Something To Strive For

A rather deep and consuming pondering has taken me over, driven by a very innocent conversation.

I absolutely adore to eat eggs in the morning, particularly scrambled eggs with a bit of toast. Nummy. However, to my host family this is truly disgusting, and they don't really make a secret of it. (They should see what british people eat for breakfast... A "Full Breakfast" means beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, black pudding, bacon, kidneys, homefries and more).

Apparently this reaction is driven from the french habit of only eating sweet things in the morning.

Typical French Breakfast:
Yogurt
Toast with jam
Hot chocolate (a HUGE bowl of heated milk with chocolate added)
and then maybe tea or coffee if you're feeling adventurous.

Anyways, I was chatting with one of my host brothers, and when I deigned to counterattack his own breakfast (after he made delightful wretching sounds over mine) he retorted with "I can't help my culture, it's the only way I know, it's the way I've been raised."

Which is fair enough. But ever since we talked about this, I can't help but keep thinking about culture and how responsible we are for the way our cultures have made us, with or without our concious knowledge. After all, I'm the only American or with just a couple others in all of my classes (classes of 30+ at that). As a representative for my country, I'm aware of the scrutiny and implicit judgements when I meet others. Unfortunately, my inability to drink fizzy things (how Un-American) means that most people are very disappointed with me. That coupled with the sad fact that people in the U.S. do not rollerblade around in bikinis all day every day.

So can I be held responsible for the fact that I like savory things for breakfast? Or that I get confused (in a happy way) when men hold doors open for me and wait for me to enter rooms first? Or that I'm a terrible rollerblader and prefer one pieces to bikinis?

On a deeper level, can I be judged fairly for the ways that I've been conditioned to think and act? And can I judge others for doing things that I don't agree with or think of as absolutely barbaric?

No idea yet, will let you know when an answer has been found. In the meantime, enjoy this anecdote.

My father is british and grew up in Singapore and the United Kingdom. When he was little, his stereotype of Americans were people who wore tweed, chewed lots of gum and walked like cowboys.

Something to strive for as a country, I'd say.

Favorite sighting today: Sign in the Jardin des Plantes saying "Erable Swedler." Imagine being called Mr. Erable Swedler. One of the cooler names in the world.

Means "Swedler Maple Tree."