Friday, July 8, 2011

My Favorite Cross-Culture Movies

Because I love crossing cultures and I make fun of myself for all the messes I find myself in doing so...it is nice to laugh at someone else from time to time.
Here are my top 5 movies that will give you the giggles about crossing cultures:



5. New In Town (2009)
A high-powered consultant in love with her upscale Miami lifestyle is sent to a middle of nowhere town in Minnesota to oversee the restructuring of a blue collar manufacturing plant. After enduring a frosty reception from the locals, icy roads and freezing weather, she warms up to the small town's charm, and eventually finds herself being accepted by the community.

4. Dances with Wolves (1990)
Lt. John Dunbar is dubbed a hero after he accidentally leads Union troops to a victory during the Civil War. He requests a position on the western frontier, but finds it deserted. He soon finds out he is not alone, but meets a wolf he dubs "Two-socks" and a curious Indian tribe. Dunbar quickly makes friends with the tribe, and discovers a white woman who was raised by the Indians. He gradually earns the respect of these native people, and sheds his white-man's ways.


3. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Toula Portokalos is 30, Greek, and works in her family's restaurant, Dancing Zorba's, in Chicago. All her father Gus wants is for her to get married to a nice Greek boy. But Toula is looking for more in life. She meets Ian Miller, a high school English teacher, they date secretly for a while before her family finds out. Her father is livid over her dating a non-Greek. He has to learn to accept Ian; Ian has to learn to accept Toula's huge family, and Toula has to learn to accept herself.

2. Outsourced (2006)
When the call center he manages in Seattle is outsourced to India, Todd travels there to train his replacement. Housed in a new building that looks like an above-ground bunker, the call center is staffed by willing novices whom Todd trains to sound American. One star on the staff is Asha, who teaches Todd that he should learn about India, and proceeds to do just that.



1. West Bank Story (2005)
A musical comedy set in the fast-paced, fast-food world of competing falafel stands on the West Bank. David, an Israeli soldier, falls in love with Fatima, a beautiful Palestinian cashier, despite the animosity between their families' dueling restaurants. Can the couple's love withstand a 58-year-old conflict and their families' desire to control the future of the chick pea in the Middle East?







Check them out.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Independance Day East and West

We happened to celebrate two Independence Days this year. We were in Jordan on May 25th and in the States on July 4th. You know what I noticed? They were pretty much the same. I guess patriotism is a universal value and a good excuse to blow up things and watch very fast airplanes. Our pictures are proof that even 6000 miles apart...the world really is a small place.

May 25th - geraniums and flags
July 4th - geraniums and flags


May 25th - bombs bursting in air
July 4th - bombs bursting in air

We shot this video from the 8th floor of our hotel room. We had gone to the capital for the holiday weekend and were a bit surprised by the fabulous air show we found ourselves in the middle of.

July 4th - Blue Angels @ Battle Creek, Mi Air Show (photo credit goes to my cousin Sarah!)

Independence is a wonderful thing!