nacirema

It's actually "American" spelled backward. It took me a while to figure out, but the article that I was reading for anrthopology started to show some strange parallels to American culture. After I figured that out, I started understanding what was meant by elibomotuas (automobiles) and rotcods (doctors), and I finally understood the satire therein. Now, everyone in the class has to write a paper on the Nacirema, looking at American culture as an outsider, and focusing on one aspect such as gnietad (dating) or teps (pets). It's been pretty entertaining.

The Diigo search has also continued for our class, and is turning up some fascinating sites like:

Miniature Earth - a thought-provoking short video about what the population would look like if there were only 100 people on the planet.

Global Voices Online - a collection of blogs from most countries in the world. Readers can click on a country and read from dozens of blogs to keep up with pop culture, current events and culture in that location.

Culture Shock - what to do if you're abroad and experiencing culture shock, as well as how to prepare yourself for going home after experiencing another culture.

Is it strange that I'm rejoicing over these loads of information as much as I am? It's just so intriguing...