess I was nervous when it was my turn, my extincts immediately kicked in and the first thing I did was stretch my hand to give them a hand shake ( I could see a confuse look on my grandparents face). It had taken my grandparents some time before reacting, I guess that they weren't used to the custom of shaking hands to greet a person, they were confused and just stood their not knowing what to do. The ride home was by far the most awkward ride of my life ( now I just go straight for a hug, I get to avoid the awkwardness).
Even though it started rough, both my grandparents and me learned something new from a different culture.
Your mom was giving birth at the airport??? Anyway, I think this is a perfect example of culture clash (which we will go over this week)....and a beautiful awkward moment. I'm guessing your grandparents got better at American customs the longer they were here, right?
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