Culture Shock is Good for the Soul

Growing up in the United States can make it difficult to appreciate the cultures of other nations. Many Americans’ natural inclination is to pity developing countries, sometimes even pity other developed nations. American ethnocentrism is so engrained within our own culture, that it skews the reality of the rest of the world around us. This is why travelling abroad is so important—it provides a better understanding of other people and their cultures.

Recently, a friend of mine named Sarah Pfander (whom I met abroad, actually) had the opportunity to study overseas in Mali for the semester. Unfortunately, due to the military coup that ousted its president, she, among other foreigners, was evacuated. Though her time in Mali was cut short, Sarah still managed to immerse herself within the culture.

One of the more obvious distinctions between Mali and the United States was the cuisine. “I had to put my vegetarianism on hold,” Sarah explained, “because they cook meat with everything there.” Even seemingly American dishes, like hamburgers, had their own Malian flare, as they put cinnamon in the hamburger meat.

Perhaps the most challenging difference that Sarah encountered was the lack of amenities people in the United States take for granted, such as indoor plumbing. The area Sarah stayed in did not even have electricity until 2002.

Despite all of these disparities between cultures, the Malian people are a happy one—and not the naïve, tribal happiness the West conceives of. “They are not just happy because they don’t know any better,” Sarah elucidates. “It’s an informed happiness that comes from the knowledge that life could be better. There could be more development and more jobs, less corruption and less poverty. But with that could come more crime and less love. Life in Mali is so communal; every neighborhood is a huge family. Malians are the most generous, hospitable, kind, caring, and funny people I’ve ever met. And they are happy because even though the country could be doing better, they know they’ve figured out a lot more [than other people] how to live with compassion and community.”

 Sarah’s experience in Mali is one of many examples that travel is good for the soul. Exposing oneself to new things, whether than be a new type of food or an entirely different culture, is the only way to broaden horizons and gain a more worldly perspective. The United States is one of the most highly developed countries in the world, constantly giving aid to developing countries in need. If the U.S. is not familiar with the country’s people and culture, how can they possibly know what they need?

Rather than treating developing countries like projects or stereotypes, the developed world must see the real people of these countries and view the magnificence of cultural traditions that are not their own.