Blog 3: Reflections on Cultural Literacy

After only a few days immersed in a foreign culture it becomes strikingly obvious that knowing the language is not enough to understand and become a part of another culture. A point that I found interesting in the lectures was that when you look at a culture as a whole it can become overwhelming and seem almost exclusive. However, after a closer look you can begin to understand a different culture by breaking it down into smaller elements. These elements, such as what importance names have or how we display our culture, overlap and solidify into the idea of a culture being a single entity. In our own cultures, I feel like it is easy to overlook these elements because we have become so accustomed to them being a part of our everyday lives. I've grown up small town in South Carolina that heavily emphasizes our historical roots and the people who live here take great pride in the its history. In general, growing up in the South has instilled certain behaviors and ideas in me that influence the way I live. And on an even larger scale, American culture in general defines what I believe as 'normal' behavior.

I have a great interest in art and architecture and something that I feel is most intriguing about these fields is that they shape and preserve culture. They provide an outlet to learn about ancient and present day cultures and also to express and shape our own culture. Studying architecture over the past few years has given me an opportunity to understand different cultures through that particular element. Now that I am studying in Spain, learning about Barcelona's architecture and monuments has begun to teach me about what the people here hold important. Often times the stories behind these structures are even more amazing than the architecture itself. It's been exciting to be here and learn about the culture, but it is a long and time consuming process to understand the culture and adapt to such a different lifestyle. The language barrier feels like a huge challenge at the moment but I know that it goes way beyond just that. Taking part in the practices of Spanish culture and making an effort to learn and understand it seems like a good start to developing my cultural literacy. By the end of my stay here, I hope that I will feel confident in my understanding of the people here and their way of life.