As you all know, I’m half Ukrainian and half Jewish. The stereotype of Jews is that we are all greedy. The stereotype of Ukrainians is that we are sly and also greedy. This is why these are two vices that I’m extra-careful not to indulge in. I can be lazy, angry, loud-mouthed and anything else because that will not feed into a cultural stereotype. But cheap and crafty? Never!
Do you feel the need to do this? If you are Hispanic, do you make efforts not to seem non-punctual and disorganized? If you are Russian, do you put extra care into not drinking alcohol in public? If you are German, do you strive to avoid being too anal? If you are Italian, do you try to mention your mother less often? If you are American, do you try to show respect of other cultures? If you are Canadian, do you manage to repress the urge to hunt squirrels and eat them raw wherever you go? (Come on, if you are Canadian, a sense of humor is a must). If you are Estonian, do you make a point of reacting fast and being more animated?
In short, do you feel responsible for creating a good impression as a representative of your culture?
Clarissa's Blog 
Yes! When I travelled to France, everyone I interacted with was really impressed at how hard I worked to try my best at speaking French. They usually assumed I was British, but I made sure to (politely) correct them so they could see that culturally sensitive Americans exist.
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You just gave me an idea for a recruitment campaign for my department.
“Want to be patriotic? Learn a foreign language!”
🙂
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I do not know who I am in the eyes of people: French? Canadian? Quebecois? Montrealer? European? American? so I do not feel responsible as a representative of my culture (and again, what is/are my culture(s) exactly…).
BUT as a Spanish professor I am extremely punctual and well organized. I go against every cliche possible.
In dept. meetings if German of French professors arrive five minutes late nobody cares, but if a Spanish professor arrives at 4:02 and the meeting starts at 4:00 everybody says `la hora latina!` or `Or course, Span. prof is late,` and that pisses me of.
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If you think that is bad, try getting stopped every five minutes on campus with the question, “What are you drinking, beer? Coffee? Did you add a few drops of liquor to it? Hee hee.”
As for your original culture, you are the walking stereotype of a Quebecois: beautifully dressed, polished, cosmopolitan, and sarcastic. Montreal Quebecois, more specifically.
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But you are nothing like a ‘typical Frenchman.’ I know several and you are the exact opposite.
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`Montreal Quebecois, specifically.`
If that is what you think of me/us then I will try to live up to achieve your positive appreciation!
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You have already lived up to it in spades. 🙂 I think you should be photographed regularly to show other men how to dress well. Your sense of style is phenomenal.
Remember N. in San Francisco in his huge mafia coat? 🙂 Good times. . .
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All of the above are polished, beautifully dressed, and cosmopolitan.
Vive Montréal:)
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@Ol
I know the feeling being an English Canadian Montrealer Quebecois. 🙂
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“I know the feeling being an English Canadian Montrealer Quebecois”
– Oh yeah? And I raise you being a Jewish Ukrainian English Canadian Montrealer Quebecois! 🙂
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LOL. 🙂 🙂
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Yes. To the American one. I’m a little bit (white) South African too, but I find it pretty easy not to seem super racist 🙂
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Oh yes. I’m half Jewish and half Native, which means I practically had to physically force myself to push the pen down on the paper to apply for government benefits because I didn’t want to appear to be a greedy, lazy welfare-using leech.
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When you have several heritages, it gets harder because the number of stereotypes grows. Mi niece Klubnikis will be a Hispanic / Ukrainian / Jewish woman from Quebec, Canada. That’s quite a mix.
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-If you are American, do you try to show respect of other cultures?
No, I try to force other Americans to do it. I am paid for this, too!
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No, I don’t try to create an impression of anything. Kids think the darnedest things. People have different impressions of me depending on what they focus on. My culture and attitudes are extremely mixed, since I have all the influences of groups that ended up in the horn of Africa. Even pictures taken of me will sometime reveal the Portuguese side, sometimes the Irish side, sometimes the Dutch. I’m all of these things, but different aspects come to light at different times.
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Come on, we Canadian men prefer to eat raw Beaver. 🙂
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Shit, I’ve been away from Canada for way too long. How could I forget the beaver?
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Ok, being that you are Ukranian, do you know the “beaver” reference?
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I was going to make a dirty joke about it but decided to be prim and proper. 🙂
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Whew, and I thought I was the only one. 🙂
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No, we are two Canadians with dirty minds here. 🙂
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Also, being a white, privileged patriarchal driven man I work hard at not yelling out loud for my barefoot pregnant wife to bring me a beer from the kitchen fridge..
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