Indiana Amish

This week we have been discussing exposure to different cultures. Personally, I love to interact with people from all over the world. I love to travel and learn as much about other places as possible. I have been to Europe and the Caribbean, and an anxious to visit Central America and New Zealand. My favorite place to travel in the United States is to Northern California, where I get wrapped up in the culture and environment (I posted some pictures of the coast and the redwoods). My older brother lives in Mendocino where there is a large Bohemian culture. It is so much fun to go out and mingle with them!

When I am not traveling, I work and live in Syracuse, Indiana. Syracuse is about 10 miles East of Nappanee. Nappanee is the center of one of the largest Amish settlements in the United States. There are nearly 2500 Old Order Amish live, work and interact with residents in the community. I think is it extremely interesting that I can drive just 10 miles and encounter a culture that is so incredibly different from my own. They are such nice people, hard workers, and their food is freaking amazing!

One Love

I was trying to think of different songs that bring people/cultures together and thought this was a good one...One Love by Bob Marley


One Love, One Heart
Let's get together and feel all right
Hear the children crying
Hear the children crying
Sayin' give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right
Sayin' let's get together and feel all right

Let them all pass all their dirty remarks
There is one question I'd really like to ask
Is there a place for the hopeless sinner
Who has hurt all mankind just to save his own?
Believe me

One Love, One Heart
Let's get together and feel all right
As it was in the beginning
So shall it be in the end
Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right
One more thing

Let's get together to fight this Holy Armageddon
So when the Man comes there will be no no doom
Have pity on those whose chances grove thinner
There ain't no hiding place from the Father of Creation

Sayin' One Love, One Heart
Let's get together and feel all right
I'm pleading to mankind
Oh Lord

Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right
Let's get together and feel all right!

I really enjoy listening to Bob Marley's music, several of his songs send a positive message. A few years ago I was visiting my boyfriend in Washington D.C. and he broke up with me right before I was about to fly home. I was heartbroken, and not in the mood to talk to anyone at the airport or on my flight.

When he dropped me off I was wearing a Bob Marley shirt and to my surprise the attendant at the AirTran terminal was a big fan. When I approached the booth, he had a huge grin on his face and said he was delighted to see a Marley fan. He said Bob was his favorite musician and he had even visited his grave a couple times in Jamaica. He asked me if I would like a window or an aisle seat, then stopped and said, "Shoot, she's a Marley fan, I'm going to give her her own row!"

He completely turned my day around, I had gone from almost tears to laughing and smiling within minutes. After our conversation my spirits were lifted and I was up to converse with anyone! Ah...let's get together and feel all right!

Katie's Intercultural Commucation Blog

Welcome to my Intercultural Communication blog! I am anxious to learn more on this topic and discuss with you!