exchange culture essay

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What is cultural exchange and why exchanging cultures matters.

Learning about other cultures outside your own is one of the most important things we will ever do as people.  Travel is a great way to do that, as simply stepping outside your front door you see and hear things that could be very different to how your family sees the world.  However, it isn’t a one-way street.  Sharing and exchanging culture is vital for the whole world, so in this post, I’m going to break down what I think cultural exchange is, and why exchanging cultures matters so much.

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What Is Cultural Exchange?

Culture can be defined as “the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society”, so a cultural exchange is simply sharing any aspects of your culture with someone else from a different background to you, and vice versa. 

It could be sharing information about what clothes you wear, learning a type of instrument or talking together about religion or politics.  It could be discussing each other’s ideas and beliefs about anything that you do, from day to day activities to special celebrations, what food you like to make or the sport you play.   

The Importance of Cultural Exchanges

Mark Twain once said:

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

That is one of my favourite travel quotes, and the first time I read those words it really struck a chord with me.  Imagine if you never speak to anyone outside your family.  You might never know that there are different ways to view the world.  That there are different religions, different clothes that people wear, different foods that other people eat.

That seems tragic to me, going through life not even knowing that different cultures exist.  Of course, these days we have the internet, books and TV to tell us that they do indeed exist, but we should really see these things for ourselves to properly understand them.

That actually is quite a narrow way of looking at cultural exchanges, as there are lots more benefits to cultural exchange that help make all of our lives better and increase understanding between people from all over the world.

Benefits of Cultural Exchanges

I truly believe that through travel, the more we learn about each other and our differences, the more we will realise how similar we are.  That is how travelling helps in cultural exchange and if I can promote cultural exchange through travel then I will do my best!

If we all travelled more and shared our ideas and experiences with each other there would be no need for wars about religion, no excuse for treating people of another sexual orientation, gender or skin colour differently (not that there is any justification for that of course, but there would be no excuse no matter how misguided).

Any kind of travel involves a certain amount of cultural exchange, but to go beyond the superficial, the best way to learn about another culture is to speak to someone from that culture.  Get to know them, learn from them, and talk about the differences and similarities in your beliefs and lifestyle and you’ll see how powerful exchanging cultures can be.

Not only will cultural exchange benefit you on a personal level, but being exposed to different cultures can be incredibly inspiring, as you are influenced by new food, art, music, writing and every aspect of life.  Cultural exchanges can lead to a wonderful fusion of styles, in particular for creative people, but for everyone!

In a business context, for example, learning from others helps you to find new ways of designing products, or using the influence of architecture to create a new style of building that could be more eco-friendly.  The benefits of cultural exchange go far beyond simply expanding your own experience, it can have far-reaching effects in all aspects of your own culture too.

Examples of Cultural Exchanges

There are lots of ways that we can share our culture with others, and arguably anything we do is part of our culture, so simply telling people about our day-to-day lives (and listening to them do the same) is one of the simplest cultural exchange examples. 

However, there are some more specific ways we can exchange our cultures, which relate to our personal passions or hobbies.  Being able to share something you love with someone from another culture, and learn about how they do it, is a perfect example of cultural exchange.  You can also choose specific destinations which are renowned for their style of whatever you like doing. 

Here are some examples of cultural exchanges that could relate to your interests.

Learning Languages

Language is a huge part of our culture – how we express ourselves and nuances in the words we use often lose a lot in translation.  Learning another language opens us up to a wider understanding of how we see the world, and allows us to communicate with a lot more people who don’t speak our language.

I’ve found through my travels that being able to speak to people in their own language (in my case by speaking Spanish), I’ve met some incredible people that I wouldn’t have been able to hold a conversation with otherwise.  The smiles on their faces as I’ve greeted them and asked them about their country are more than worth the effort it took to learn Spanish!

Language exchanges can be a fun way to improve your existing skills and meet new people, but studying a new language is a wonderful way to learn more about a different culture.  Rosetta Stone and Babbel offer language courses online, with Babbel offering live online classes with language teachers.

Even learning a few words on Duolingo before you travel somewhere new can help you interact with people a lot more!

Cooking Together

Food is one thing that brings us all together – we all eat!  One of my favourite things to do when I’m travelling is to take a cooking class or a food tour so that I get to know some of the local food and drink wherever I am, and learn about the dishes from someone who knows a whole lot more about it than I do – from the history of salt cod in Portugal on a food tour in Lisbon to making tacos in Mexico !

Learning how to cook a new dish, and then sitting down together to enjoy the food you’ve made is a wonderful experience and one I enjoy every single time I do it.  Even watching a woman flipping corn tortillas between her hands before slapping them onto the griddle is something I don’t see every day at home.

For chefs or enthusiastic cooks, what kind of food do you enjoy, and what would you like to learn more about?  French patisserie?  Mexican street food?  How about Peruvian fusion cuisine?  The world is your oyster.

Music and Dancing

Music and dance are two forms of communication that you don’t even need to properly understand to appreciate the meaning or beauty of it.  Different instruments and different dances have evolved all over the world, and being able to watch and learn how people make music and dance in their country and culture is a joy.

If you are a musician, for example, a drummer, perhaps going to Belize to learn how to play the drums like the Garifuna people, or heading to Japan to learn about taiko drumming would be an excellent way to learn more about Japanese culture.  Alternative, for dancers, Cuba, Argentina or Brazil could be perfect destinations for you.

Cultural Exchange Programs

Student exchanges.

There are various platforms that arrange international exchanges where it is an actual swap between two people in different cultures and they either visit each other to spend time together in each place one after the other, or swaps where they essentially switch places for a period of time.

Some cultural exchange examples for students could be:

• a sports exchange where you travel to different countries and compete against other schools in the sport
• language exchanges where you visit people who speak the language you are learning, spending time in that country and vice versa for students from there coming to visit you
• a music exchange where you learn to play instruments from other cultures

When I was in school, in our French class we were given pen pals from a school in France, to help us to learn French.  My pen pal Claudine came to visit me, stayed at my house for a week and I showed her around my town, had some traditional British meals at home and we took her to some of the tourist attractions nearby.

Then, I did the same and travelled to France to stay with her family.  It definitely helped my French, and it was fun to eat crepes and live like a French person for a week!  Student exchanges are probably one of the most simple kinds of cultural exchange, but also one of the most important.

The younger we start to learn about different cultures, the better!  The more open-minded we become as we begin to see beyond our own little bubbles. 

Further opportunities for cultural exchanges come with the chance to study abroad for a longer period.  In Europe the ERASMUS program allows students from one university to go abroad and spend a year studying there as part of their course – like I did when I first went to Barcelona.  I was studying languages, but there are opportunities for all sorts of subjects to take a year abroad, and the programme is now open to a wider range of people too.

Adult Cultural Exchanges

As an adult, there may be professional cultural exchanges that you can do, for example taking a sabbatical or working in another country for a set period of time.  This works particularly well if you are learning a trade, for example a chef may live and work in France to learn to be a pastry chef.

However, one of the best ways I’ve found to do a cultural exchange is through exchange websites like Worldpackers and Workaway .

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Anyone can sign up, and the idea is that you volunteer your time and skills in exchange for accommodation, food and other benefits, usually living with the people you are there to help.  Volunteering or doing a work exchange like this has immeasurable benefits, but the chance to live in another country and learn about the culture is certainly one of the biggest advantages.

Examples of cultural exchanges available on Worldpackers include: 

• Teaching English in a School in Hirakata City, Japan
• Contribute at a permaculture farm near Medellin, Colombia
• Help in a guest house in Ballinrobe, Ireland
• Working for a Homestay in Gaillac, France
• Helping at a jungle homestay by a lake in South Thailand
• Teaching English to Locals in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
• Helping grow organic food in Arusha, Tanzania

Other benefits to these kinds of cultural exchanges include the chance to learn a new language or improve your existing language skills, experiencing a new location in a unique way with local people and getting work experience that you can use for your CV or resume.  They also provide peace of mind for solo travellers who prefer to have a contact in the place where they’re going – backed up by reviews from previous exchangers.

And, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get an experience like this, so anyone can do it!

Registering on an work and cultural exchange website like Worldpackers costs just $49 a year ( save $10 with this discount code ), which is an absolute bargain.  Once you are a member, you can contact potential hosts from all over the world and arrange placements to do exchanges in private homes, in local businesses or for NGOs, among others.

I’ve used Worldpackers and other exchange sites like Workaway to immerse myself in the community in places like Peru, Mexico, Belize and the UK, and am looking forward to getting back on the road again to do more in the next few years.  You can read about my experience using Worldpackers in the UK here and more information about exchange programs here . 

I often refer to these as work exchanges as you get free accommodation in exchange for your time and skills, and budget travellers can save lots of money by doing this – and even make money through the Worldpackers programs – but they aren’t just for backpackers, the cultural side is just as important as working and saving money, so anyone looking for an adventure and to learn can do a cultural exchange.

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Other Cultural Activities in Schools & at Home

In situations where it isn’t possible to physically travel to new places to learn about other cultures, there are lots of ways to bring cultural exchanges into the classroom or your home.  It’s never to early or too late to bring aspects of other cultures into your life!

Some ideas for cultural exchanges without international travel could be:

• Visiting a museum about the culture you want to learn about
• Finding out if there is a local community in your area that you can talk to about an exchange
• Doing a language exchange in cities where people want to learn English so you can get to know new people from other countries and cultures
• Reaching out to schools or organisations in other countries to arrange an exchange of penpals or zoom calls to get to know each other
• Watching TV or Films about the destination and including actors, writers and directors from that culture
• Reading books or magazines written by people in that culture
• Following social media influencers from that culture
• Listening to music made by musicians and singers from the culture
• Cooking new dishes from different recipes and sharing the food together 

Tips to Prepare for Cultural Exchanges (and Avoid Culture Shock!)

Have an open mind.

The biggest thing you can do when encountering anything new is to have an open mind, and cultural exchanges are no different.  Even if you have your own (strict) beliefs about something, accept that other people may not share those beliefs.  That doesn’t make them right or wrong, just different. 

Life would be very boring if we all looked the same, liked the same things and behaved exactly the same, so embrace the differences and listen and learn what they have to say without judgement.  One of my friends loves the phrase “great for them, not for me”, and I think that applies in many cases to different cultural experiences you may find shocking.

Prepare in Advance

Before you travel somewhere new, do some research into the culture before you arrive so you have an idea of what to expect.  Reading books and magazines or watching films or TV shows from the place you are visiting can help give you a headstart on some aspects of the culture you will be experiencing.

When you are travelling you should be respectful of the cultural norms where you are, for example knowing what kind of clothing is appropriate, whether you should tip your waiter and how to greet people politely are just some of things to prepare for so you can avoid any cultural faux pas!

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or to ask for advice.  I prefer to look foolish asking a silly question than to be rude and do something considered disrespectful in another culture.  You could ask in Facebook groups about travelling to the area, ask a friend or colleague who has spent time in that country or quietly ask someone you have just met to help you. 

I hope this has helped you to understand a bit more about cultural exchanges and inspired you to do one yourself – or at the very least to travel more intentionally!  If you have done a cultural exchange already, I’d love to hear about it, so please leave a comment below with your experiences of exchanging cultures.

Cultural Exchange FAQ

What are cultural exchanges.

Culture can be defined as “the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society”, so a cultural exchange is simply sharing any aspects of your culture with someone else from a different background to you, and vice versa.

There are some organised cultural exchange programs where you can meet people from other cultures or travel to other places to experience a cultural exchange in that destination.

What is the importance of culture exchange?

Learning about other cultures different to your own is important because it shows you that there are different ways of doing things, other ways of living and experiencing things and opens you up to a world of new experiences.

Not only will cultural exchange benefit you on a personal level, but being exposed to different cultures can be incredibly inspiring, as you are influenced by new food, art, music, writing and every aspect of life.

Cultural exchanges can lead to a wonderful fusion of styles, in particular for creative people, but for everyone!

What happens in a cultural exchange?

Cultural exchanges happen when people learn from each other, sharing some aspect of their cultures - that could be as simple as sharing something they do in their everyday lives such as the clothes they wear or language they speak, or the food they cook, the music they listen to or art they create.

How to do cultural exchange?

Cultural exchanges can occur organically as you meet new people from other cultures, or you can seek out cultural exchange programs to travel to new places or take part in social events with different people.

Even something as simple as watching TV from another country or visiting a museum about another culture can help you to learn about another culture, but ideally it will be a mutual exchange so you can also share your own culture with someone else in return.

What is a cultural exchange visitor?

A cultural exchange visitor is someone who has travelled to a different place to actively take part in a cultural exchange, and to learn about the culture and the people there.  Cultural exchange visitors are also great sources of information about their own culture and will be happy to share that with you for a mutual cultural exchange.

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Hi! I'm Claire Sturzaker, a 30-something foodie traveller who loves to enjoy the best of a destination without breaking the bank. I'm here to help you and all women backpackers to plan their best budget travel adventure. I am an avid supporter of female solo travel, and took my first solo trip 20 years ago! I love to write about travel, hostels, backpacking and van life.

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105 Cultural Competence Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Cultural competence is an essential skill that individuals must possess in today's diverse and interconnected world. It refers to the ability to understand, appreciate, and interact effectively with people from different cultures, backgrounds, and lifestyles. As society becomes more globalized, cultural competence becomes increasingly important in various fields, including education, healthcare, business, and social work. To help you explore this important topic, we have compiled a list of 105 cultural competence essay topic ideas and examples.

• The role of cultural competence in promoting inclusive education.
• How can teachers foster cultural competence in the classroom?
• Addressing cultural biases in the curriculum: challenges and solutions.
• The impact of culturally responsive teaching on student achievement.
• Exploring the benefits of multicultural education in a diverse society.
• Promoting cultural competence through intercultural exchange programs.
• The influence of cultural stereotypes on student performance and self-esteem.
• The importance of culturally sensitive classroom management strategies.
• Enhancing teacher training programs to develop cultural competence.
• The role of cultural competence in reducing achievement gaps among students.

Healthcare:

• The significance of cultural competence in patient care.
• Understanding the impact of cultural beliefs on health-seeking behaviors.
• The challenges of providing culturally competent healthcare in rural areas.
• Addressing cultural barriers to healthcare access for minority populations.
• The role of cultural competence in reducing healthcare disparities.
• Cultural competence in mental health: challenges and best practices.
• The influence of cultural factors on patient-doctor communication.
• Exploring the impact of cultural beliefs on end-of-life care decisions.
• The importance of cultural competence in delivering culturally specific treatments.
• Developing cultural competence among healthcare professionals: strategies and training programs.
• The role of cultural competence in international business negotiations.
• Cross-cultural communication challenges in a globalized business environment.
• The impact of cultural differences on leadership styles and practices.
• Building multicultural teams: benefits, challenges, and strategies.
• The importance of cultural competence in marketing and advertising.
• Exploring the influence of culture on consumer behavior.
• The role of cultural competence in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
• Addressing cultural biases in recruitment and selection processes.
• Cultural competence as a competitive advantage in the global marketplace.
• Developing cultural competence among business professionals: training and development programs.

Social Work:

• The significance of cultural competence in social work practice.
• Addressing cultural biases in child welfare systems.
• The impact of cultural factors on assessing and meeting the needs of vulnerable populations.
• The role of cultural competence in promoting social justice and equity.
• Understanding the influence of culture on family dynamics and parenting styles.
• Exploring the challenges of cultural competence in cross-cultural adoption.
• Cultural competence in working with refugees and immigrants: best practices.
• The importance of cultural sensitivity in addressing domestic violence issues.
• Enhancing cultural competence among social work practitioners: training and supervision.
• Promoting culturally competent policies in social welfare systems.

Society and Identity:

• Exploring the concept of cultural identity and its significance.
• The role of cultural competence in fostering social cohesion and harmony.
• The impact of cultural stereotypes on individual and group identities.
• Addressing cultural appropriation: understanding the boundaries of cultural exchange.
• The influence of cultural factors on gender roles and expectations.
• The role of cultural competence in promoting LGBTQ+ rights and inclusivity.
• The importance of cultural competence in addressing racial and ethnic discrimination.
• Understanding the impact of globalization on cultural diversity.
• Exploring the challenges of maintaining cultural traditions in a rapidly changing world.
• The significance of cultural competence in promoting intercultural understanding and peace.

Arts and Media:

• The representation of diverse cultures in the arts and media: progress and challenges.
• The influence of cultural factors on artistic expression and creativity.
• Addressing cultural stereotypes in film, television, and literature.
• Exploring the impact of cultural appropriation in the fashion industry.
• The role of cultural competence in promoting diverse voices in the arts and media.
• The representation of cultural diversity in children's literature: progress and gaps.
• Cultural competence in the music industry: challenges and opportunities.
• The influence of cultural factors on the perception of beauty standards.
• Understanding the impact of cultural factors on advertising campaigns.
• Exploring the role of cultural competence in promoting cultural heritage preservation.

Technology and Communication:

• The impact of technology on cultural competence in a digital era.
• Addressing cultural biases in artificial intelligence algorithms.
• The role of cultural competence in promoting digital literacy for diverse populations.
• Exploring the challenges of cross-cultural communication in online platforms.
• The influence of culture on social media usage and behaviors.
• The impact of cultural factors on online privacy and data protection.
• Cultural competence in virtual reality experiences: opportunities and limitations.
• The role of cultural competence in addressing cyberbullying and online harassment.
• Understanding the influence of culture on technology adoption and usage.
• Promoting cultural competence in the design and development of technology products.

Law and Justice:

• The importance of cultural competence in the criminal justice system.
• Addressing cultural biases in law enforcement practices.
• The impact of cultural factors on jury decision-making.
• Exploring the challenges of cultural competence in legal interpretation and translation.
• Cultural competence in restorative justice practices: benefits and limitations.
• The influence of cultural factors on perceptions of justice and fairness.
• The role of cultural competence in promoting equitable access to legal services.
• Understanding the impact of cultural factors on criminal behavior and rehabilitation.
• Promoting cultural competence in the training of legal professionals.
• Cultural competence in international human rights law: challenges and opportunities.

Environment and Sustainability:

• The influence of culture on attitudes and behaviors towards environmental conservation.
• Addressing cultural biases in environmental policies and practices.
• Exploring the impact of cultural factors on sustainable consumption patterns.
• The role of cultural competence in promoting indigenous knowledge and practices for environmental sustainability.
• Cultural competence in environmental activism: challenges and strategies.
• The importance of cultural sensitivity in addressing climate change impacts on vulnerable communities.
• Understanding the influence of culture on attitudes towards animal rights and welfare.
• Promoting cultural competence in environmental education and awareness campaigns.
• The impact of cultural factors on perceptions of land and resource ownership.
• Exploring the role of cultural competence in promoting sustainable tourism.

Sports and Recreation:

• The influence of culture on sports participation and preferences.
• Addressing cultural biases in sports media coverage and commentary.
• The impact of cultural factors on gender disparities in sports.
• Exploring the challenges of cultural competence in sports coaching and training.
• Cultural competence in promoting inclusive sports programs for diverse populations.
• The role of cultural competence in addressing racial and ethnic discrimination in sports.
• Understanding the influence of culture on sports fan behavior and loyalty.
• Promoting cultural competence in sports governance and administration.
• The importance of cultural sensitivity in organizing culturally specific sports events.
• Exploring the role of cultural competence in promoting sports diplomacy and international cooperation.

These 105 cultural competence essay topic ideas and examples cover a wide range of areas and disciplines. Whether you are a student, researcher, or professional, these topics can serve as a starting point for exploring the importance of cultural competence in various contexts. By understanding and appreciating different cultures, we can build more inclusive, equitable, and harmonious societies.

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Beyond the Classroom — The Unexpected Lessons Learned During Cultural Exchange

Virtually every international student comes to the United States with some idea of their goals academically. After all, studying abroad is still very much that — spending time in an American classroom, learning alongside other teens and receiving grades just like a normal high-schooler.  But for cultural exchange students, the lessons learned during a semester or year abroad are much more profound than those learned within a classroom. In fact, studying overseas as a teen or young adult can equip a student with a range of “soft skills” and experiences that will better prepare them for future academic and professional success.

But for many prospective exchange students and their biological families, there’s still quite a bit of mystery around exactly what types of learning they might experience while studying and living overseas. How truly different can life in the United States really be, and are these lessons that are worth the emotional and mental challenges of cultural exchange?

If you or your child is considering becoming a cultural exchange student, consider these incredible lessons they’ll learn while living abroad — from the host families that witnessed it!

Cultural Exchange students’ academic experience in the US is often more well-rounded.

International students often bring an exceptional level of academic skill and accomplishment to their classrooms in the United States. That said, what many students have not experienced before is the opportunity take a number of “elective” classes in subjects as wide-ranging as music, theatre, sports, woodwork, and even speech and debate.

For students used to more “straightforward” academic classes in school, this offers a unique opportunity.  It will push a student to go far outside of their comfort zone. Rather than being confined to textbooks and in-class discussions alone, cultural exchange students often count the social elements of elective classes as their favorite part of studying in the US!

Just take it from Christie, a two-time host mom: “Over the last two years, I have noticed that, yes, our students might be better in math or science — but they have not learned other key social skills that our [own children] get from taking [elective] classes,” she says.

“I think the one recent connect [my family] as discovered is that in some countries, schools are all academic and don’t [provide] the opportunities for more social-type [classes].”

“Over the last two years, I have noticed that, yes, our students might be better in math or science — but they have not learned other key social skills that our [own children] get from taking [elective] classes.”

Exchange students learn self-reliance and emotional independence.

While studying overseas in a cultural exchange program, many teens experience taking care of both their emotional and physical needs independently for the first time. This could be as simple as making themselves breakfast before morning classes or navigating their way home on the bus. While these experiences may seem insignificant on the surface, it’s these responsibilities that often have the greatest impact on students in the long-run.

For Debbie, a host mom from Iowa who recently hosted a student from China attests to these small victories as major milestones for young students. “The one thing that [our exchange son] was most proud of as his program concluded was his ability to wake up each morning on his own with the help of an old-fashioned alarm clock,” she says. “It meant a lot to show his mom he was capable of being responsible for himself even after his program ended.”

Research into the benefits of international study support Debbie’s experience with her student. In fact, one study of German college students found that those who spent either a semester or year abroad rated higher in openness to new experiences, agreeableness and emotional stability than those who did not. Simply put, students that study abroad will be much better prepared to tackle the emotional and mental challenges that come with building a career.

“The one thing that [our exchange son] was most proud of as his program concluded was his ability to wake up each morning on his own with the help of an old-fashioned alarm clock. It meant a lot to show his mom he was capable of being responsible for himself even after his program ended.”

Only children that live with “host siblings” learn to better interact and share space with others.

Many students that study abroad are only children themselves. They are matched with a host family that has one or more children already. This gives only children a unique opportunity to have “bonus” sisters and brothers with which they can learn to interact.

Host mom Sara from Washington attests to her experiences with a Spanish exchange son.  It was one of the most profound lessons she and her student learned during his time abroad. “Our Spanish son was an only child at home but one of five here. He learned how to be a part of a family and be responsible for others as well as himself,” she says. “He learned that his actions affect others, even if he didn’t immediately realize they did.”

In fact, one study of only children and those with siblings found that kids who grew up with brothers or sisters were more sympathetic to others’ needs.  That sympathy is often a trait linked with stronger “prosocial” skills in later life like helping and sharing. Every student has a unique experience with their host families and siblings. Having the opportunity to experience a different family structure could benefit a student for many years into the future.

“Our Spanish son was an only child at home but one of five here. He learned how to be a part of a family and be responsible for others as well as himself.” He learned that his actions affect others, even if he didn’t immediately realize they did.”

Cultural Exchange students gain perspective on their traditions, values, and beliefs in relation to others.

Students that study overseas are very unlikely to end up in a host family that operates just like their own biological families at home. Even the most “compatible” host families have very different traditions, values, and beliefs than that of their exchange student.

When a student lives with a host family, they are often encouraged to learn about other ways of doing things. They are encouraged to actively embrace them as well. After all, teens living with American host families are expected to take part in family traditions.  Just like their host siblings do and often are exposed to positive experiences they might not have had if they stay firmly within their cultural comfort zones.

Lisa attests to both of her students find the experience of eating dinner as a family as novel and unique. “[They] both marveled at us eating dinner as a family each night,” she laughs. “It apparently wasn’t something they experienced back home very often!”

Of course, it’s not just the experience in and of itself that proves a major benefit to studying overseas. According to research into the impact of novel experiences on the brain, people that regularly step outside of their comfort zone are more likely to reach what researchers call “ optimal anxiety ”. More simply, when slightly elevated levels of stress help our brains develop new neural pathways and boost productivity.

For young people, these experiences are often found right at home with their host families. Environments are comfortable and safe enough to venture outside of their comfort zones without overloading on stress.

“[They] both marveled at us eating dinner as a family each night. It apparently wasn’t something they experienced back home very often!”

Studying abroad can open students’ eyes to the future they truly want.

Rarely do young people just graduating from high school truly understand what they want from their future.  Both academically and professionally. For many, it’s much easier to follow a set route of study or default to the hopes of their parents.

That said, studying overseas permits a student to see different environments, opportunities, and possibilities.  Those that were not readily available to explore when living in their home countries. Many cultural exchange students have never left their home city for a substantial amount of time before studying abroad. They may not truly grasp how vast their choices really are.

Take one student from China who had, for many years, assumed they would study at Stanford University in college. That was a choice influenced by his parents. After studying in a small town in the United States, he quickly recognized his preference for smaller liberal arts institutions and the cultural charms of the Midwest. Today he studies within the same general area in which he studied in high school.  He is well on his way to graduating with his college degree!

It goes without saying: international education goes far beyond the classroom. Cultural exchange is a wonderful way for young people to become more open-minded, worldly, mature and socially confident. If you’re still searching for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for your child to learn and grow in more ways than one, consider cultural exchange. It’s the learning opportunity and adventure of a lifetime!

We invite you to read more about hosting a foreign exchange student . If you have specific questions about hosting, check out our host family FAQ page . You can also read testimonials from our past and current host families. When you feel ready, complete our host family interest form and our area representative will get in touch with you.

You can also get involved by joining our team of Area Representatives! Help match host families and exchange students and bring the world closer together, while making a supplemental income.

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The Power of Youth Cultural Exchange

Dancing Grounds and  Semilleros Creativos de Danza Urbana de Empalme performing together at the Cervantino Festival in Guanajuato, Mexico as part of an international youth cultural exchange between the United States and Mexico. Photo by Carlos Alvar

During a September 2022 meeting between Mexican Minister of Culture Alejandra Frausto, and NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson Secretary Frausto introduced Chair Jackson to her principal youth arts program, Semilleros. Semilleros aims to make visible the processes of collective artistic formation within more than 300 creative youth groups in Mexico  

When the United States was selected as the country of honor for Mexico’s annual Festival Internacional Cervantino in Guanajuato, Mexico, the U.S. was asked to curate a selection of American performing, visual, and literary artists to represent the country at the festival, which draws over 400,000 visitors from around the world.  

Given the conversation between Secretary Frausto and Chair Jackson, it was decided that a cultural exchange between Semilleros and an American youth arts group would be an ideal merger to highlight the close partnership and next cultural generation of both countries. The program would focus on the cultural richness of the chosen communities and foster a culture of peace in safe spaces where critical thinking is developed and young people are promoted as cultural agents.

International cultural youth exchanges offer numerous advantages that contribute to personal, social, and global development. Through youth cultural exchange young people can immerse themselves in different cultures, fostering a deep understanding and appreciation for diversity. This firsthand experience helps break down stereotypes and promotes tolerance. Participants also gain a broader perspective on global issues and challenges. Exposure to different cultures, traditions, and perspectives helps young people become more aware of the interconnectedness of the world and the importance of global cooperation.

Semillero Creativo de Danza Urbana de Empalme from Sonora was chosen to represent Mexico, while  Dancing Grounds, a New Orleans-based advocate for social change through inclusive and accessible dance programs, was chosen to represent the United States. The groups spent the latter part of 2023 participating in a cultural exchange spanning both countries that culminated in a performance at the Cervantino Festival.  

Semillero Creativo de Danza Urbana de Empalme was formed organically by young people who wanted to dance reggaeton and K-Pop. But the Semilleros go further, one of their objectives is to promote peace in safe spaces in which the critical thinking of minors is developed. Since its inception in 2019, they have had many success stories, especially of repressed and shy adolescents who have found in this group a place to express themselves and belong. Their mission is to generate positive changes and propagate new thoughts in order to help young people become changemakers in their communities.  

Dancing Grounds’ flagship initiative, Dance for Social Change, inspires New Orleans youth to use their artistic talents to catalyze positive social change in their community. In August 2023, the Semilleros from Empalme spent one week experiencing the Dance for Social Change Summer Intensive in New Orleans. This program is designed to push youth artists to think critically and build movement around a social issue. The Mexican and American youth took classes with professional guest artists who set choreography on them and also propelled them in crafting their own movement. The week culminated with the NOLA Youth Town Hall, which welcomed young people and youth organizations across the city to strategize the best ways to support New Orleanian youth. The pinnacle of the Town Hall was a special performance by the Dance for Social Change Teen Company and the Semillero Creativo de Danza Urbana de Empalme .

Between August and October, Mexican and American choreographers met, via Zoom, to jointly prepare the piece the two youth groups would perform together at Cervantino. In October, Dancing Grounds spent a week in Mexico. They reunited with their friends from Empalme in Mexico City, where they spent time perfecting their piece for the festival as well as taking in the local culture. Both groups traveled together to Guanajuato where they performed their emotional dance piece.  

Ultimately, the project showed that music and dance can provide a common thread between cultures, and that engaging youth in cultural exchanges teaches them how the arts can build resilience, and offer a path to individual and social healing. International cultural youth exchanges such as the one between Empalme and New Orleans have the potential to create a generation of globally aware, open-minded, and culturally competent individuals who can contribute to a more interconnected and harmonious world.

Guiomar Ochoa is the International Activities Specialist at the National Endowment for the Arts.

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Home > International Programs > Field Notes from Abroad > 2014-15 > 6

2014-15 Field Notes

A Reflection of Cultural Exchange

Austin J. Browning , Linfield College Follow

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While still in the midst of their study abroad experiences, students at Linfield College write reflective essays. Their essays address issues of cultural similarity and difference, compare lifestyles, mores, norms, and habits between their host countries and home, and examine changes in perceptions about their host countries and the United States. In this essay, Austin Browning describes his observations during his study abroad program at Hong Kong Baptist University in Hong Kong, China.

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Browning, Austin J., "A Reflection of Cultural Exchange" (2015). 2014-15 Field Notes. Essay. Submission 6. https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/intl_fieldnotes_1415/6

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Home — Essay Samples — Education — Higher Education — Exchange Student

Essays on Exchange Student

The importance of writing an essay on exchange student.

Writing an essay on exchange student is important as it allows you to reflect on your experiences, share your insights, and provide valuable information to others who may be considering a similar opportunity. It also serves as a way to document and preserve your memories and lessons learned during your time abroad.

When writing an essay on exchange student, it's important to consider the following tips:

• Start by outlining your experiences and the key moments that had an impact on you.
• Reflect on the cultural differences you encountered and how you adapted to them.
• Discuss the challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
• Share the friendships you formed and the connections you made with people from different backgrounds.
• Highlight the personal growth and development you experienced during your exchange program.
• Provide practical tips and advice for future exchange students, such as how to navigate cultural differences, handle homesickness, and make the most of their time abroad.
• Conclude by summarizing the impact of the exchange program on your life and how it has shaped your perspective.

By following these tips and writing an essay on exchange student, you can not only capture the essence of your experience but also inspire and inform others who are interested in embarking on a similar journey.

• The Benefits of Being an Exchange Student
• The Challenges of Being an Exchange Student
• My Experience as an Exchange Student
• Cultural Differences: My Exchange Student Experience
• The Impact of Studying Abroad as an Exchange Student
• The Importance of Cultural Immersion as an Exchange Student
• Overcoming Language Barriers as an Exchange Student
• Making Friends as an Exchange Student
• Adjusting to a New Education System as an Exchange Student
• The Role of Host Families in the Exchange Student Experience
• Exploring a New Country as an Exchange Student
• My Favorite Memories as an Exchange Student
• Dealing with Homesickness as an Exchange Student
• The Value of Independence as an Exchange Student
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Global Citizenship
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Cultural Understanding
• The Challenges of Reverse Culture Shock for Exchange Students
• The Long-Term Benefits of Being an Exchange Student
• The Financial Considerations of Studying Abroad as an Exchange Student
• The Role of Support Networks for Exchange Students
• Balancing Academics and Cultural Immersion as an Exchange Student
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Personal Growth
• The Role of Exchange Students in Breaking Stereotypes
• The Importance of Intercultural Communication for Exchange Students
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Career Development
• Overcoming Adversity as an Exchange Student
• The Role of Volunteer Work in the Exchange Student Experience
• The Impact of Technology on the Exchange Student Experience
• The Role of Language Learning in the Exchange Student Experience
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Global Diplomacy
• The Influence of Host Country Politics on the Exchange Student Experience
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Environmental Awareness
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on International Relations
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Peace and Understanding
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Cross-Cultural Understanding
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Leadership Development
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Social Change
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Career Opportunities
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Personal and Professional Development
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Diversity and Inclusion
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Global Awareness
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Interpersonal Skills
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Tolerance and Empathy
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Language Acquisition
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Cultural Competency
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Global Citizenship
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Intercultural Communication
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Academic Achievement
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Cross-Cultural Understanding
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Personal Growth and Development
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Global Engagement
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Cultural Awareness
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Career Development
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Social and Emotional Skills
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Global Awareness and Understanding
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Personal and Professional Development
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Interpersonal and Communication Skills
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Cultural Exchange and Understanding
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Language Proficiency
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Intercultural Competence
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Global Citizenship and Engagement
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Leadership and Teamwork Skills
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Personal and Social Development
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Cross-Cultural Communication and Understanding
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Global Competency
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Career and Educational Opportunities
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Cultural Diversity and Inclusion
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Personal Growth and Well-Being
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Cross-Cultural Competence
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Global Awareness and Interconnectedness
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Language and Cultural Proficiency
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Intercultural Sensitivity
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Global Engagement and Collaboration
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Leadership and Communication Skills
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Personal and Professional Growth
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Cross-Cultural Understanding and Empathy
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Global Citizenship and Responsibility
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Intercultural Communication and Adaptability
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Cultural Exchange and Appreciation
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Language and Intercultural Competence
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Global Competency and Awareness
• The Role of Exchange Students in Promoting Cross-Cultural Engagement and Understanding
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Cultural Diversity and Inclusion
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Language and Intercultural Proficiency
• The Impact of Exchange Student Programs on Intercultural Sensitivity and Adaptability
• The Influence of Exchange Student Programs on Global Competency and Awareness

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History: Cultural Exchanges in the Medieval Period Essay

Introduction, role of trade commodities, cultural exchange, works cited.

During the medieval period, international trade brought wealth and prosperity to societies. Merchants traversed the world to sell different types of goods to people that needed them. Gilbert and Reynolds (3) say ancient merchants traded in wood from England, spices from Asia, salt and wine from France, and slaves from Africa. The trade boom made the merchants wealthy and empowered rulers around the globe.

It also led to the growth of trade towns and the exchange of cultures across different trade routes (people often fought for control of this trade because they understood its significance to the development of local communities) (Hezser 434).

Based on an appreciation of the contribution of international trade to the growth and development of the medieval world, this paper explores the role of spice, salt, sugar, and silk as important trade commodities of the medieval period. Furthermore, through a different lens of analysis, this paper explores the existence and ramifications of cultural exchanges in the medieval period.

Silk: During the medieval period, silk was an important luxury item that represented class and wealth. The ruling class, therefore, used it as a status symbol.

Loved for its rarity and beauty, merchants transported silk to textile factories that used it as a raw material to produce clothing items for the rich (Norris and Evan-Moor Educational Publishers 70). Besides being a raw material for the textile industry, medieval Europe also used silk as a currency. This way, silk was an important commodity for international trade.

Salt: Like silk, salt was also an important trade item of the medieval period. Unlike today, salt was a rare commodity in the ancient world. People mostly valued it for its preservative value (preserving food). Some societies even used it as a currency. For example, Roman soldiers received salt as payment for their salaries.

Similarly, merchants traded salt in exchange for slaves (hence the term, “someone was not worth his salt”). Some historical excerpts say part of modern civilization also emerged from the salt trade (Norris and Evan-Moor Educational Publishers 71). Its significance to ancient trade, therefore, shows that salt was an important trade commodity.

Sugar: Like silk and salt, sugar was an important trade commodity in the Atlantic triangle trade. Before the mass production of sugar started, the commodity was a high-value product in Britain and America.

Gilbert and Reynolds (93) say by the late 19th century, sugar was an important dietary food. Unlike silk, which merchants sold to the ruling class, all social classes consumed sugar. Its importance to ancient trade comes from its significance to the growth of the industrial revolution in Britain. Particularly, sugar was important in financing the growth of the industrial revolution.

Spices: Spice was an important trade commodity in the medieval period because of its colorful grains. People used spices to color food, embalm the dead, and produce perfumes. Furthermore, like salt, people also used spice to preserve food. Some used it to manufacture and improve traditional medicine.

These uses made spice a highly valued commodity for most societies. The existence of the spice trade is arguably the most iconic historic event because it led to the discovery of continents (such as America) and the start of the modern age (Hezser 331).

What is Cultural Exchange?

Cultural exchange is the process of bringing two or more people/communities together to interact and exchange information regarding their lifestyles and backgrounds. The main aim of cultural exchange is to make people develop a common understanding of their social behaviors. As outlined below, cultural exchange existed in medieval trade.

Why Cultural Exchange Occurred

Cultural exchange was a vivid tenet of ancient trade. It occurred because traders needed to establish business contacts in foreign lands. Merchants, therefore, found it important to establish a common culture with their trading partners to communicate easily with them.

Some found it important to embrace cultural exchange because they needed to make foreign communities understand their lifestyles and culture (Hezser 436). Particularly, they wanted foreign communities to embrace their culture so that they could establish ties with them.

Individual Role of Merchants as Cultural Carriers

Merchants participated in cultural exchange because they wanted to establish commercial interests with their trading partners. Although their role was to establish common ties with trading communities (to foster economic growth), their international trade networks provided the infrastructure for cultural exchange.

For example, missionaries used merchant routes to travel around the world and spread Christianity. Some Muslim merchants also used their international trade networks to spread their culture, architecture, religion, dressing, and the likes. This analysis shows that ancient traders played a huge role in fostering cultural exchange within the medieval period.

Place of Syncretism in Understanding Cultural Exchanges

The concept of syncretism played a huge role in understanding how cultural exchange occurred in the ancient world. Notably, the concept means the combination of two (or more) different cultures.

Within the medieval period, syncretism helped to create possible cultural compromises among different communities (usually with varying cultures). Particularly, it provided traders with an opportunity to establish their beliefs and values in foreign lands. Its acceptance also created an opportunity for people to accept expansive cultures.

Cultural Exchange Examples

Different types of cultural exchanges occurred in the ancient trade period. Notably, cultural exchanges occurred in different parts of the world. For example, Arab and Persian traders often interacted with the coastal people of East Africa, in the 7th and 8th centuries.

The establishment of the Swahili language is an example of the cultural exchange that occurred within this period because it marked the infusion of Arab and Bantu (the language of East Africa’s coastal inhabitant) languages (Collins and Burns 104). Today, Swahili is the predominant language used by residents of East Africa (not just the coastal areas).

Furthermore, it unifies people from different countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Rwanda (Collins and Burns 104). The offshoots of this cultural exchange also exist in the religious affiliation of East Africa’s coastal inhabitants to Islam (because of the religious influences of Muslim traders).

Moreover, East Africa’s coastal buildings today use Arabic architecture (also sourced from Arab traders who lived in East Africa’s coast during the 7th and 8th centuries) (Collins and Burns 104).

The slave trade boom also highlights a notable period in the history of world trade where cultural exchange occurred between European imperialists and African slaves. African slaves comprised the largest group of laborers that Arab traders transported during the medieval period. Their settlement in foreign lands led to the emergence and growth of the Creole culture (Curtin 58).

Typically, historians use the Creole culture to symbolize a group of locals who have foreign ancestry. This type of cultural exchange occurred when African and European immigrants settled in Spanish colonies. Evidence of the Creole culture also exists in America today.

Notably, Louisiana State has an ancient history of Creole dominance. In Louisiana, Creoles refer to people of mixed ancestry (mostly Spanish and French ancestry). Some people consider Creoles to include people of African, Spanish, and French ancestry.

Merchant Diaspora Communities and their Roles in Cultural Exchange

Merchant Diaspora communities referred to a group of traders living in foreign lands where they sold or sourced trade commodities. A classic example of a merchant Diaspora community is the Assyrian merchants who settled in the Anatolian peninsula (Curtin 68).

They mainly resided in this region to sell their products to local communities. Such groups of people are partial residents of their domiciles because they resided in foreign lands to trade. However, their influences did not only exist within the confines of international trade because they also played a huge role in the spread of cultures and ideologies in different parts of the world.

After weighing the findings of this paper, it is crucial to mention that ancient trade played a huge role in defining ancient societies. Silk, sugar, salt, and spices were the notable goods of trade. Their demand and supply defined trade routes and created social networks between people and communities.

Through the same networks, the cultural exchange occurred, and new languages emerged (the emergence of the Swahili language is a perfect example of such an exchange). Based on the spread and the importance of international trade in the medieval period, it is crucial to say its existence largely shaped the economic and social landscapes of affected communities.

Collins, Robert, and J. Burns. A History of Sub-Saharan Africa, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Print.

Curtin, Philip. Cross-Cultural Trade in World History, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984. Print.

Gilbert, Erik, and J. Reynolds. Trading Tastes: Commodity and Cultural Exchange to 1750, New York: Pearson / Prentice Hall, 2006. Print.

Hezser, Catherine. Jewish Travel in Antiquity , Tubingen, Germany: Mohr Siebeck, 2011. Print.

Norris, John, and Evan-Moor Educational Publishers. History Pockets: Ancient Civilizations, Grades 1-3 , Los Angeles: Evan-Moor, 2003. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2020, March 18). History: Cultural Exchanges in the Medieval Period. https://ivypanda.com/essays/history-cultural-exchanges-in-the-medieval-period/

"History: Cultural Exchanges in the Medieval Period." IvyPanda , 18 Mar. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/history-cultural-exchanges-in-the-medieval-period/.

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IvyPanda . 2020. "History: Cultural Exchanges in the Medieval Period." March 18, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/history-cultural-exchanges-in-the-medieval-period/.

1. IvyPanda . "History: Cultural Exchanges in the Medieval Period." March 18, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/history-cultural-exchanges-in-the-medieval-period/.

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What Distinguishes Cultural Exchange from Cultural Appropriation?

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By Rivka Galchen and Anna Holmes

• June 8, 2017

In Bookends, two writers take on questions about the world of books. This week, Rivka Galchen and Anna Holmes discuss the line between artistic license and cultural theft.

By Rivka Galchen

In an exchange, the more you take, the more you have to give back — the better the work has to be.

The “exchange” in cultural exchange suggests you give something in return for having taken something. If it’s culture that’s taken, then presumably what’s given back is the art. In which case the difference between appropriation and exchange, to be (maybe absurdly) logical about it, would have to lie with an assessment of the value of the art itself. Of course we can’t really quantify the value of what is taken or the value of the art, but that would be the logic.

The more you take, the more you have to give back — the better the work has to be. Maybe when we say it’s wrong to take something, we really mean, What you’ve given back is far too poor, too mediocre — it’s bad art. I’ve never heard anyone accuse the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan of appropriating Chinese culture. This may be because I haven’t talked to enough people. But maybe it is because the music that came from a group of hip-hop kids from Staten Island who watched a lot of kung fu movies in trips to Times Square was that good.

RZA, the de facto head of Wu-Tang Clan, has noted in interviews that when he was growing up in Staten Island, his upstairs neighbors in the projects were Chinese kids, and that all the gold from rapper bling came from Chinatown. Chinese culture was always part of his life. But this wouldn’t mean much to us if the work of the Wu-Tang Clan were so-so; if the work weren’t good, he could be from Shanghai and it would still be an appropriation, even if an appropriation of forms nearer to home. No authority is wholly natural or native; when we’re not borrowing from our neighbors, we’re borrowing from our ancestors. One reason art tends to come from looking outward and not just inward is that we’re always speaking from a shaky authority, even when narrating our own experiences — maybe especially when narrating just ourselves. To be entirely against taking anything from another culture would be to condemn everything to memoir — and of all the genres of literature, I think memoir deserves the reputation for being the least true. It’s awkward to recognize that “Madame Bovary” couldn’t be better written by a French housewife. Flaubert himself identified with Emma just enough. RZA (who with his friends referred to Staten Island as “Shaolin”) saw himself, just enough, in tales of underground kung fu rebellion leaders.

But most of us instinctively have more faith in what someone outside the center of power has to say; what of this instinct is legitimate, and what of it is too blunt? We remember that it was a gay, bourgeois Jew who best portrayed the French aristocracy, and not the reverse. Even though we also know that Tolstoy, from his family estate, could write any character, from peasants to princes. In the case of Wu-Tang Clan, the distribution of power between the culture they came from and the culture they borrowed from is usefully unclear.

So from an odds-ratio perspective, I’d notice that it’s most often the less powerful outsider who has insight into the more powerful insider; but I say this as if from a statistical perspective, not as a steady truth. I’d offer second-best odds to the insider writing about the inside (as we saw recently in the Edward St. Aubyn novels). Longest odds would be on the insider writing about the outsider. (Maybe this is because the outsider lives in the world run by the insider, and so has a natural insight into, and skepticism of, both the “Other” and themselves; the insider is less likely to notice that “normal” is just their norm.) So I find it less likely that a person can make art borrowing from a culture less empowered than his own. But again, that’s just the cold eye of the bookie. It doesn’t seem impossible for someone in the more powerful position to be able to have some insight in the other direction; it just seems difficult, and unlikely.

Rivka Galchen is a recipient of a William J. Saroyan International Prize for Fiction, a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Award and a Berlin Prize, among other distinctions. Her fiction and nonfiction have appeared in numerous publications, including Harper’s and The New Yorker, which selected her for their list of “20 Under 40” American fiction writers in 2010. Her debut novel, the critically acclaimed “Atmospheric Disturbances,” was published in 2008, and her second book, a story collection titled “American Innovations,” in 2014. Her most recent book is “Little Labors.”

By Anna Holmes

Underlying the idea of appropriation is the sense that something — or someone — is just there for the taking.

A few weeks ago, a colleague told me a story about a professional acquaintance with whom he was traveling to New York after a visit to the Cannes Film Festival. At the airport, the acquaintance, a younger, heavily bearded version of my colleague — who is himself white and Jewish — wrapped a scarf loosely around his neck before boarding. The scarf was a black-and-white patterned piece of cotton known as a kaffiyeh and most associated with people in the Middle East, who use it as protection from sun, wind and dust. Kaffiyehs have become popular with a certain type of hipster Westerner — often male, usually white — who wear them as fashion accessories, what Complex magazine, in 2015, listed among “corny style trends hipsters refuse to let die.”

My colleague, who has a great sense of humor about most things, was irritated by the kaffiyeh because he felt that his traveling companion failed to consider the blitheness with which it was worn. On someone of Middle Eastern descent, or with an Arab name or Muslim background, the kaffiyeh would have seemed both completely ordinary and quite provocative, at least in the context of a trans-Atlantic flight headed to a country known for its racial profiling by airline and immigration authorities. On the bearded Jewish hipster, however, it was all just a pose — an ignorant and even, he would argue, aggressive one.

But what is cultural appropriation and exchange? Would it have made a difference if the traveler’s kaffiyeh had been manufactured and purchased in, say, Kuwait City, instead of an Urban Outfitters store in Toronto? Determining such a distinction is also, as with so many things, dependent on intent. Appropriations are expressions of ignorance or aggression, when objects, ideas, lived experiences or points of view are not so much examined as exploited and performed. Exchanges, conversely, suggest a certain sort of generosity, an openness to discussion and an invitation to reciprocity.

One of the most combative conversations around appropriation and exchange in the last year revolved around the novelist and self-proclaimed iconoclast Lionel Shriver, who caused a stir in September after appearing at a writers’ festival wearing a sombrero and lamenting the effect of “identity politics” and its potentially censorious influence on literature, experimentation and creativity. “Taken to their logical conclusion, ideologies recently come into vogue challenge our right to write fiction at all,” Shriver said. “Meanwhile, the kind of fiction we are ‘allowed’ to write is in danger of becoming so hedged, so circumscribed, so tippy-toe, that we’d indeed be better off not writing the anodyne drivel to begin with.”

I hesitate to accuse Shriver of ignorance, but her commentary was arrogant and imprecise. (Who is “we”? What does it mean to “allow” or “not allow” something to be written?) Indeed, rather than allowing for engagement — for exchange — with real or imagined arguments, Shriver’s speech was emblematic of the sort of posturing and performance that people talk about when they talk about cultural appropriation. In other words, exchange is about teasing out points of conflict, among other things. Appropriation suggests a significant amount of self-satisfaction and a desire to show off.

The problem is, as with most everything, there’s a certain subjectivity to the entire affair. Intent can be difficult to discern, and it’s certainly not quantifiable in any precise way. But what I do know is that underlying the idea of appropriation is the sense that something — or someone — is just there for the taking: A style of dress, a personal narrative, an entire continent. You can’t always prove appropriation. But you usually know it when you see it.

Anna Holmes is an award-winning writer who has contributed to numerous publications, including The Washington Post, Salon, Newsweek and The New Yorker online. She is the editor of two books: “Hell Hath No Fury: Women’s Letters From the End of the Affair”; and “The Book of Jezebel,” based on the popular women’s website she created in 2007. She is an editorial executive at First Look Media’s film, TV and digital studio, Topic.

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A List of 185 Interesting Cultural Topics to Write About

Culture is a set of knowledge, behaviors, and beliefs shared by a group of people. You would probably agree that it’s an integral part of humanity. It’s no wonder that students are often assigned to write about it.

That’s why we came up with a list of interesting and creative culture essay topics. Whether you are writing a research paper, an essay, or a speech, our list of culture topics is for you. You can find various topics from popular culture and funny aspects of culture to cultural diversity. They will be useful for middle school, high school, and college students.

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• 🔝 Top 10 Topics
• 🏺 Western Culture Topics
• 📚✍️ Cultural Criticism
• 🎥 Cultural Phenomena
• 🧔👓 Subculture Topics
• 🧑🤝🧑 Socio-Cultural Topics
• ⛩️🕌 Cultural Diversity
• 👥 Cultural Anthropology

🔝 Top 10 Cultural Topics

• What causes culture shock?
• Cultural appropriation in fashion
• The Cold War’s impact on culture
• Women’s role in Italian culture
• Global impact of American culture
• How to preserve cultural diversity
• Pros and cons of cultural globalization
• Cultural differences in East Asian countries
• How do people assimilate into a foreign culture?
• Cultural background’s effect on one’s personality

🏺 Western Culture Topics to Write About

Much of today’s culture takes roots in the Western world. With this subject, the possibilities are endless! You can write about ancient civilizations or modern European culture. Sounds interesting? Then have a look at these topics:

• Write about a Greek myth of your choice.
• Research the history of the ancient Roman theater.
• Pick a Greek philosopher and describe their legacy.
• The heritage of the Roman Empire in the modern world. 
• Discover the history of the Olympic Games .
• How did Christianity spread throughout Europe?
• The architecture of ancient Britain.

• How did the Great Plague influence western culture?
• Write about the key Renaissance artists.
• How did humanism emerge in British culture?
• Pick a European country and analyze how its traditions developed.
• The impact of the Renaissance on Europe’s worldview.
• Research the latest archeological discoveries of western civilization.
• How did the Protestant Reformation influence German culture?
• The legacy of the Renaissance artworks.
• What was the effect of the 1848 revolution on art?
• The role of scientific discoveries in Europe’s socio-cultural formation.
• Analyze the influence of colonization of African culture.
• Describe the highlights of the Enlightenment period. 
• How did Brexit affect the British lifestyle?
• Did the American Revolution bring change in culture?
• What attitude does Poland have about their World War II heritage?
• How did the technological revolution impact everyday life in Europe?
• The influence of World War I on French culture.
• Write about European fashion during a specific period.

📚✍️ Cultural Criticism Essay Topics

Cultural criticism looks at texts, music, and artworks through the lens of culture. This type of analysis suggests that culture gives an artwork a specific meaning. The following topics will guide you towards an excellent critical essay:

• Analyze the cultural aspects of your favorite novel.
• Ethnicity in Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates .
• What’s the meaning of financial stability in The Great Gatsby ?
• Discover social changes in Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind .
• The effect of industrialization in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath .
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and its context.
• Representation of race in Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison .
• Note the cultural features of The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais.
• Write about the main character’s mindset in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini .
• What are the main character’s values in A Bronx Tale ?
• Hispanic customs in The Tortilla Curtain by T. C. Boyle.
• Discover cultural clashes in Fury by Salman Rushdie.
• Pick a movie and analyze the cultural impact on your perception of the plot.
• Discuss the beliefs of white women in The Help .
• Does the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding portray Greek-American culture correctly?
• How did the background story in Slumdog Millionaire change your perception of the main character?
• What’s the meaning of gender in Bend It Like Beckham ?
• Far and Away : integration into a new society.
• Pick a painting and analyze its cultural background.

• Compare depictions of Christ from different continents.
• Discover the context of Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People .
• What’s the context of Punjabi Ladies Near a Village Well ?
• Discuss the symbolism of Girl with a Pearl Earring .
• Write about social roles based on Homer among the Greeks by Gustav Jäger.
• Select a song and analyze how culture is reflected in the lyrics.

🎥 Cultural Phenomena Topics for an Essay

Cultural phenomena refer to developing certain beliefs or preferences among many people. It is also called the bandwagon effect . Keep in mind that the fact of something becoming popular is not a phenomenon. This notion is more concerned with the process of gaining fame than with fame itself. Take a look at these helpful topic ideas for your paper:

• Describe any cultural phenomenon in your area.
• Reasons why TikTok gained popularity in the U.S.
• How did the Pokemon Go! fad spread across the world?
• Analyze the percentage of people worldwide who like McDonald’s .
• What factors made “the dab” popular?
• Can the bandwagon effect explain bullying
• Discover cross-cultural fashion trends.
• Does social media facilitate cultural phenomena?
• Pick a celebrity and analyze their fanbase.
• How can you explain the high demand for Apple products?
• What made sitcoms popular?
• Write about Thanksgiving celebrations outside the U.S.
• Reasons why famous authors from the past remain influential.
• Does effective marketing cause the bandwagon effect?
• Discuss the tendency to follow trends for social acceptance.
• Choose a classic movie and analyze its popularity.
• Examine similar TV talent shows across nations.
• Discover why some dishes are considered “America’s favorite.”
• Explore the psychological side of cultural phenomena.
• List criteria needed for becoming a famous musician.
• Analyze the bandwagon effect in history.
• Why was holocaust normalized in some nations? 
• Explain why Nike products are popular all over the world.
• Did the bandwagon effect play a part in the Renaissance?
• Can the spread of religious beliefs be called a cultural phenomenon?

🧔👓 Subculture Topics for an Essay

The term “subculture” means “a culture within a culture.” In other words, it’s a smaller group, inside a larger one, with its own beliefs and interests. You can write about a specific subculture or discover why such groups form. Feel free to use these essay topics:

• Write about the athletic community.
• Are marketing strategies aimed at subcultures effective?
• Why is the deviation from social norms considered dangerous?
• What makes the Amish stand out?
• Can a subculture serve as a basis for a culture?
• Does the U.S. benefit from cybersport?

• Tell about a social group that you’re a part of.
• Clothes as an identifier of a subculture.
• Pick a religious organization and describe it.
• Why did the anime community grow worldwide?
• Explain why some subcultures are considered dangerous.
• How do social groups emerge?
• Should parents encourage children to join an interest group?
• Describe the way people develop mutual beliefs cross-culturally.
• How does social media influence one’s lifestyle?
• Which interest group does your family belong to?
• Do subcultures benefit society?
• Analyze the Social Disorganization Theory concerning subcultures. 
• How did hipsters influence global fashion trends?
• What are the requirements for becoming a skater?
• Discover the history and lifestyle of Goths .
• What is the basis of scumbro culture?
• Belonging to an interest group as a healthy social practice.
• What are the most popular subcultures amongst generation Z ?
• Discuss the importance of the hairstyle for subcultures.

🧑🤝🧑 Socio-Cultural Essay Topics

Let’s break the word “socio-cultural” in two parts. Social aspects include people, their roles, and available resources. Cultural factors refer to language, laws, religion, and values. Therefore, socio-cultural issues revolve around the unique design of a specific culture. Here are some topic ideas on this subject that you might find helpful.

• Describe the social stigma attached to single mothers .
• What pushes the elderly to the edge of poverty?
• Do marketing strategies vary from country to country?
• Is receiving psychological assistance culturally accepted in developing countries?
• Can art be misunderstood because of the socio-cultural context?
• Compare the average wage in the U.S. and the country of your choice.
• Does the increased use of technology in schools affect society?
• What factors push Americans to abuse drugs?
• Which socio-cultural aspects make drunkenness acceptable?
• Describe the social environment in a country that legalizes slavery.
• Why do Christians get persecuted in some countries?
• How does information overload impact modern teenagers?
• Is child abuse justified outside the U.S.?
• Does technology affect the emotional maturity of children?
• Free education in Europe: pros and cons.
• Prove that the U.S. healthcare system should help the homeless. 
• How often does cyberbullying occur worldwide?
• What does successful life mean for a third world country citizen?
• Does globalization put the national identity in danger?
• The importance of developing cultural sensitivity .
• Write about various religions in America.

• Discuss the correlation between the economic level and crime rates .
• Manifestations of ethical egoism in modern society.
• Cross-cultural missionary work: pros and cons.
• Does social stigma towards HIV contribute to its spread?

⛩️🕌 Cultural Diversity Topics for an Essay

America is one of the most diverse nations in the world. Each culture has its language, customs, and other factors that enrich a country like the U.S. The life of a culturally diverse community has its advantages and challenges. In your paper, unpack one of the aspects of such an environment. Take a look at these essay topics:

• Discuss ethnic groups within the U.S. which have the highest suicide rate.
• Is it essential for American psychologists to develop cultural competence? 
• Describe the basic principles of cultural respect.
• Prove that racism should not be tolerated. 
• Does the American education system embrace ethnic minorities?
• Analyze the benefit of ethnic inclusiveness for the U.S. food industry.
• How can managers encourage a multiethnic environment in the workplace?
• White about the challenges of second-generation Americans.
• Should the term “immigrant” be banned?
• Discuss the advantages of the U.S. as a multicultural nation.
• Prove that the English language proficiency test shouldn’t be required for U.S. citizenship.
• What is the effect of prejudice against ethnic minorities?
• How does diversity find a place in American traditions ?
• Describe the culture shock experience of an international student.
• Is transracial adoption becoming more common in the U.S.?
• What is cultural narcissism, and how can you avoid it?
• Effective strategies for conflict resolution in a diverse environment.
• What multiculturalism policies currently exist in the U.S.?
• Analyze the heritage of a specific nation.
• Should learning a second language be mandatory in America?
• What are the stereotypes associated with different ethnicities?
• Describe the benefits of ethnic diversity.
• Write about the widespread interracial marriages in the U.S.
• How can one avoid cultural ignorance?
• Are the Americans guilty of ethnocentrism ?

👥 Cultural Anthropology Topics for a Paper

Cultural anthropology is a study of beliefs, practices, and social organization of a group. The shaping of ideas and the physical environment are in the focus of this study. In other words, anthropology discovers why people live the way they do. This list will help narrow down your attention on this subject.

• Why are social networks commonly used in the U.S.?
• Explain the popularity of online shopping worldwide.
• Will e-books replace paper books in developed countries?
• Artificial intelligence technologies in Japan.
• Pick two American states and compare their laws.
• Why is cycling so prevalent in the Netherlands?
• How architecture reflects a nation’s history.
• Why is it easier to receive citizenship in some countries than in others?
• Explain why Americans have a strong sense of national pride.
• Analyze the perception of time in tropical countries.
• Are most Swiss households wealthy?
• Discover how language reflects a cultural worldview.
• Does the country’s economy affect the self-esteem of its citizens?
• Reasons for the political division in the U.S.
• Analyze the difference in lifestyles between the Northern and the Southern states .
• Why is it common in some countries to be bilingual ?
• Analyze the cultural values of a communistic nation.
• How can liberalism affect the education system?
• What’s the social meaning of disease in third world countries?
• Examine how the two-child policy affects the Chinese lifestyle.
• Free health care: pros and cons.
• Write about the way the former Soviet Union countries transitioned from communism.
• Do Christian traditions vary from culture to culture?
• Analyze the impact of refugee presence in European countries.
• Does traditional food reflect the history of a nation?

We hope you were able to pick a culture topic for your paper after reading this article.

Good luck with your assignment on culture!

Further reading:

• 497 Interesting History Topics to Research
• 137 Social Studies Topics for Your Research Project
• 512 Research Topics on HumSS (Humanities & Social Sciences)
• How to Write an Art Critique: Examples and Simple Techniques
• 430 Philosophy Topics & Questions for Your Essay
• 267 Hottest Fashion Topics to Write About in 2024

🔍 References

• So You’re an American?: State.gov
• A Brief History of Western Culture: Khan Academy
• What Exactly is “Western Culture”?: University of California, Santa Barbara
• What is Cultural Criticism?: University of Saskatchewan
• What is a Subculture?: Grinnell College
• Socio-Cultural Factors and International Competitiveness: ResearchGate
• Cultural Diversity: Definition & Meaning: Purdue Global
• What Is Cultural Anthropology?: US National Park Service
• Cultural Anthropology: Encyclopedia Britannica
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Cultural exchange experiences expose people to dissimilar religious, socio-economic, geographic, and cultural settings, which offer the chance for the development of enhanced comprehension of diversity. Cultural exchange enables people to interrelate with and gain knowledge from others while taking part in new and exceptional encounters past the local community. For instance, cultural exchange in Italy will benefit both an individual and the local community, Cayman Islands, as it will facilitate the development of positive affiliations with others, comprehension of a wide scope of perspectives, and enhancement of skills and expertise required for excelling in societal endeavors. The Cayman Islands and most nations across the globe have identified the significance of cultural exchange hence have been embarking on active endeavors through their operations to boost such experiences. Education is the greatest platform through which cultural exchange experiences are enabled in an extensive scale.

A student in Italy, who hails from the Cayman Islands, may benefit from a cultural exchange experience by developing the ability to tackle both personal and local issues. Such issues encompass racial discrimination, perceived lack of cultural diversity and poor experience, and comprehension of both the regional and international community. The biggest problem in the Cayman Islands emanated from an immigration strategy by the government in the recent past where any person who had a family member on the island was permitted to assume citizenship, encompassing ex-cons who would previously not have obtained residential status. Attributable to the impact of the policy, the influence of expat community changed the situation negatively as recession began to rise, employment gradually became scant, and the level of crime augmented. In this regard, conflict erupted between youthful Caymanians and the expat society, which has been worsened by the politicians spreading the notion of “they have taken the jobs”.

Among the most beneficial influence of cultural exchange experience is that it will offer Caymanians the opportunity to coexist peacefully with people from dissimilar backgrounds and nationalities. This will go a long way to enhancing the acceptance of the expat community in the islands and seeking to develop employment creation endeavors that will accommodate and benefit every resident. Moreover, young Caymanians will have the opportunity of making new lifetime friends from all over the world while in Italy.  Such lifelong friendships will offer the individuals valuable connections that will lead to high chances of employment in any country across the globe. On this note, cultural exchange experience acts as a considerable way of introducing an individual to people and notions to which they would not have otherwise been exposed. When such individuals return to the Cayman Islands they will promote the appreciation and understanding of different cultures, which will play a vital role in the generation of productive programs. Therefore, cultural exchange experience will generate potential affluence with respect to the development of fiscal, cultural, and social capital.

To understand and contribute meaningfully in tackling local challenges, Caymanians and other citizens internationally have to develop a solid comprehension of the world around them. In conclusion, amid the most valuable influence of cultural exchange experience is that it will present Caymanians with the chance of coexisting serenely with people from diverse backgrounds. The maintenance, development, and diversification of cultural exchange programs is vital in backing individuals and local communities that interrelate and share notions and information in an effort of making the world better.

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I witnessed a cultural chasm in Morocco and returned grateful to be American | John Gurda

I flew home from aamar’s country with a fresh appreciation for my own, feeling proud, humbled and, above all, grateful to be an american..

It took our Land Rover half-an hour to reach him. We left the paved road in a dusty frontier town and plunged into the Sahara, following a barely visible track on the windward side of a massive dune. After a kidney-pounding ride at 30 miles an hour, we finally pulled up to an adobe hut the same color as the surrounding desert. Aamar was waiting for us. We were about to meet a Moroccan shepherd whose roots in the sand extended to antiquity.

My wife and I were in Morocco on a spring trip with Overseas Adventure Travel , or OAT, an acronym also said to stand for Older Americans Traveling. Our group fit the profile: 14 Americans with homes scattered from San Diego to Brooklyn, all of us in our seventies or nearby. Sonja and I had chosen Morocco because it’s an Islamic nation with Western sympathies, making it an attractive blend of exotic and accessible. As we discovered, it’s also a beautiful country: green in the north, brown in the south, with snow-capped mountains in between and roughly 2,000 miles of coastline on both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

We saw plenty of sights, but one of OAT’s strengths is its emphasis on local culture. Through our guide, Abdou Akkrouch, a Moroccan with half our years and twice our energy, we had noteworthy encounters with at least 20 of his fellow citizens, some prearranged and others completely spontaneous. Aamar was one of the regular OAT hosts. Seventy-eight years old and widowed, he was the head of a small household that included his son Hamad, 39, daughter-in-law Fatim Zahra, 28, and their three young children, Mohmed, Khadija, and Brahim.

Host family belongs to nomadic Berber tribes in Morocco

The family belonged to a long line of Berber tribes who lived in Morocco ages before the Arabs brought Islam from the East. Although their tradition was nomadic, Aamar had decided to settle down after his wife’s death 12 years earlier; he and Hamad stacked up their bricks on a wind-scoured plateau overlooking the open desert. Why build there? “Because no one told me I couldn’t,” he replied through Abdou.

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The family’s wealth was centered in its animals: two camels, a small herd of goats, and a few chickens, all used in some combination for meat, milk, eggs, wool, and transportation. Animal husbandry was not just generational for Aamar but millennial. Those shepherds that Jesus mentioned in his parables? These were the same people, 2,000 years later and 3,000 miles west.

The family’s living quarters were as simple as their way of life was ancient. A five-foot wall of baked mud, high enough to keep out the animals, enclosed three rooms and a small courtyard that was hung with wash when we visited. The yard’s centerpiece was a makeshift loom on which Fatim Zahra wove small Berber rugs for occasional sale.

On a nearby rafter she had hung sausages of goat intestines stuffed with goat hearts, liver, tongue, and assorted other body parts. It was in this cramped compound that the family weathered the frosts of winter, the blowtorch heat of Sahara summers, and regular blizzards of blowing sand. There were a few concessions to modernity — a single solar panel for power, a small propane stove for cooking, and a motorbike for getting around — but in its basic configuration the scene was Biblical.

After a brief tour of their living space, Aamar led us to a long, open-sided tent made with multiple panels of camel wool, each of which had taken Fatim Zahra a month to weave. After she demonstrated how she carded camel hair and spun it into yarn with her fingers, she and Hamad served us mint tea, the liquid medium of Moroccan hospitality wherever we went.

We begin an uneasy conversation where cultural chasm grows

Then the conversation started. We learned, with Abdou as our interpreter, that Aamar had arranged the marriage of his son and daughter-in-law, and that their children had never attended school. (As we talked, Mohmed and Khadija walked barefoot across the stony hardpan to wave to a passing Land Rover.) It occurred to us later that there were no books in the home because no one could read. Toothbrushes were just as scarce. The nearest well was nearly two miles away, and the family lived without running water or anything resembling a Western toilet.

The gap between their lives and ours grew wider and more uncomfortable the longer we talked. Aamar and his family were rooted like palm trees in a place with fewer material comforts than the most basic American campground. Everything the family owned, minus their camels, could fit in a space no larger than my living room. Everyone in the OAT group, by contrast, owned houses, cars, computers, roomfuls of furniture, closets filled with clothes, and appliances galore, not to mention investment portfolios. We were, comparatively speaking, as rich as sultans.

So there we sat, perched on opposite sides of a cultural chasm, the simplicity of their lives incomprehensible to us, our affluence unimaginable to them. I, for one, began to feel like a well-heeled voyeur. This was, after all, a vacation we were on, not an errand of mercy. We were building no houses and we brought no medicine, just a box of groceries and a little cash. At breakfast a few of us had commented on the dryness of our pastries and the hardness of our beds. Those complaints now seemed like the whining of spoiled children.

Not that radical inequality is unknown in Morocco. The nation’s per capita income is less than $400 a month, and King Muhammad VI owns 23 palaces of various vintages and burns through a million dollars a day in living expenses. But that contrast seemed academic in comparison with the vivid human tableau in which we found ourselves immersed.

A cultural exchange led to uncomfortable questions for this American

My mind began to churn with questions I couldn’t ask out loud. That fixed expression on Aamar’s face — was it dignity or stolidity? Did he delight in the freedom of the desert and the crystalline darkness of the night sky, or was he rooted there out of ancient habit? Unlike so many rural Moroccans, neither he nor his son had decamped for low-wage jobs in Europe or taken their chances in the shantytowns of Casablanca, but how much of that stability was a conscious decision and how much simply inertia?

Unless I learned their language and shared their lives, I would never have clear answers to those questions, which left me to ponder my own American reflection in the mirror of these desert-dwellers’ lives. What need possessed us, I wondered, to possess so much stuff? What were we losing in our helpless, headlong pursuit of material wealth? When do the artifacts of our civilization cease to be supports and instead become encumbrances?

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And what did Aamar and his family make of us, these oddly dressed, pale-skinned visitors who had descended on their desert home like well-meaning locusts? I lacked the presence of mind to ask the question, but Abdou later supplied what he thought would be their answer. Moroccans love the United States, despite our bloated lifestyles —or perhaps even because of them. They watch our movies, wear our T-shirts and, more and more each year, speak our language. Time after time in our travels, we met young people, in particular, whose heart’s desire was to see our side of the ocean, either as visitors or as workers. Moroccans line up for the precious few visas our embassy doles out annually, and winning one is equivalent to winning the lottery. Without any effort on our part, without even making a decision, all of us were lottery winners by the simple fact of our birth.

We travel to learn about the world. Sometimes, if we’re lucky, we end up learning more about ourselves. Coming home to snow (in March), returning to a place that is unmistakably northern, I had a day or two of cultural clarity before the walls of my accustomed life closed in around me. In that brief period of insight, I could see America as others see us: a fractious, rollicking capitalist carnival that is the envy of the world.

The bonds of our union are strained today, and too many Americans have either too little or too much. But we pledge a common allegiance to a homeland that millions would gladly trade for theirs. Safely returned to my comparative palace in Bay View, I look back on Aamar’s desert dwelling with neither guilt nor condescension but with respect for our differences. I brought back colorful memories and a few souvenirs from Morocco, but that’s not all. I flew home from Aamar’s country with a fresh appreciation for my own, feeling proud, humbled and, above all, grateful to be an American.

Reach Milwaukee writer and historian John Gurda at  [email protected]