Out on the slopes, I met all kinds of people traveling from all over the globe. People traveling from around the United States, from Canada and Mexico, and even from other continents came to enjoy the beautiful mountains and skiing experience. Regardless of the language you spoke or your religious/cultural background, the environment was an accepting one.
One day on our vacation, we found ourselves sitting at a table with a family from Mexico City, speaking very little English. However, it was amazing the effort each party put into trying to communicate with each other. Using our mediocre knowledge of Spanish and their little English, we were surprisingly able to carry on multiple conversations.
America is known as the "melting pot" for a reason, and I had never been able to understand why before my trip. It was wonderful to see so many cultures coming together, putting aside differences, to participate in an activity as simple as skiing. It can show how easy integration and acceptance can be, but for some reason in our world there is stigma attached with these terms. It is seen as being too difficult and impossible to achieve in our lifetime. However, this experience showed me hope that it is possible to live among different cultures peacefully.When I returned home, and began to step away from vacation mode and back into everyday school mode, I am trying to hold on to the revelations I came to in Colorado. It is very difficult. Watching the news with my mom and hearing about all the war and hate in the world, it's easy to forget my recent discovery. However, I am working hard to remember that what I learned was valuable and important, and should not be dismissed.
On my vacation, I felt specifically proud to be an American. I was proud to be in a place where different cultures are accepted and not ridiculed. I felt an immense appreciation for cultural diversity I was not previously familiar with. I think that there could not have been a more perfect time for this, being the start to a new year. I am hopeful and confident that in 2012, our world will be one step closer to achieving world peace.
What an uplifting post! After reading your post I wondered what exactly were the current controversies surrounding the term "melting pot". I found a BBC article titled 'Melting Pot' America (found Here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4931534.stm) that currently states there is much controversy surrounding immigration--specifically Mexican immigration.
ReplyDeleteNew theories have arose against the melting pot theory, such as "salad bowl" or "cultural mosaic" that argue that mexican immigration spoils the "American identity." These theories believe Mexican immigrants fails to blend into and enrich America and instead creates division and hurts American uniformity.
Reading this article, your post and learning about the reconstruction of America made me realize throughout history Americans have been hesitant to welcome diversity and individuals who are slightly different. I believe this confined mentality has only damaged the "American Identity" --I now wonder, have America's repeated reluctance to accept others created a permanent dent in the "American identity"? Is this mentality now an attribute that makes up the "American Identity"?