Going into week 10 of our Becoming Teachers program, I am finding myself thinking about lots of things differently. Things are standing out and I am being bombarded with ideas from all sides.
Recently I was watching Food Network Star and was struck by the limitations a contestant put on herself. Each team was sent into an ethnic area of New York City and were assigned to learn about the area and the food. They had to create a dish from what they had learned and then give a presentation to tourists on a bus (this is the second episode of the new season if anyone is interested in watching it). One group was sent to Harlem. Yes, they sent the white girl into Harlem to the famous Melba's restaurant.
What did I see? An amazing opportunity. The opportunity to drown myself in another culture. Learn about it understand it. Find out about the story behind Fried Chicken and Waffles and the opportunity to try the combination. In addition, the opportunity to learn about the history of jazz for it is from this rich history that Fried Chicken and Waffles came about.
What did the contestant see? Fear. She admitted that this was a culture she knew nothing about. She "had no experience with soul food." She went on to say that she didn't ever make fried chicken, she didn't even eat chicken on the bone! And when it came to waffles, she preferred pancakes!" Going in with this kind of attitude, where do you think she came out?
Oh, I wanted to shake her. And remind her that just because she doesn't know about another culture doesn't mean she should close her mind to it. She missed so much in this experience. So much that it showed and she was eliminated from the show.
She lost more than a chance at a TV show. She lost the opportunity to expand her horizon.
Was she out of her element? Very much. But did she seize the opportunity? Not at all.
We can learn so much for others, from people not like us. But to do so we have to take a chance and step out of our comfort zone into the unknown.
I just saw this episode and thought the exact same thing about that lady! I could not believe she could have such a bad attitude when she was given such an amazing opportunity. She was intimidated and put off by the idea of having to understand and appreciate a different culture. I also couldn't understand how she even made it that far being a chef. Any professional chef spends significant time traveling to explore and experience different types of culture and cuisine. Part of being a chef is experimenting with different flavors and cooking techniques, and in turn making tons of mistakes. In the end though you have a brand new dish to offer your customers. It was frustrating to know that she didn't see this as an opportunity, rather it was an inconvenience. Of course when we are teachers we are going to be in situations we have no experience in, but instead of seeing them as burdens, they are opportunities.
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