Greetings and Happy Midweek,
And here we are moving more quickly than I would choose into late July!
Continuing our focus for this month on tourism and its cross-cultural facets, I want to explore together the dynamic of “souvenirs”.
The word in English comes through the Latin original (subvenire, occur to the mind) which then entered French as the work for ‘remember’.* It was first applied to objects in the 18th century...and so it has evolved into the 21st century with, for example, one frequently used modern version of how we remember our travel adventures, “Been there and bought the t-shirt”.
Well, be it a t-shirt or an exotic treasure, I imagine each of us can relate to having many souvenirs! I have been thinking alot lately about whether to keep the ones in my life - my own, and boxes of them collected by my folks over many years of their global adventures. One question I ask myself for each item, as I sort through them, is “What kind of cultural significance does this have for me at this point, or might it have in the future if I pass it on to someone who would value it?”
I made reference in a Connect this past winter to a Japanese visitor in my home when I was a child and how his visit was one significant early exposure to me of a different culture. ** He gave me a gift at the time, a hand-carved figure representing what I imagine might have been his ethnic group. I have kept that souvenir and it still holds significant cultural value for me, reminding me of one of my very first cross-cultural experiences! And I use it as part of an eclectic chess set I had put together over the years with similar souvenir figurines. I will pass it on to my grandson when he’s a bit older, and share the story of that Japanese visitor and how he broadened my horizons...
How about you ~ what is one souvenir you are keeping because it has cross--cultural significance for you?
Share about that with a friend or note it here.
And check out Global SKILLs LINKs below for some other souvenir insights!
Until next week,
Betsy
* more on the etymology of souvenir, https://www.etymonline.com/word/souvenir
** previous reference to my Japanese visitor, February 24th - see it posted in my blog https://www.globalskillspartners.com/blog-1
Global SKILLs LINKs
~ A fun take on souvenir collecting by two young global nomad wanna-bes from India :https://www.myticklefeet.com/best-souvenir-ideas-around-the-world/
~ Although I don’t usually highlight American culture - this list is an interesting peek into just that, based on souvenir buying - enjoy it and then make one for your own country/region:
~ Finally, my beloved parents were anglophiles and for decades tried to spend at least some time each year, often months, in England..., so these thoughts on souvenirs are a tribute to them: https://www.londonhut.com/p/what-are-souvenirs-and-why-do-we-buy-them
2021 ~ Celebrating 40 years of working in
intercultural communications and global community building
Connecting, Collaborating, Cultivating Community