Reflection 7

DeAnna Cyza

Comm 211

Reflection Post #7 : An Idiot Abroad

          We watched the first episode of this Netflix show in class one day, and it was odd how at first it was entirely just comical. This British, middle aged Caucasian man is set up to travel the world by his close friend who decided to film the spectacle of his trips and produce it as a television show. Carl Pilkington is the gentleman's name, and he is completely interculturally competent. 

He is first sent to China after reluctantly agreeing to go. He gets there and literally hates every minute of it. From seeing the Great Wall, the learning some karate and eating traditional Chinese cuisine of toad, he is not impressed by anything. In later episodes I have since watched, he goes to Mexico and India, and I can see how much of an incompetent person he is. If these contacts he meets on his trips abroad could fully comprehend everything he says and does, they would be tremendously offended by his abrasiveness and lack of cultural awareness.

I believe that him being so culturally incompetent has opened up some of my own misguided stereotypes about other countries, and shown me a small part of how the rest of the world really lives. The best thing we can do to promote competence is honestly traveling with an open mind to experience the wonders of the world.