While I have yet to publish a second article, twice in the past two weeks, I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find myself featured on the Matador Network. First, Matador Goods editor, Lola Akinmade notified me that I was on My Favorite Books: Member’s Pick for week 1/18/10. The post included one of my all time favorite quotations:
“If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.”
- William Blake
And this past week, I was very flattered when I found a Matador member to watch article written by Matador Network managing editor, Julie Schwietert.
As you’ve probably guessed from my blog name and the quote, rejecting limitations is a major theme with me. Some limitations are best eradicated with the help of others, so I’m extremely grateful that I’ve found a door unlocking community at Matador that is incredibly supportive of writers. Thank you!
When I was preparing to leave for South America last July, I stopped by the grocery store to pick up anti-malarial tablets for an Amazon Basin excursion. I had this conversation with a pharmacist:
Pharmacist: Where are you heading?
Me: Bolivia and Peru
Pharmacist: You’re going to have a great time down there!
Me: Oh, Have you been there?
Pharmacist: No, but my nephew visited Costa Rica last year and had a fantastic time!
!!!
Sadly, she was just one of a few people who referenced someone visiting Costa Rica when I told them I was heading to Bolivia and Peru. To me, what’s most disturbing about people’s lack of awareness of country locations is the underlying inability to discern cultural differences. It seems that lumping Costa Rica with Peru and Bolivia is part of an idea some people have that beyond the United States’ southern border is a homogeneous expanse of brown people “down there”.
And of course it goes beyond Latin America. There have been many times when an upcoming trip to Ghana or a discussion of my Ghanaian heritage has brought on such eye roll inducing questions as: Ghana, is that in the South Pacific? How can it be that English is the official language of Ghana? (Surely they must speak African there.) People don’t celebrate [insert holiday celebrated solely in the United States] in Ghana?
I’ve realized that my desire to travel fuels my desire to acquire geographical knowledge and vice versa. I know that not everyone gets as hot and bothered about thumbing through a gigantic atlas as I do. But it seems that increasing your knowledge of the world and the intertwining factors of it makes sense in a country and time where opportunities to stick to your own kind and avoid the issues of the world are decreasing. The National Geographic Education Foundation sums up more eloquently than I can why geographical literacy is important:
“Geography is about more than place names and locations. It analyzes and illuminates interconnections between people, places, and environments. In a world increasingly defined by a global economy, cultural migration, and mounting environmental challenges, geography is an essential prerequisite to citizenship and success in the future.”
Also, check out this interesting article: Geographical Ignorance is Bliss?
What are your thoughts on this subject? Does it frustrate you as well, or do you think I’m being too harsh? And I know I’m not the only traveler out there with sad but true tales of geographical ignorance. Feel free to share your own anecdotes!
by India.Arie
by Joni Mitchell
