Theodore the Greek

Anonymous

Anthropology is an interesting concept. The idea is that people should be participant observers in other cultures so that they can study and compare people’s traditions to better understand human existence. I enjoy anthropology a great deal. There is, however, a problem I see myself running into with anthropology. The concept states that one should participate for the sake of understanding rather than integration because if you get in too deep, then it becomes hard to be objective in your findings. This is a classic problem and colloquially it has been called ‘going native’ for cultural anthropologists. It is next to impossible to completely isolate yourself from becoming attached to a culture you are studying because you begin to become that culture the more you live in that area. In the places that I have been fortunate enough to travel to, I always initially start with the fly on the wall approach. I attempt to blend in, not draw attention to myself, and watch the actions of the people around me so that I can learn about the differences the given culture has with my own. This approach is terrible. What I always end up discovering is that the only way to learn is by doing. The more you speak, barter, eat, and chat with taxi drivers the more you begin to understand. It is also immensely more fun. When you watch the environment around you, you are essentially doing nothing but fulfilling the role of tourist. If you have any hopes of finding some comprehension or appreciation for the culture you are experiencing you have to roll up your sleeves and get dirty. Making mistakes and getting lost is how you learn.

In Greece I have spoken the language, failed miserably at communicating, and had an absolutely wonderful time. Failure leads to great memories and you can only live if you step outside your comfort zone a little bit each day. I have stopped hesitating to enter a store because of the chance I may have to embarrass myself with my paltry Greek. People love it when you at least try to speak their language or try the mysterious local specialty that is not on the menu. Comfort breeds apathy.