Well, guys,
relieved it’s all over?
I bet you
are. At least, I was.
However,
I’ll keep those two days of running from room to room and rushing from
presentation to presentation in mind as something pleasant. Okay, maybe not
those two minutes when the previous presentation was over and mine about to
start – stupid stage fright – but all in all, I’ve had two very funny,
interesting and informative Culture Days.
There were
plenty of presentations I was really curious about but unfortunately, time is
money, or in my case obligatory courses, so I had to squeeze the presentations
in between regular class time. Still, I managed to watch fourteen of the – how
many? – presentations, which were the following:
American
Sign Language. I don’t think I need to explain what exactly that was about;
the title does a good job here. In this presentation, I learned how sign
language in the U.S. was established and I particularly enjoyed when Lisa
showed us the differences between American and Austrian sign language. That
really stuck to my mind all day long.
Great
American Entrepreneurs. In contrast to its rather abstract title, this
presentation was extremely illustrative. We all know Google, Facebook, Snapchat
and other inventions from Silicon Valley. Nevertheless, I often didn’t know
what the faces behind those brand names looked like – let alone their names and
the story behind their success.
Homeland.
Are you a Homeland addict? I’m proud to say I’m not, but only because I stay
away from that series when I know there’s work to do. Once you get started, an
entire night is quickly wasted watching Carrie messing up America. I went to
that presentation because I was curious what exactly it would be about (and I’m
happy Klervie didn’t spoil it!). My favorite fun fact was that Homeland is also
Obama’s favorite series.
Same-sex
marriage. I liked the comparison between the U.S. and Europe regarding that
topic. It highlighted were we are today and what still needs to be done about
this issue. I also learned how much laws in the various States differ from each
other. Crazy world!
Arab-Americans
after 9/11. I suspected it and my suspicions came true: to learn what life
for Arab-Americans has been like ever since 9/11 was not really encouraging.
Andreas’ prezi was pretty impressive and his examples made the heavy
topic even more enthralling.
The
Boston Tea Party. I have to admit that I was a little confused by all the
events that were explained relating to the historical event in this talk, but
what really stuck to my mind is the way Lucinda delivered her speech. She
absolutely seemed to be enjoying herself on “stage” and it was fun to watch her
giving that presentation in her perfect British accent.
What did
Fenian Brotherhood achieve with their raids on Canada? Another topic I had no clue about. Irish
culture and Canada? This talk showed me the connection between the two
countries. It was pretty interesting to learn how the Fenian Brotherhood tried
to change their situation in Canada when they couldn’t achieve the same result
in Europe.
Monica
Loughman – Ballet in Ireland. I’m an absolute amateur when it comes to
ballet, so I had never heard of that woman before. Anja gave me an interesting
insight into the life and career of Monica Loughman and provided nice pictures
as a background to her talk.
The
Kennedys: Jack and his brothers. I actually hadn’t intended to watch that
presentation but somehow I ended up watching it – and I liked it a lot! I was
not exactly familiar with the whole Kennedy family, since Jack was probably the
most famous and shining member, and therefore it was even more interesting to
learn about the political careers – and cruel deaths – of his brothers Ted and
Bobby.
“All I
have is a voice”: African Americans speaking up. Another presentation I
absolutely enjoyed. Sarah provided lots of well-structured info about her
topic, from how African slaves used their voice to protest against their
situation in the colonies to a comparison between Martin Luther King and Malcom
X. On top, her clear and strong voice was ideally suited for that topic.
The U.S.-Mexican
Border Woes – A problem to solve. This presentation approached another sad
but important and current issue. I liked the way Judith explained what’s been
going on for years now along the U.S.-Mexican border, providing background
information, details and reasons. A nice overview.
CIA –
Project MKUltra. I was already ashamed how little I actually know (there
were just so many things I had never heard of before), but this topic put the
boot in. MKUltra? Project Artichoke? I’m now filled in on a dark chapter of
U.S. history when defenseless people like inmates where used for experiments by
the CIA. David’s talk was captivating not only due to its content but also
because of his committed and free way of talking.
Women for
women – The will to lead. This presentation explained why power positions
in the United States – and all over the world, actually – are still mostly hold
by men. It also took a close look at Sheryl Sandberg and her mission to make women
believe in themselves and lean in at work.
The Black
Power Salute at the Olympic Games 1968. This powerful gesture triggered a
scandal before it eventually turned into a symbol of courage. Eva gave a good
and clear overview over the reasons, meaning and results of this historical
incident. In my eyes, her talk was well-structured and easy to follow.
Chinese
immigrants in Australia. Carla’s topic was the odd one out because it was
the only Australian one, but it was a welcome change all the same. I learned
about Chinese immigration through the ages, why Chinese people came to
Australia in the first place as well as why they still do and how they’ve influenced
the country. Another nice insight in a far-away culture.
Well, after
I had finished my personal Culture Day marathon, I was spoilt for choice
regarding the KGP.
I finally
decided that I’d like to be tested on Great American Entrepreneurs, Same-sex
marriage, Arab-Americans after 9/11, “All I have is a voice”: African Americans speaking up, and The U.S.-Mexican Border Woes: A problem to solve because I think they cover a wide range of
topics and, by the way, I found them particularly intriguing.
Have you decided what you want to be
tested on yet?
Bye-bye :)
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