MLC 111: Cultural Post 1

[Laila Hart]

I took a very basic approach to Persian cultural exploration; I only focused on food. I feel it is essential to grasp as many cultural aspects as you can when learning a language, so I do not have a specific topic. First, I would love to learn what is considered respectful vs. disrespectful in basic conversation. I would never want to offend. Is it polite to make constant eye contact? Is it rude if I talk loud? How far away should I be when engaging in conversation? Also, I want to know more about what teenagers and young adults in Afghanistan, Iran, and Tajikistan do for fun. How important is education? Are weekends the only time to have fun? What activities does the younger crowd engage in? Another focus is the relationship between men and women. In the U.S., men do not respect women nearly as much as they should. Maybe that is from my personal observations, but it is riveting. I would like to know how men and women think of each other. How do they go about dating? Is family approval an integral part when it comes to forming relationships? I am excited to jump into the culture of countries speaking Farsi/Dari.