Right now, as I type this blog, I am awaiting the premiere of the new Office episode, It's the one where Jim and Pam have their baby. I'm pretty stoked. Right now it's 8:05 and we are five minutes into the episode, ok maybe WE aren't because it's paused. Every one is in their respective corners finishing up what they were doing before. I had been up in my room doing homework, my brother was in his room doing homework, my dad was making dinner and my mom floated between the computer and the family room. But 7:55 came around and we all scrambled to finish up what we were doing, the Office would soon be on. As I thought about it, especially because I knew I needed to blog still, I realized how different this was from other cultures. For example, in Spain they have three hour dinners with multiple courses every night! Places like Italy and China where they place a strong value on family and meals are totally different from us. We find ways to connect with our family through different ways. For example,t onight for dinner, I quickly shoved food in my mouth so I could rush back to my homework, I had a lot to do. There was nothing drawn out, no long conversations, just eating and going back to what we were doing. But now, it's 8 and the Office is starting and we're drawn to the TV like a moth to a flame (cheesy I know, I just couldn't think of another way to say it), all of us coming together to watch this momentus, played by actors moment. Yes, maybe it's a little sad- a bond over a common television show, but that is sometimes where families here in america spend their time together. I know, especially in my family, people are constantly running around- I work three days a week, my brother plays basketball and travel baseball both of which my dad is a coach, me and my brother have school, my parents work full time and on and on- it's hard to find a time we're all together. But tonight we're all together sometimes in silence but not always- we do talk about our days and what's been going on, we just make sure we're quiet by commercial.
I agree with you strongly on this topic. Sure, countries like Spain and China spend over three hours for dinner but that in no way means that their way is the right way to spend quality family time. Cultures are all different, we all have different ways of practicing something. For Spain, it may mean having a three hour dinner but for America it's just a simple television show. If you ask me, it's not the number of hours that you put into the time you spend with your family, it's what you put into those hours that really counts.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with what what you are saying. Different cultures come together in different ways and many do that through long meals. Americans are so busy and constantly running around and spending time together various between people.
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