But there is an even more important reason: in 2018, the world is more global than ever. People and cultures are connected, and the world could be a much more harmonious place if we could just speak a bit of each other’s languages.
Image via Pixabay under license CC0
Nowadays most of us are used to it: we share our offices, our public transit, and our apartment buildings with people from languages and cultures we’ve visited on vacation or only vaguely heard of. People are expatriating left and right, transferring to overseas offices or taking new jobs abroad. Americans are marrying Nicaraguans and settling down in Costa Rica, and any other combination you can fathom.
In the US alone, about 20% of people speak a language other than English at home. And that doesn’t even account for the millions of multilinguals who speak English with their partners and neighbors but another language with family and loved ones overseas. In the modern, connected, globalized world, we’re sharing linguistic space wherever we go.
This is why now, more than ever, human harmony means understanding each other’s often shockingly different values and worldviews. And there’s simply no better way to understand someone than to speak their language.
Image via Pixabay under license CC0
“Monolingualism is the illiteracy of the twenty-first century,” as Gregg Roberts said while talking about the US state of Utah’s bilingual education program. Roberts’ comparison highlights the reality that, like being unable to read or write in the 20th century, speaking only one language in the 21st cuts one off from many levels and layers of society, both economic and cultural, that one needs to be truly connected and balanced in the modern age.
As someone living in a multicultural city or neighborhood, an earnest attempt at learning at least a few phrases of someone else’s language will almost always be received as a sign of respect. Simply showing enough awareness of your Vietnamese neighbor’s culture to wish them a good morning is a gesture that acknowledges another person’s right to their own culture while acknowledging and embracing the differences between you.
Spend some time speaking Spanish with Latin Americans, for example, and you’ll probably come to realize that the Spanish américa refers to the giant landmass that English prefers to either divide into “the Americas” or that citizens of the United States of America use to refer to their own country.
You’ll realize that even fundamental ideas about the world—like how many continents there are and what they’re called—are like a tinted lens built into your mother language and the eyes through which you see the world.
And, ideally, you’ll also realize that your worldview isn’t any more accurate or inaccurate than someone else’s, but instead just one with different values. And that it doesn’t matter if there is one giant continent or two different ones named North and South; you’ve got to share it, whatever you call it and wherever you artificially divide it.
Image via Pixabay under license CC0
As you continue to work on bringing balance to your life, consider the benefits that learning a language affords not only your mental health, but also your ability to participate meaningfully with the community you live in, those you engage with, and global society at large.
The immensity of the Rio Grande Gorge, the sprawling basalt flows of the Taos Plateau volcanic field, the looming, jagged peaks of the Sangre De Cristo mountain range: Taos, New Mexico is hallowed ground. Boasting an elevation of nearly 7,000 feet, the semi-arid, high-mountain desert is a stunning synthesis of geography.
The area is also marked by complex history. The modernized city of Taos is no more than a mile south of Taos Pueblo, an ancient area belonging to the Tiwa-speaking Native American tribe of Puebloan people. Although Taos has been occupied by the Pueblo for almost a millennium, the area was first “discovered” in 1540 and established as Don Fernando de Taos following Spanish conquest in 1615. For three subsequent centuries, the city was the center of bloody conflict, as the land was fortified by Spain, Mexico, and finally, the United States.
Taos Pueblo Sign at entrance to Taos Pueblo on April 30, 2011 in Taos, New Mexico. UNESCO World Heritage Site has been continuously inhabited for over 1000 years.
Shortly after New Mexico was admitted to the U.S. as its 47th state in 1912, artists flocked to Taos to paint local scenes of Native Americans and its inspiring landscape. While the days of Georgia O’Keefe are now numbered, Taos is still a haven for artists, outdoor enthusiasts, and like-minded free spirits.
Looking for a southwestern escape? Immerse yourself in the mystic mountain town with these insider tips.
Workout
No matter the time of year, Taos offers up outdoor activities for any predilection. And at the heart of the town’s outdoor scene is Taos Ski Valley, the ideal destination for year-round recreation.
Summer Scenic Lift Ride, opening on June 24th, 2016 at Taos Ski Valley | Image courtesy of Taos Ski Valley
Visiting in the winter? You’d be remiss to not hit the slopes. Featuring a one-to-one ratio of expert to beginner terrain, the ski resort offers some of the best powder in the Rockies. If you’re looking for a challenge, the Kachina lift, constructed in 2014, reaches 12,481 feet, the highest elevation of any triple chair in North America.
Come summertime, the slopes bloom into a verdant valley, offering tourists activities as diverse as mountain biking, full moon hikes, and scenic chair rides. And because the village of Taos Ski Valley is located within the Carson National Forest, with the Wheeler Peak Wilderness area bordering much of the south, hikers and backpackers can find plenty of trails to meander down.
Breakfast
Doubling as a bakery and restaurant, Michael’s Kitchen has been serving up classic New Mexican breakfast and lunch food since 1974. The place is consistently busy, but always laid back and friendly. Boasting an eclectic menu, diners can opt for ubiquitous diner options such as pancakes and steak and eggs or New Mexican classics such as Huevos Rancheros and a breakfast enchilada.
If you have a sweet tooth, order a pastry or two—we recommend the apple fritters and éclairs.
See
As previously discussed, Taos is steeped in rich art history. The town features innumerable art galleries, many of which are located on the Taos Plaza, the centrally located main strip within the downtown historic district. Planning a visit? Check the art calendar for more information on events, exhibits, and workshops.
Detail of a mural of George Chacon of a typical building in the historic center of the town of Taos in New Mexico Marco Bicci / Shutterstock.com
In addition to more traditional artistic endeavors, Taos still retains an outsider undercurrent. And perhaps nothing quite epitomizes the weird and wonderful better than the Earthship structures strewn throughout the desert on the outskirts of town. Conceptualized by Michael Reynolds in the 1970s, these passive solar homes promote radically sustainable living and emphasize an off-the-grid lifestyle that minimizes reliance on public utilities and fossil fuels. Often horseshoe-shaped and constructed with reclaimed materials such as tires, aluminum cans, and glass bottles, the Earthships are simultaneously humble and otherworldly.
For those looking to further their knowledge, the Earthship Biotecture Vistor’s Center is located northwest of Taos in the town of El Prado and offers a self-guided tour through a fully-functioning Earthship.
Lunch
Whereas many Taos dining staples embrace their New Mexican roots, Gutiz opts for a Latin-French hybrid. And trust us, this is an entirely good decision. Staples, including the Green-Chile-Sausage Bowl—a hearty helping of sliced sausage, three beans, onions, tomatoes, and a healthy dousing of green chile sauce—epitomize the Land of Enchantment’s love of hatch chiles. For those looking to embrace their inner Francophile, selections such as the Brie Omelet and Parisian Crepe are wonderful riffs on French classics.
And believe what you’ve heard. The chocolate truffles are damn near perfect.
Relax
For a truly New Mexican experience, be sure to hit up one of the many hot springs that populate the area—whether at a lavish, spa-like resort or a locals-only secret spot. For the full experience, be sure to hit up Ojo Caliente, located about 40 miles west of town. Boasting everything from immersive, therapeutic massage and bodywork packages, to mud pools and hot springs, the mineral spring resort and spa is as relaxing and lavish as it gets.
For a more rustic (and dare we say, more authentic?) experience, ask a local for their favorite soaking spot. We won’t give any secrets away, but there are several hotspots located just outside of town along the Rio Grande. While you may not get pampered by a certified masseuse, the springs are a great place to enjoy a canned beer while resting your bones after a long ski or hike.
Dinner
Still not convinced that Taos is a foodie town? Wait until the dinner hour strikes. While the town boasts a formidable dining scene that includes everything from down-home New Mexican cooking to refined global fare, we’re partial to the Love Apple, located on Paseo Del Pueblo Norte, just outside the plaza. Housed in a former Catholic church built in the 1800s, the Love Apple is a diminutive, local gem that’s as charming as it is romantic.
Once you get over the ambiance (and it’ll take time, trust us), it’s time to revel in the goodness of the restaurant’s excellent wine list and kitchen’s local, organic home cooking. Specializing in New Mexican traditions with a French-inspired twist, the menu rotates seasonally, so it’s worth conversing with your waiter about local sourcing and availability and current specials.
Imbibe
We’ve already blogged about the cosmic vibes of Taos Mesa Brewing (and a certain corresponding music festival)—so you know we’re partial to the brewery. Located a bit off the beaten path, in the middle of the sprawling desert, the unique location really can’t be beat (plus, it boasts the “best mountain-view sunsets,” those of which we can’t really debate). Embodying the aforementioned aesthetics and philosophies of surrounding Earthships—including reclaimed materials and eco-aware intentions such as solar power and water catchment techniques—the structure itself ain’t so bad, either.
Taos Mesa Brewing, from Sarowen on Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Grab a brew (at any given time, there are nine to 12 in-house variations) and a patio seat and drink in the view.
In most of what makes it to television screens and news feeds inside the US and beyond its borders, the world’s most famous country looks like a whitewashed monolith whose culture is best represented by big gulps and disposable income.
Hidden behind the glow and glamor of the now-global narrative of “mainstream” American culture is a tapestry of identities woven in a pattern seen nowhere else in the world. The United States is demographically distinct in a way that’s attracted immigrants and strengthened regional identities, and historically distinct in a way that’s bred a complex assortment of cultural identities that resemble a spectrum in some areas and a mosaic in others.
While a tossed salad is usually seen as a better metaphor than the traditional melting pot, in some places in the US, multiple cultures have indeed melded together over time and under social pressure, resulting in cultures and identities that are uniquely American. Some are the hybrid offspring of decades of immigrant communities living prominently alongside established ones, others the descendants of European religious refugees, and others of enslaved people trafficked en masse across the ocean. Together, they make up the untold narratives of millions of Americans living in one of the most naturally multicultural countries in the world.
For a glimpse into a few of the many expressions of what it means to be an American, you could start with one of these four destinations.
1) Acadiana: Far from France
The Southern half of Louisiana forms a cultural continuum that ranges from Louisiana Creole in and around New Orleans to Cajun Country extending West from the Mississippi river and spilling over the border into Texas. Acadiana—the 22 parishes that together make up the Cajuns’ historical namesake—is now home to one of the best-preserved American-born cultures and the most vibrant French-speaking community in the United States.
Atchafalaya Basin located in south central Louisiana | Photo: Matthew Levine on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Louisiana’s Cajuns trace their lineage to Acadia—les cadiens becoming overtime Cajun in English—in the Canadian Maritimes, from which the Acadians fled the British Empire in favor of then-French Louisiana.
But there’s nothing French about the region.
Alexandre Mouton House in Lafayette, LA | Photo: Richard Byrd on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
It’s true that many of the words spoken by a Cajun and a Parisian are similar, but put them in conversation and they’ll struggle at best, and ask the Frenchman to sample some gumbo or a colchon de lait and they might faint from cultural chauvinism.
Zydeco music and bacon fat roux form the focal points of most Cajun get-togethers, especially at community favorites in Lafayette like the Feed ‘n Seed or the Blue Moon Saloon, where you can also spend the night in the hostel or guesthouse. If you’re around in the summer, head to the Crawfish Festival in Breaux Bridge, a festival dedicated to the food and music found nowhere outside the region, and an implicit celebration of the Cajun identity.
2) The Carolina Sea Islands and the Gullah-Geechee Corridor
While living alongside stereotypical images of Southern charm in cities like Savannah and Charleston, Gullah communities have quietly but tenaciously reclaimed and retained a strong sense of cultural identity on the Atlantic edge of the Deep South. Historically comprised of a blend of the languages and cultures of enslaved families uprooted from a geographic swath that centers around modern-day Sierra Leone and expands as far as Senegal and Angola, communities of these descendants of the African Diaspora today dot the lowlands and sea islands between Jacksonville, Florida and Jacksonville, North Carolina.
Also sometimes called Geechee, Gullah communities live along the islands and lowlands between Jacksonville, Florida and Jacksonville, North Carolina. The oldest generations of today’s Gullah communities still speak Gullah at home, a creole language that combines a heavily English vocabulary base with grammatical and phonological influences from several West African Mandé languages that result in a sound unmistakably similar to Bahamian Creole or Jamaican Patois.
Charleston City Market – Sweetgrass (basketry of early Gullah culture) | Photo: Wally Goetz on Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
While Gullah culture is becoming more visible in the form of Gullah basket weaving booths and craft tables like at the Charleston City Market, most Americans, including those living along the Sea Islands, know little of the history of the first community of free black men and women in the South, or of the Gullah community programs still run by the first school for free African Americans in the South.
Near the Brick Church at the Penn Center, site of the Penn School founded in 1862 on St. Helena’s Island, near Beaufort, SC. | Photo: Henry de Saussure Copeland on Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)
To learn about the community’s history and see it in action today, let your curiosity show to younger Gullah vendors at the Charleston City Market, or take local Gullah culture expert Alphonso Brown’s Gullah City Tour.
3) Pennsylvania Dutch Country: More than the Amish
An hour’s drive inland from Philadelphia and the Beltway is Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country and home to one of the largest populations of American Amish today.
Photo: Kevin Oliver on Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Living in Mainstream American Culture’s backyard, the Pennsylvania Dutch range from misunderstood to ignored in popular media. Descended not from the Dutch but primarily from German (Deutsch) religious migrants, the culture that today speaks the Pennsylvania Dutch language named after them is made up historically of disparate European groups whose only commonality is a religiously-inspired desire for a life free of technological distractions. These Amish, Mennonites, and other conservative German-speaking religious groups over time became today’s “Plain People” of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana.
Lancaster Central Market | Photo: David Wilson on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Be wary of “authentic” tours throughout the region that promise you an “Amish experience”: unless the tour is run by members of the Pennsylvania Dutch community themselves, you’d be better off buying some Amish butter at the Lancaster Central Market, the oldest continuously operated farmers’ market in the US.
4) South Florida: More than the Sum of its Parts
South Florida has always cultivated its own identity in a vigorous mix of all the regional influences it protrudes geographically into, surrounded by Caribbean islands with their own histories and reaching toward Latin America, of which many see Miami as the unofficial capital.
The street Calle 8 of Little Havana in Miami.
The only region of the continental States with a tropical climate, even the weather makes South Florida feel more like a Caribbean city than one like you’d find in the Northeast or the West Coast. In the dense urban strip stretching from deep in the Keys all the way up to West Palm Beach and reaching toward Orlando, an eclectic mix of norms and values imported from around the hemisphere make Latin America’s unofficial capital like a glimpse into the future of globalization in the Americas.
Art Murals at Wynwood is a neighborhood in Miami Florida which has a strong art culture presence and murals can be seen everywhere. MR. INTERIOR / Shutterstock.com
Every human being looks for the opportunity to connect with another human being. It’s how we foster a sense of belonging. Though our physical appearance may differ from the person next to us, the feelings we experience are all relatable. Every culture, in its own unique way, understands the power of love, the exhilaration of joy and the magnitude of pain.
Even though this truth has held steadfast through time, disconnection in the form of hate, war, misunderstanding and conflict is what constantly permeates the Internet and the airwaves. This year’s current political climate and the fight against terrorism make us feel as though we’re disconnected from those around us when in truth, we’re all just looking for common ground. So what do we do to foster connection when it seems so far out of our reach? Mario Vargas Lloso, winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature, once stated:
“Good literature erects bridges between different peoples, and by having us enjoy, suffer, or feel surprise, unites us beneath the languages, beliefs, habits, customs, and prejudices that separate us.”
Books can provide the bridge. The titles listed below can bring cultures together through the exploration of trials the individuals in the books face. Even though these experiences may seem foreign, the emotions they evoke are all quite familiar.
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie (Nigeria)
This novel, set in Nigeria, follows the lives of Kambili and her family. The book explores religious hypocrisy and the effects of a broken family on the psyche of a young girl. Kambili combats all the coming of age lessons any young girl faces—learning her place within her family, finding her voice, the realization that things are not always what they seem. Through the book, Kambili and her family come to terms with their past and their futures through companionship and life’s lessons—something we can all relate to.
Monkey Bridge by Lan Cao (Vietnam)
It’s one thing to be a teenage girl growing up in America. The yearning for social acceptance and craving to find oneself are overwhelming. Add onto these common struggles the added complication of immigrant parents, and the internal conflict faced by every teenager becomes a little more complex. Mai immigrated to the United States from Vietnam with her mother Thanh to escape the war. Mai’s mother holds steadfast to Vietnamese culture and traditions while Mai tries to navigate a “normal” American life without losing a sense of her Vietnamese culture.
When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi (Afghanistan)
Mahmoud and Fereiba are a typical middle-class family. They have two children, Saleem and Samira and a third on the way. Fereiba and Mahmoud love each other, and they live a life most families can identify with, that is, until the Taliban comes. In the wake of wide-spread refugee crises, When the Moon is Low gives an inside look into how being forced from one’s home effects the family. Follow Fereiba and her family through the fear and danger of fleeing a country torn by war, and watch as the bond of family shines through.
Literature has long acted as a bridge between worlds – we can learn about cultures and peoples we wouldn’t normally know about, and we’re able to make the connection between others and ourselves. Though the stories might be different, the emotions are the same.
Each of these books gives perspective into the way people around the world live, but they also include trials and emotions, regardless of location, with which anyone can identify. Give yourself the opportunity to experience something new through reading. You might find you can cultivate a sense of connection in the most unexpected of places.
A lifestyle magazine inspired by author Sylvia Day
