FINAL POSTING... how sad.

Well bloggers, this is my last post. I have constructed the three videos, and uploaded them to YouTube. The first link is for the Personal multimodal essay:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x68ykgDdaDk

Enjoy!

Rhetorical Analysis of Artifacts...

So our assignment this week is to get a hands-on feel for artifacts and other materials that belong to our country.

Well, this isn't difficult as much as it is a challenge to find worthwhile material to share.

I think to start off first, I'd like to share a link, which is as follows:

http://en.tackfilm.se/?id=1270353290009RA50


This picture, which is from the link above, is a "print screen shot" of the video.











Geraldine, who is my girlfriend's roommate, was kind enough to show me this back in December. I decided to dig it up and use it again, because it's interesting to discuss and makes for a fascinating point.

Basically, this link is for Belgian customers who pay broadcasting fees for radio and television programs. It belongs to Radiotjanst, and this link was sent to several customers in show of appreciation for their contribution and dedication.

Now, while putting together a web video that can be sent anywhere and used by anyone seems a little too simple, or ordinary, it had me question Belgian ethnos, archon, and techne.

I can only surmise that the company determined making a web clip for customers would inevitably trickle down to potential strangers interested in Radiotjanst, and in return, promote itself through appreciation. The fact that I can see my face on two billboards, on a clipboard floating in a space station, and in a little girl's wallet and being redeemed by the world as a hero has boosted my ego, and made me more curious about the company.

And even if one's curiosity ends just at utilizing this nifty link, it still involves someone, anyone, passing this on and keeping it moving to others who might be interested and want to learn more.

Now, while American commercials and advertisements dare us to try products and foods, there is little incorporation of the consumer. Most notably, Dominoes did change their recipe, ingredients, and more to improve themselves, but this was more out of dissatisfaction than appreciation. The way Radiotjanst communicates with the society around them is intriguing, and the technological promotions and advertisements they use seem to be a world in and of itself.

As for my second artifact, I'm going to have to stretch it, because we haven't delved deeply into conversation or other forms of media and interest. I can offer information about the types of chocolates they eat, and I will probably include this if I can fit in some of the different eating habits compared to that of America.



After Christmas, Geraldine was kind enough to bring back chocolate that passed Customs and much to our surprise, it tasted very... bitter. The texture and flavor was rich, but for American taste, it lacked sweetness, which is what gets us by day to day when we eat Hershey's, Snickers, or a Twix. Surprisingly, chocolate over there is usually 60% to 85% bittersweet, especially cocoa. A noticeable example of this is for Valentine's Day, I made the mistake of buying this (and other) kinds of chocolate for my girlfriend, she was forced to give it up to Geraldine because it was too bitter for her or myself.

I know I have limited time to actually conduct my interview and to show proof of personal, public, and professional, I think food is a strong role, especially when considering how Clemson in the South compares to New York, California, and Delaware, and her impression of food in general. There is no doubt products that we take for granted are different, such as Coca Cola and Pepsi, milk, and other products.

Well, this is all I have for now. I look forward to posting next week, as normal, about my plans and my progress. I shall see you all back here, same time, different week.

Ciao.

Interviewing: Not as easy as it looks on TV...

Well, this week, I'm supposed to incorporate the content from this section into planning for my final project interview component.

This, I believe, will be rather easy seeing as how a good chunk of my project will lie within interviewing roommates and friends around the Clemson Exchange Community.

Notably, I hope to rehearse and prepare accordingly over the next few weeks with questions and materials in an attempt to shape the main points of the final. This will involve narrowing down my questions, and choosing a format in which questions will come from. At the moment, I am stuck between using the same questions for each person, and just cutting from one person to the next to the next, or using different questions targeted specifically to my personal, professional, and private.

As it stands now, I will be having my roommate and my girlfriend's roommate interviewed as my personal. For professional, I believe I will get my residential assistant to help, and as for professional, at the moment, I do not have any idea. Perhaps I could interview American students such as myself who are volunteering their living arrangements and time to be around people from other countries. Or I can interview someone who is in charge of the numbers of the C.E.C. program, possibly someone who's involved in housing, and get some input as far as if exchange students are increasing in size and what is being done to advertise Clemson to the world.

As for my interview location, I will probably be using my apartment. Depending on the time, I will probably use the couch and the table in the apartment, and with any luck, use the fluorescent lights that hang on the ceiling. I do not know how this will determine the camera lighting, but I will be certainly testing this out. As for scenery in the shots, I will most likely incorporate anything that is unique; for example, my roommate is not a fan of the food here in America, so he orders food that is very similar to what is consumed from India. The same thing applies with my girlfriend's roommate, and anything that can be incorporated in to making her comfortable here in the United States. As for the remainder of my films, I plan on relying heavily on recording the areas around Calhoun Courts to show the life and treatment that a college student endures through the fun and challenging times.

As for the public, I imagine I can use shots of Tillman Hall and the mountain, and specifically distinctive points that classify Clemson as the ideal campus and reveal what is alluring to others who have never been here.

But first, and foremost, I have to attempt to find a camera, and secure one for at least three days in order to get the filming correct and elaborate. This will be the most difficult part because cameras are only allowed to be checked out for one night, and the chances of arranging a check-out three days straight is slim to none, so managing my time for this final project and my other classes may be a little challenging. However, it will just take focus and detail. At the moment, I don't know how to splice videos, but I will be checking into that soon.

I hope all is okay with everyone else and that you all are staying focused and enjoying the time overseas.

I will probably post a final result tomorrow night, so stay tuned as I ask my interviewees if they are willing and able.

Plans For My Final Project...

Well, for those of you who have been following me, you may notice that this blog is being posted on Friday rather than Saturday on the day that it is due.

Tragically, I will be unable to post any blogs and such because my one year anniversary is tomorrow/today.

Shout-out to Valerie. :)

Now, down to business. To be honest, I have been having difficulty trying to decide in what way I will be portraying my final project.

The point of this class is to immerse ourselves into another society, another culture, and literally that of another world. With that in mind, it's challenging to imagine producing a documentary-esque film of American quality because it would be pointless. We all, after all, are Americans. We have been exposed to the internet, media, and certain social standards all of our life, and we would gain no insight or knowledge looking at what we take for granted for everyday.

This leads me to contemplate exactly how to carry out this project, because unlike my fellow classmates, I am not in another country participating in cultural activities that are taken for granted by the locals and not available here in the United States.

But thankfully, I have an idea about how I can possibly carry out the final project without having too much of a struggle, and I would like as many opinions about it as possible.

The concept of my idea revolves around what this class is based on. And that, namely, is cultural exploration. Since I am living in the Clemson Exchange Community, I have the advantage to students who are visiting here for one semester.

So, my plan for my final project is simply to gain perspective of other students. In a sense, I'm still taking culture from my surroundings, like the international students, but instead of summing up one culture, I'll be interviewing various students who make up the portion of Clemson.

I imagine that taking the time to see what culture is integrated into our own is an important part to better Clemson's role in international planning and responsibility. What is the reason that they chose the United States? Why did they decide on Clemson compared to other colleges in America? What were some of the beliefs and ideas they had going in compared to the reality of the situation?

More importantly, I believe I have the opportunity to see how interaction is made between integrating foreign customs and beliefs into new opportunities, new adventures, and new chances to try the "American way of living".

Because my major is Psychology, I am hoping that this will further my own ability to understand reasoning, conceptual thinking, and behavior trends regarding different cultures. Because when it comes to defining "culture" in Clemson, we cannot just promote the Southern way, or those who are born here. We have to include everyone who plays a vital role on all levels, including those who journey back to Australia, China, Europe, Asia, so on, and so forth, and relate stories of the time they've been here.

As to how I will accomplish this, I believe interviewing at least two people would prove useful. Unfortunately, meetings for the C.E.C. have slowed down, and there has been little to no chance to participate in cultural diversity on that level. This means that I need to get new perspectives, and think outside of the box and decide how to create a project that sums up my one and only year as a C.E.C. resident in a way that encourages others to either participate with the C.E.C. or travel abroad and promote culturiosity (that's culture and curiosity, as defined by transfer students coming into Clemson).

Well, that is all for now. Perhaps if I have some down time Saturday or Sunday night, I'll check back in but in the meantime, stay tuned for more.

The True Tropos of Photos

So it turns out that I went in the wrong direction with the whole tropos situation. I was observing more on authenticity of my subject than the story of the photos and what I was trying to convey through the pictures.

A cultural identity can often be found close to home. After careful consideration, I realized my girlfriend's family had a typical, standard home. They are descendants of Cubans, not actually born in Cuba, or raised there. There would be no distinction or difference in perceiving cultural diversity because I myself am Caucasian, and there house typically looks the same as mine.

The restaurant is ideal because it examines culture specifically and the traits that prominently separates Cuba from the world.

Cigars, dominoes, and coffee. These words seem so simple, but after seeing how important they are, I delved a little deeper. The Cuban lifestyle is all about taking time to enjoy leisurely pleasures. One thing I have noted is compared to most typical families, eating together at meals and visiting is a definite requirement because it's about the little things that keep us together.

Smoking, no matter how unhealthy it is, was still a time for people with the same similarities to unwind, indulge in a habit, and relax. Throw in coffee, and dominoes, and you have the perfect excuse to waste a free Saturday afternoon with family, friends, and neighbors.

I wanted to include in each frame the habits of Cuba. Yes, it is an island. It is tropical, and it has much to offer, but the appeal of relaxation and comfort still holds the attention of the locals.

Of all people, they are not to be excluded from the fun!

When it came to excluding certain things, I wanted to omit the tables, drink area, and the overall appearance of the store.

Anything that might have displayed a shift to American "modernism" is something I wanted to avoid. Yes, Jose and Suzie adopted certain traits in order to function in a business-like state, but the signs they've hung in their building, the wood-carved map of Cuba actually made in Cuba, the many different packages of cigars and the commodities of coffee and the flavors sought after.

The tropos of the shot helps tell my story that these are people who enjoy good food, getting together, and generally operate on tight-knit communities and hangouts. The pictures displaying the culture of the beach, the maracas hanging around the pictures, and the general feel of tropic paradise is what I wanted to capture.

And when it comes to food, I find it hard to name just one culture that throws parties and festivals specifically to bring together multitude of people. When considering different races, the fact that Cinco de Mayo is celebrated widely and Halloween, or the "Day of the Dawn", is quite popular is not a coincidence. Now, yes, there is a difference between Latin America and Central America... quite noticeably, the unique details of each separate country and custom.

But for Cuba, there is no confusing the wonderful atmosphere of pleasant comradery that I only dared to hope to capture.

The Tropos of A Cuban Restaurant...

Well, this week, I was asked to look back over my material, and the pictures, and to go into more detail about why I chose particular angles, imagery, the appearance and size, and most particularly, the story I'm trying to convey to others.

When I look over these pictures, I cannot help but feel that this place separates itself by creating an identity. Thinking about McDonalds and Olive Garden and all of these other places that serve food, it's weird to think how they are merely decoration and aesthetic attention-grabbers.

From these pictures, you can tell that the Cuban Restaurant is authentic. That, if you walk in through the doors, you're guaranteed to be greeted, and any questions or topics about Cuba and the like will be treated with warm stories, humor, and laughter as well as great food, drinks, and an interest in you, not specifically your money.

I think that that is why there was no particular skill at taking these pictures. There was no prior preparation, skill, or finesse. These pictures were all taken on my camera phone, on the spot. And I think that is the beauty of them. They are original. It sparks originality, and uniqueness. Like if you walk into a Japanese restaurant, you expect there to be some tokens of Japan, reminiscent of The Great Wall, feudal ages, and samurai, emperors, and the like.

Now, that is not to say that America fails to have an identity. If you were to walk into a McDonalds overseas, you would see the same key elements there that you would here. Quality, cleanliness, efficiency, and food that satisfies hunger.

But McDonalds, like other American businesses, aren't interested in chatting or conversation. About getting to know people on a personal level, and cooking for the general satisfaction rather than expectation.

Now don't get me wrong. We are all attuned to different standards and different levels of cooking. But food, like it or not, is diverse and what we'll call, culturious. It does not discriminate, it brings everyone closer together, and more importantly, it comes with a proud label of heritage, age, and respect.

During our last visit, when my girlfriend and I took the pictures, we conversed with the owners, Jose and Suzie, Val's cousins, about another restaurant they had tried.

Suzie, hearing of another Cuban restaurant, visited the so-called authentic business while she was in the area. Upon sitting down, she ordered toast. The first red flag was when the waitress offered her a choice of white bread or wheat.

Now, for those who aren't fortunate enough to date a Cuban won't know that wheat or any bread other than white is considered inauthentic and borderline-insulting to the way of Cuban cooking.

The second breaking point was when Suzie tried to order a tortilla and was again, given a choice of cornmeal or flour. Even I was caught off-guard but it turns out that a tortilla is a type of Spanish omelette where eggs, potatoes, and other foods are added for a quick meal at any time. The offense here of course, miscommunication; specifically that of offering just a tortilla of a wrap-like quality, or an actual dish called the tortilla.

And that is ultimately what I'm getting at. Looking at these pictures, food included, you can see that there is no boast or need to challenge the authenticity. The arrangement of the pictures is natural. It didn't require some person to come in, research the Cuban lifestyle and habits, and then import relics and similar objects that hold fascination. These are people who live the traits, who are proud and represent who they are through their food.

I think one of the best pictures I took was the arrangement of the dominoes, the mini-palm tree, and the packet of cigarettes. If you were to travel to Georgia and go to the counter of this establishment, rest-assured, you would find these elements.

And I think that that is the most important lesson pulled out of photography. Of course we can ask people to participate, to fake, or show parts of a story that we want others to see. But photographs aren't just about weddings and birthdays. It isn't just the happiness. It's about life. The natural misery, frustration, sorrowful moments that make us thankful for what we have.

And the tropos of the pictures are exactly that. The stories of each item beg for a question that will be followed with comfortable leisurely conversations and a profound interest in the Cuban background.

Scenes From A Cuban Restaurant...

So, the assignment this week was to take pictures of "culture" and to more or less spark the interest of our culture.

Thankfully, loyal readers, my girlfriend is Cuban! xD

(In case you didn't know that, the flan in the YouTube video should have tipped you off. It's a specialty of Cuba. And the title of this blog, for those who don't grasp my dry wit, is a play on of a Billy Joel song... that's all the hint I'll give.)

Tonight, I ventured once again to a wonderful little restaurant called, "Cuban Restaurant". Now, before you think it's just another copy or attempt at generating food, it is, in all sense, owned and operated by Cubans proud to make and serve the food.

This trip, having been my third, resulted in having to take pictures of the aesthetic scenery. It had to be done. To prove how wonderful the people, who treat me like family are, and the tasty food that cannot be found anywhere but Cuba.

The first picture is of the counter. I know it looks like empty space, but on the contrary, this is the biggest part of the restaurant open to the public. The corner actually doubles as a karaoke bar, full of English AND Spanish songs that allow the customers to feel more at ease.



This is actually a poster from Cuba, brought back, showing the peaceful life and paradise, possibly exaggerated of course.

This sign, of course, is for the Men's restroom. I found it fascinating that a little bit of the culture even appeals to here compared to restaurants in Japanese steakhouses and Chinese restaurants.

This picture, I believe, captures the "spirit" of Cubans everywhere. To take this picture, I wanted to take a shot that utilized the "tropical" air of the island and the local pastime of "dominoes". A pack of cigarettes lies nearby, always handy for anyone interested, and believe it or not, this was not my arrangement. This can be found there, exactly as is, pending nobody has a dominoes match going on.


Here, you can see the menus along with authentic cases for smokes and other goods, along with another picture exported from Cuba. The natural feel is obvious, as well as the apparent use and upkeep of the restaurant side of the business.





















As for each of these pictures, I apologize for the size on some of them. These items are more than decorations. They are stories in and of themselves. It was important for me to angle the camera correctly and include in each a reasonable size and frame of the material. We have pictures and boxes of cigars, a wooden replica of Cuba, actually made in Cuba, and of course, coffee galore.
















To summarize in short, the articles and videos truly helped me realize the importance of capturing pictures properly. They show a story, a truth to what we see and perceive around us. It is with pride that I can post these because it was with careful consideration and attention to detail and my surroundings that I can truly appreciate the atmosphere as well as the food.

Last, but not least, I posted some pictures of the food that was offered. In case you are hungry, or in need of something to eat, I have them below the text as a fair warning. They are as tasty as they look, and they include the Media Noche, which is a Cuban sandwich on sweet Cuban roll, pickles, mustard, ham, and a type of cheese. Next to it is Yuca con mojo, a type of potato root cooked at just the right time and temperature, and yuca fries, and black beans and rice, a local favorite, and of course, bistec empanizado, which is breaded and covered in parsley and onions.