For the cultural immersion project I have chosen to learn more about the Eastern Europe, as I believe that I lack relevant and unbiased knowledge about Slavic culture, their values, attitudes and traditions. Therefore, I asked my friend from Ukraine to let me spend a day with her family, who has recently emigrated from Eastern Europe. I really did not know much about Ukrainians, so I thought that such an experience will be particularly beneficial for my personal growth.
My friend and her family were happy to help and organized everything to make the experience interesting and useful. I met with my friend and her mother, who was born in Ukraine in the morning, and the first thing we did was visit the Greek Catholic Church that is one of the major churches in Ukraine. The family of my friend is not really religious, but they know a lot about the ceremony and traditional rituals both of Greek Catholic and Orthodox churches, so I had a chance to find out how it differs from Catholic one. I was surprised by the interior and exterior of the church, as they are very simple, and do not have all the embellishments the Catholic churches have. After a visit to the church, we went to my friend’s house, where I had a chance to try a dozen of traditional Ukrainian dishes, such as borsch, cheese dumplings and others. At their home we had a nice and extremely informative conversation about the language issues, the current situation in the country and the family’s attitudes toward education, politics and diversity. After a while, my friend’s father joined us, and as a specialist in Eastern European history he told me quite a lot about the development of Ukraine as a country, and its relationship with Russia. I also had a chance to hear an original version of “Carol of the Bells” that appeared to be a part of Ukrainian folklore. The exciting conversations, the traditional cuisine and songs were the parts of cultural immersion I enjoyed the most.
The experience appeared to be very informative in terms of Ukrainian, Russian and generally East Slavic culture. The Greek Catholic ceremony slightly resembles Catholic, but there some basic differences even on the surface, as people are required to stand during the ceremony and only older people can sit. I also found out about the history of the church and its co-existing in the coutnry with Orthodox one that is far more traditional. I was also surprised by the stories on how great the influence of both Churches is in Ukraine. The second thing I have learned is the relationship to Russians and Russian language. As the political situation is harsh now, the general attitudes are quite negative towards the Russian government, but surprisingly Ukrainians and Russians get along well if the political issues are not touched upon. The family of my friend is a nice example, as his mother was born in Ukraine, while his father is from Russia. The family values strong ties between its members, but they claim that they are less traditional than a typical Ukrainian family. However, they emphasize that the stereotypical images, such as eternally cold winter and poor life conditions, as well as the state of war on the whole territory of the country are exaggerated. Unfortunately, the attitudes to Ukrainians are very biased in the world, while there are based on some misconceptions and ridiculous beliefs. Despite the problems there are positive things in the country. For example, the education in Ukraine is free, if one studies well, and in other cases it is very cheap. Still, they claim that the educational system is very corrupted, but the changes are made constantly to improve the situation. Nevertheless, my friend and his family claim to miss their home country for its unforgettable culture and kind people.
The common problem while counseling someone from East Slavic culture would be keeping unbiased attitude, as it seems that everything I imagined about the country is totally wrong. It should be remembered that the majority of the people from Ukraine are religious and value traditions and customs, so it is important to be careful with language and reasoning. Secondly, counseling a person from East Slavic culture is difficult as they tend to rely on themselves and their families and do not want to be helped by other people. Additionally, the attitudes towards Slavic people are quite biased around the world, so people form East Slavic culture tend to be reserved, and it is important to let them know that one does not have any misconceptions. As far as Ukrainians are concerned, it is vital to keep in mind the complicated situation with Russian on the East of Ukraine, and do not make assumptions about their common history and similarities between their languages. I believe that impartial but involved and positive attitude without stereotypes and biases is a key in counseling someone from Eastern Europe or Ukraine in particular.
I believe that my personal biases may become an obstacle in successful interaction with people from Eastern Slavic culture, as I had some ideas about this culture, but most of them appeared to be wrong, as there are not enough reliable sources available about people and their values. I always considered Eastern Europe and Slavic culture deeply conservative and religious, and to some extent it is true, but the situation is rapidly changing for better, as the countries manage to adopt modern values of equality, freedom and sustainable development. My cultural immersion experience has introduced me to the absolutely different perspective on the culture that conflicts with my preconceptions. I think that now I understand better the way Ukrainians as representatives of Eastern Slavic culture think and behave, but I will have to work to eliminate my inner long-formed biases towards them.
Cultural Movie Essay
French comedy “Intouchables” directed by Olivier Nakache & Eric Toledano tells a touching story of two men from different backgrounds, who meet and help each other to find faith in life. Driss is a young man from Senegal, who recently left prison and lives with his big family in Paris slums. He is hired as a caregiver for a rich French aristocrat Philippe, who has become a quadriplegic in paragliding accident. Through the series of comical, as well as dramatic situations, the main characters quickly find a comfort in the company of each other and become friends despite the disapproval from their social circles. The development of the relationship between Driss and Philippe demonstrates the collision between two different sides of French culture. With the help of interpretation of stereotypes, racism and disability, the movie shows the diverse society, where despite the prejudice the fruitful communication and beneficial cooperation of cultures is possible. The contrast between two characters’ perspectives in the movie is used to highlight the differences between the culture, and at the same time to demonstrate their similarities and possibilities for simultaneous development and mutual help.
The movie includes the elements of cultural pluralism and influence of globalization that are realized through the contrast between the settings in which two characters live. Driss is shown in his small apartment, where he does not have any personal space, as the whole family lives there. The environment of poor Parisian neighborhood is shown as really dark and basic with just a few buildings and dim lights. Driss spends the evening with his friends, who use drugs in the faceless district. These scenes show the reality of living conditions of his social class that suffers from deprivation. It is shown that some people struggle to make a living, but the other just live on the projects, as they find it hard to find a proper job, or they do not see a sense in searching one. On the contrary, Philippe lives in a huge mansion, as he is extremely wealthy. The classy Parisian neighborhood is full of busy and well-dressed people that are always going somewhere. Philippe, as a representative of the high-class society, who wears fashionable clothes, listens to classic music and goes to theatre is contrasted with Driss, as simple and unambitious man in hoodie, driving a motor bike and listening to R&B music. However, it is shown that the characters have much more in common than it may seem at first glance. Both Driss and Philippe feel alienated from their social groups, as one has just left prison and wants to win respect of his family, and the other is left out of his environment because of his disability.
The light, art and music in the movie also highlight both differences and similarities between two cultural backgrounds. Driss’s neighborhood is colorless and full of graffiti, while Philippe’s mansion is abundant with bright and vivid colors, paintings and luxurious decorations. Driss listens to R&B and soul music, while Philippe’s life in a mansion is accompanied by classic music. However, the light is also used to show that the lives of people from both cultural backgrounds may be difficult. Both Driss and Philippe have their shares of dark and light in their lives, and it hints the viewer that two cultures and two characters should be treated equally, as none of them is different or better than the other.
The differences between cultural backgrounds of two characters bring them together and help to become friends, as they can offer each other things unavailable in their surroundings. Driss is used to living in slums, and he experiences the culture Philippe lives in, visiting the theatre, trying paragliding and driving fast Philippe’s expensive car. Moreover, he possesses the things Philippe is deprived of, such as mobility and strength. On the other hand, Philippe seems like a man that has everything, but he actually is not able to do the most vital things, like walking, running and looking after his daughter. What is more, he suffers after the death of his wife and finds it hard to cope with the fact that everyone pities him. For this reason, two characters become friends, as their differences in lifestyle and culture does not mean that they cannot both feel deprived and humiliated. Philippe and Driss find it hard to see the future, after all the misfortunes they have faced, but they unite and help each other to overcome their fears. They see each other’s differences and social isolation, but their friendship revives their interest in life, as they do not pity, but rather treat each other as equals. It shows the importance of every culture and every social background to demonstrate how they can coexist and even supplement each other, as they are the part of French diverse culture that deserves to be respected.
My overall impression of the movie is positive, as its message about the cultural pluralism is clear and consistent: all cultures should be treated equally, and no one is in the position to judge someone based on their cultural and social background. Some of the critiques claim that movie is full of racism and stereotypes, but I believe that they are used in the movie to prove the point that every culture deserves respect through the demonstration of sometimes stereotypical characters. Still, the protagonists in the movie develop to demonstrate the change of their values and attitudes toward their social group and themselves and find relief from their grief and sorrow in the place, where they expected it the least. It should be remembered that nobody knows what it is like to be in someone else’s place, so it is essential to appreciate people’s work and respect their efforts to make their lives and the lives of their families and communities better. What is more, the film shows scenes and images that are different from the typical Hollywood production, so they allow people from different backgrounds to identify with the characters and feel respected and understood. It is important to remember that it is not people who become antisocial, but the society that does not want to accept someone, who is different from the majority. The movie highlights the importance of cooperation and building bridges between different cultures, as nobody knows when he will have a chance to give a person hope.
Work Cited
Intouchables Dir. Oliver Nakache, and Eric Toledano. Perf. Francois Cluzet, and Omar Sy, Quad Productions, 2011. Film.
