Friday, November 16, 2012
Diversity
Diversity is something that is becoming more and more popular just about everywhere you go. One thing that I have noticed is that in retail stores and grocery stores a lot of the products and advertisements now include the Spanish version instead of just the English. I know in the school systems when applying for a job they now ask you if you are bilingual because they are now slowly seeing diverse cultures. My husband is the Store Manager of a business and they are required to have so many bilingual employees because they are able to assist more customers and provide better service. Although this change can be hard especially when trying to make accommodations in order to provide the best education for a child, I think it is a good thing. I think the more diversity we come in contact with will help to educate us more and hopefully fade some of the cultural myopia that society revolves around.
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Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteLiving in such diverse country like USA makes it easier to identify cultural diversity. I consider that changes as the one you mentioned –adding Spanish information in labels- reminds us that we should open our mind and learn about other cultures.
Let me share a story I watched in a tv program about wedding planners. The groom had asked for a special meat and when the chef looked for it to cook it, it was not in the fridge. After the chef and other 3 or 4 people asked everyone for the meat, a waitress got into the kitchen with the meat. Another chef gave the meat to a guy who was still learning English and he had placed it in the wrong fridge, because this was what he understood.
This example made me think on the willingness we should have in order to learn from each other’s culture.
Thanks Stephanie!
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI have seen a large growth in diversity in retail. We have a Burger King where I live and the majority of the workers are Hispanic. Sometimes it is hard for me to order there because I have to keep asking them what they said. The diversity in our early childhood centers is growing also. At my center we never have enough interpreters available. Our center is made up of a variety of cultures. Most of the time we have Spanish speaking interpreters, but never French. We are fortunate that they are understanding parents.