It seems I am surfacing again. I laid pretty low through the holidays. Not my favorite time of year but very hard to avoid if you are in the US. It was survived though so that is a positive.
Acclimation updates: My hair is straight. My ass is growing. I am freezing. I stare uncomfortably at Latin service workers wanting desperately to speak Spanish with them but feeling like it would be rude to do in front of the English-only speakers I am hanging with, so just come off kinda creepy. Gringo social: very rusty. Oh... and Mike Rowe is giving John Stuart a run for his money in the imaginary boyfriend department. (If they are imaginary, am I limited to just one?)
I went to a haflas (bellydance party) in some guy's basement in Loveland. There was a live band is called Kara Nomadica (very impressive I must say). Definitely a first for me and a massive cultural change as well. It was attended by a wide range of Northern Colorado's finest sub-culture. From what I was able to gather, many of the attendants are also very big in to the Renaissance festivals, and some sort of acting society along those lines of which I am completely ignorant. It was very interesting and a lot of fun. I hope to go again next month.
If I may take a moment to make a social commentary. It is just amazing and fascinating to me the infinite array of social circles and hobbies that abound here. It is a socioeconomic reflection of a stable society, but also a testament of the boundless opportunities for expression that are permitted after your basic needs are met. I would argue that it is an important part of the human experience; to be able to cultivate a talent, to pursue an interest. Having spent the past three years primarily interacting with Americans whose hobbies are travel, development or social justice, it is a good reminder that everyone has their "thing" that they are into, that floats their boat, or in many cases, that provides an outlet for personal emotional angst. I think that the number-one cause of "judgyness" is when we can't understand why someone else isn't interested in what we are most passionate about, whether it be God, social justice, NASCAR, recycling, Renaissance reenactment, capitalism or cannabis. Suddenly the world is divided into those that "get it" and those that don't. Us vs. Them.
Acclimation updates: My hair is straight. My ass is growing. I am freezing. I stare uncomfortably at Latin service workers wanting desperately to speak Spanish with them but feeling like it would be rude to do in front of the English-only speakers I am hanging with, so just come off kinda creepy. Gringo social: very rusty. Oh... and Mike Rowe is giving John Stuart a run for his money in the imaginary boyfriend department. (If they are imaginary, am I limited to just one?)
I went to a haflas (bellydance party) in some guy's basement in Loveland. There was a live band is called Kara Nomadica (very impressive I must say). Definitely a first for me and a massive cultural change as well. It was attended by a wide range of Northern Colorado's finest sub-culture. From what I was able to gather, many of the attendants are also very big in to the Renaissance festivals, and some sort of acting society along those lines of which I am completely ignorant. It was very interesting and a lot of fun. I hope to go again next month.
If I may take a moment to make a social commentary. It is just amazing and fascinating to me the infinite array of social circles and hobbies that abound here. It is a socioeconomic reflection of a stable society, but also a testament of the boundless opportunities for expression that are permitted after your basic needs are met. I would argue that it is an important part of the human experience; to be able to cultivate a talent, to pursue an interest. Having spent the past three years primarily interacting with Americans whose hobbies are travel, development or social justice, it is a good reminder that everyone has their "thing" that they are into, that floats their boat, or in many cases, that provides an outlet for personal emotional angst. I think that the number-one cause of "judgyness" is when we can't understand why someone else isn't interested in what we are most passionate about, whether it be God, social justice, NASCAR, recycling, Renaissance reenactment, capitalism or cannabis. Suddenly the world is divided into those that "get it" and those that don't. Us vs. Them.
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