Applied Culture: learning a set of tools inspired by a global focus of people, language, traditions, culture and cuisine to connect people with respect and understanding for a better world.

Learning Model of Applied Culture: ME..L.T.

Meet - meet people from around the world
Engage - to actively seek and learn about other cultural traditions and behaviors
Learn/Languages - “If you talk to a man in the language he understands, it goes to his head. If you talk to a man in his language, it goes to his heart “- Nelson Mandela
Travel - get first hand experiences in different countries to learn and appreciate diversity

A Melting pot of cultural curiosity, inquiry and learning to respectfully connect and collaborate with people around the world.

APPLIED CULTURE

Engaging, Accepting and Connecting with People All Over the World - by Evan Sulpizio Estrada

I want you to think of a comforting, sweet dessert that consists of rice, cream and sugar, varying with hints of vanilla, cinnamon or cardamom. You can smell the spices as the flavors waft into the air with each spoonful. Where do you think this dish comes from? What if I told you that this dish exists in Norway, Mexico and Pakistan? Three different countries, located on three different continents where they speak three very different languages. I have interviewed young people from over 52 countries across all permanently inhabited continents. After learning and connecting with people around the world, I realized that we are more similar than we are different. It is less about me versus you and it is more of an us. I have found similarities in people who live all over the world, our interests, our likes, our family, our connections and celebrations. Our cultures are truly blends of our historical ancestors and their migration around the world. My friend Can from Turkey told me about a story he heard growing up, that Italian travelers came through Turkey and after tasting lahmacun, they wanted to bring those flavors back to their country which inspired what we know as pizza.   

Imran, another friend who lives in Australia, but is ethnically half Pakistani shared this legend he heard as a child…An Italian man was going through India and he saw naan bread. He puts tomato on it and “BAM” pizza.

We are historically connected, and today we are connected through technology. We now share and blend cultures through social media, and through connections we make virtually.

One of the best ways to learn about a country or culture is through their food. When you discover different countries through food, you will notice some surprising similarities between countries that you would never think of. This is why it is important to learn about other countries, people and cultures from around the world. This is why it is important to learn Applied Culture.  

Now, what is Applied Culture?

Applied Culture is when we learn and utilize a set of tools inspired by a global focus of people, language, traditions, culture and cuisine to connect people with respect and understanding for a better world, creating cultural awareness. It takes into consideration where a person comes from. Being culturally aware, you learn about their morals and values in life. Many cultures are rooted in their history or religion and many behaviors and traditions have been passed down from early generations.

Why should we learn Applied Culture?

We should learn about people around the world because it allows for groups and cultures to feel acknowledged and be seen. It gives us a bigger perspective about our planet, and makes us realize we are just a fraction of the global population. In addition to that, culture is one of the biggest factors contributing to someone's identity, and knowing about their culture shows them respect and that you value their perspective and background. When you learn about other groups, you feel more informed and you get to see and learn about amazing places around the world. I learned that in Kazakhstan, there is a lake known as Lake Kaindy where trees grow underwater, and Zimbabwe has one of the world's largest waterfalls called Victoria Falls. Absolutely stunning!   

What if I I told you about another cultural dish that is made with potatoes, cheese, sausage and peanut butter? Do you know where this dish is from? The potato is a food we commonly associate with countries such as Ireland, Russia and Ukraine. Yet its origins are from South America, specifically Peru. Peanuts, an ingredient especially popular in Thai, Indonesian, Malaysian and Chinese cuisine, yet I have read they were found in South America, most likely Brazil or Peru and brought to other continents by European colonizers. People often connect sausages with Germany, Poland or the United Kingdom, however, my research indicates that the sausage is from modern day Iraq at least five thousand year ago. Lastly, although the origin of cheese is uncertain, many think of countries such as France, Switzerland, the Netherlands or even the United States (shoutout to the cheeseheads in Wisconsin). After hearing about the origins of potatoes, cheese, sausage and peanut butter, do you think you know where this cultural dish is from? The dish I’m referring to is called Llapingacho, a popular meal from Ecuador! Further supporting the notion that people have traveled and shared culture, ingredients and flavors.

For me, meeting people around the world has taught me that we are more similar to each other than we might think. The idea of believing that we are so different, and creating stereotypes can be toxic in our discriminatory world. We all want similar things, we all want to have friends, be able to learn and have fun with our family. We love celebrating with people.  We love trying new foods, and enjoy coming together for sporting events. Most of us come from similar beginnings…We grow up in a family unit, go to school, we cook together, laugh together and like to have fun, you guessed it, together. 

However, I also understand that we do not all think the same, and we don’t all have the same freedoms and privileges in our everyday lives. I think that if you consider the different upbringings and experiences of people around the world, it helps you become more appreciative for what you have. It also helps you reflect on your own morals and values of what is important in life. 

When speaking to people from countries around the world, you recognize there are different perspectives on many topics. For example, my friends from Mozambique shared that there is a difference between the north and the south regarding the roles of men and women. Learning different perspectives might allow you to look at a problem or a conflict through a different lens. Meeting other people and learning about their lives has humbled me, and given me a higher amount of respect and appreciation for my own life. Sometimes we learn only one perspective and you realize you are only hearing one side of a story.  

How do we form opinions and thoughts of  people we have never met and places we have never been to?  

People often form thoughts and opinions based on media, history and representation that exists in your own community.  We learn to create beliefs through our own experiences of what we see and hear, however these might not be accurate nor do they portray or represent 100% of a population.  It is important to take the time to learn about the world around us, to meet people, talk to them and learn about their lives and perspectives. It is not mandatory to always agree with people but it is important to recognize their perspective and respect their opinions.  

We all have ideas to share, we all have something to contribute. And I like to think that something like a potato that has made its way all over the world, and is part of so many different dishes, demonstrates our similarities. We need to celebrate our shared experiences as humans, and share our unique traits and cultures as individuals.

I have heard of new jobs in the corporate world regarding diversity, equity and inclusion.  This is a role created to help train employees about the importance of cultural awareness in the workplace. I think if we are having to teach adults to be kind and culturally aware, we are way too late. We need to teach and expose children to Applied Culture at an early age.  

As research shows, the human brain is still developing until about the age of 25 years old.  If we are trying to teach adults over the age of 25 about the importance of different cultures and perspectives, at that point, it’s too late. 

Discrimination is learned, no one is ever born with the internal idea of hating anyone. That’s why we have the chance to end discrimination by teaching the future generations Applied Culture. Through cultural exposure, together we can break stereotypes and generalizations and learn to meet and respect other people. 

One of Spain’s greatest artists, Pablo Picasso, is attributed to the saying; “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up”. I believe that every child is born with an unbiased perspective, but the problem is how to remain so once we grow up!

Let's go out and experience the melting pot of global cultures, Meet, Embrace, Learn languages and Travel to try new cultural foods, and connect with each other all over the world, utilizing the tools of Applied Culture. And most importantly … Be kind