16.3.13

Role Playing Activity

"A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture."

 Wow! Living in America it is so hard to even think about a situation like this. Then again, it happens almost everyday in other countries. If I was evacuated and told that I could only take three things with me I would take my family pictures because they hold so many memories. I would also take my family recipes because food is a nurturing and comforting thing. Finally, I would take my families records of school and work because they may help restart in a new country. I would feel so out of place, lost and alone in a new country. Especially, if I were taken out of my country without a choice. If I was then asked to only bring one item of those three I would feel devastated and betrayed, but I would chose my pictures. 












 After reflecting on the activity I learned that the "things" in my life are not as important to me as my family and that culture is more of how a person lives than what they have. 

6 comments:

  1. DinaMarch 16, 2013 at 8:33 AM

    Hi Whitney,

    I agree with the family pictures.I would also take mine because staring at a picture can take you back to that special moment. I loved your picture with the two little girls running down the road, wo are they? I really enjoy photography and in this picture the feeling of the little girl leading was captureed as she seems extremely happy while the one in the back looks timid. I think the picture captured the relationship between the two like "Don't worry, I've got you".

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    Replies
    1. WhitneyMarch 16, 2013 at 9:32 AM

      Thanks Dina! That picture is of myself and my childhood best friend. Her mom was a photographer so we have lots of photos from her practicing. :) I love all of them. I happen to be the timid one, which actually fits my personality to a T! I am introverted and Dani Lyn, the other girl is extroverted and was always pulling me along. I loved it, she got me out of my comfort zone.

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    2. DinaMarch 17, 2013 at 7:41 PM

      It is a very good picture, and like I said before, your friends mom captured the moment. It is wonderful you have pictures to look back to. My best friend is also a childhood friend I met since third grade unfortunately, we don't have any pictures from that era because we did not have a camera. My first camera was given to me at the age of 16 . As a child a camera was somewhat of a "luxury" to have, including for my parents. I guess you can say that is also part of culture, growing up without certain things.

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  2. AnonymousMarch 16, 2013 at 9:27 AM

    Hi Whitney,
    Thanks for sharing your personal photos, I too chose to take along photos, although we were not able to take family with us photos were the next best thing to keep them close at hand. I had that same thought following this activity that I could easily give us my possessions but I think it is because we have had years to love and experience them. My thought about children is that they are so vulnerable and have yet to experience these things and find comfort and connectedness in family and culture, thus the importance of needing early educators help in nurturing their culture in in books and learning tools and environments to create programs that supports children's culture. Thank you for sharing!

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  3. UnknownMarch 17, 2013 at 9:40 PM

    Whitney,

    I enjoyed seeing your personal photos. I find that everyone is putting photos as one of the top three things that someone would take with them. I love no matter how different we are that everyone finds that family is important to them. It is something that we all can find common ground on.

    Thanks,
    Kelly

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  4. AnonymousMarch 17, 2013 at 10:08 PM

    Hello, you are so right this does happen often in other countries. I thought about food but, worried that I may not be able to find the same types of food in other countries. Pictures was a thought too. I guess I decided against pictures because I've had so many changes we always seem to misplace pictures and I try to remember off memory. I decided to go with my bible if I could only take 1 item.

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