6 Things You Can Do To Expand Your Horizons |
Posted: February 24, 2018 |
The days of going to work and coming home to unwind are becoming more rare, as the internet exposes every generation to a larger community. We experience new cultures every day and become exposed to issues that we might not have previously considered, making all of us realize how much more there is to life. So, how do you bring that global community into your home and expose yourself and your family to that more diverse culture?
Learning a Second Language Many people insist that everyone should be able to speak and understand at least two languages and that may be true. Learning a second language forces the individual to learn about the culture behind that language. For instance, it's nearly impossible to learn Spanish without understanding some of the customs and practices of Hispanic cultures. Additionally, research has shown that learning a second language improves overall cognitive skills, improves one's ability to multitask, and reduces the risk of developing cognitive degeneration. Read and Get Your Entire Family to Read Reading opens up a whole new universe and it can be used purely for entertainment or to learn something new. Perhaps the best way to encourage reading is by setting aside one night each week for the family to visit the local library together. There they can borrow books, movies, and music for free, which will broaden their cultural experiences and teach them more about what it means to be a global citizen. Many libraries also post notices about local cultural events, so you may find more ways for the entire family to learn more about other cultures. Meet People...in Person This is something you can do solo or together with the entire family and it's one of the best ways to discover new things about your own community. Join an event or a banquet. Anything that will expose you to situations in which you'll be compelled to talk to new people. Meeting people online isn't the same and it never will be. You won't get a real feel for their personality, because reading text is one-dimensional. Also, people are less likely to open up, when hundreds, possibly thousands, of other users can read everything they share. Visit a Museum These are great places to expose yourself to the most beautiful offerings any culture has to offer, By touring an art museum, you'll experience an entire culture through one artist's eyes and learn about art in the process. It's an opportunity to see the full spectrum of beauty that life has to offer in a medium that still remains unfiltered. Thumb Through a Newspaper Maybe your family is one of the many households that doesn't even bother with a newspaper anymore. After all, the internet is a much more efficient way of catching up on current events. While that may be true, there are other items you might browse through, while scanning a real newspaper. Local events, news items specific to your community, and local concerts and plays will all be advertised more prominently in your city's newspaper. Travel Last, but certainly not least, is the most obvious way to expose yourself and your family to more culture. Whether you fly to Asia or take a road trip down along the coast, you're bound to learn something new and get a deeper appreciation for other cultures. In almost any city, there are tours that will expose you to the city, educate you about its history, and share little known cultural facts. Visiting local shops and restaurants will expose you to the community and you may even meet some interesting new friends along the way. We now live in a larger global community and, while we might not be able to appreciate that in every moment of our lives, there are some things we can do to get greater exposure to the larger world. By seeking out new experiences and meeting new people, we can learn more about other cultures and reduce the xenophobia that also exists in today's world. Not to mention that it can be fun and exciting to explore other cultures.
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