American Dream
Just a quick post really to say that my entries won't be as frequent for a while because I'm on my travels until the end of December. This week I'm in the Deep South (Alabama) in the US visiting my boyfriend's brother and his wife, before we fly to Peru! However, these past few days have been eye-opening themselves in terms of culture. Firstly, I have to say I've been extremely well fed, which is always instrumental in making me cast a genial eye over things. Secondly, I really have had fun. A lot of experiences have been like living in films! We went to an American Football match, a rather evangelical church service (out of curiosity rather than belief) and looking for alligators on a golf course at night. Some things are certainly not to my taste - a 'life group' at the church called 'switchback' on fighting the homosexual lifestyle, for instance - but several are religion based (reading a book about building a happy marriage based on the scriptures revealed that the idea of women submitting to their husbands, and of men treating their wives as they would a 'weaker creature', is taken seriously in some quarters at least). It's worrying, too, that most social activity is sparked by church membership. Other quirks - like men not shaking women's hands - are passing out of use as more women enter the workforce. Overall, women do seem to do all the cooking etc. while men are given 'tool showers' on entering marriage. People do seem to addess my boyfriend before me. I also had to insist on coming along to the alligator trip, although I was treated like everyone else once I was there. My boyfriend, however, pointed out that he felt the sting of sexism when I was invited to look at the ultrasound video of his brother and sister-in-law's baby-to-be and he was assumed not to be interested! Overall, however, everyone has just been extremely warm and friendly and there's a feeling of community you don't get in England (at least where I live). Also - the food is delicious. I know I've mentioned this before but it is a strong cultural impression which bears repetition. Right, I'm off to eat, funnily enough, but I'll try to update as I travel, and to keep up with all my favourite blogs too!
posted by Growlergirl @ 12:13 am
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