Abe Alba

I love pizza! I grew up loving what we Mexicans call Hawaiian-style pizza: ham, bacon, and pineapple. It is a childhood staple. It was shocking to learn that Italians are truly appalled when they hear we dare add pineapple to pizza! Then I was shocked again when I learned Brazilians like Nutella pizza. So far, I haven’t had the chance to ask an Italian what they think about that.

Food is diverse; so is music, dancing, fighting styles and even greetings. There comes a moment during a sightseeing tour when you realize you can see yourself or you own country in a far away culture. It can be either for something related to your community or something even more personal—like they way to carry out an occupation that reminds you of your parents or grandparents. It is the moment when many travelers come to the same conclusion: We are the same animal. We have always been.

Should you spend time with a different culture with an open heart, I believe it is impossible to see them as “different”. I am convinced you are more likely to see and care about everything that bonds you with them. You may not like them completely and they may not like you either, but mutual respect prevails more easily. For sure, no culture should be idealized or stigmatized. Not all Japanese play fair and square, sorry to say; not all Brazilians love the carnaval, and not all Mexicans are the life and soul of the party, sorry to say also.

As I’ve walked through life, I’ve found many people who enjoy getting to know new cultures and ways of life. I am one of them. We appreciate not finding the same old trademarks, methods, flavors, and ways we have in our hometowns. I understand globalization requires standardization; yet, I don’t think the whole world should look the same. Every culture is different and that’s the beauty of it. Many people travel so they can grow, and they do so through the discovery of something that is routine for someone else but completely new to them. Let us not take that away from ourselves and from our children.

How about you? What do you think about the fact that we can be so different and so similar at the same time?

Abe Alba