Taylor Michelle Alexander

Origin: United States of America

Haley Rose McCoy Baker

Origin: Scotland
Report 1: First Meeting and Photo Sharing
1. Describe your partner according to age, gender, length of time in the United States, nationality and
length of time at this university, school, or community. Provide an atlas so that your partner can
locate their country of origin, while allowing them to describe the size of their city of origin,
climate, terrainetc. How did you meet your partner? What was your partners reaction to being
asked to participate in the project (surprised, interested, curious, etc.)?

Name: Haley Rose McCoy Baker

Age: 20
Gender: Female
Length of Time in the United States: 2 years; has visited previous since some family is here.
Nationality: Scottish
Length of Time at WKU: 2 years

City of Origin: Glasgow, Scotland

Climate: Oceanic
Population: 615, 070 (2016)
I met Haley through a mutual friend. I am in the Recreation program, and one of my classmates,
Emily, was taking an event planning class with me. We were working on group project together,
and one night, she brought Haley along.

We all got dinner together, and realized that each of us had a lot in common with one another. I
asked Haley how she would feel about helping me with this culture project, and she was more
than happy to help. She even seemed pretty excited to do it, especially when I mentioned that we
would have to do activities together.
2. Ask about your partners family. How many brothers and sisters does he or she have? Are
his or her parents alive, and if so, married, divorced, or remarried? Do members of your
partners extended family (aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents) live in the same home or close
to each other? Does your partner have a close relationship to any or all family members?
Your partner will probably want to know the same information about you.

Haley has one half-sister, Amanda, and she is 31 years old. Her parents are still married, and
have been married for 21 years. She has extended family members that live in Kentucky and
Ohio, and of course, some relatives still in the U.K. Haley is very close to all her family, and she
talked about how she cant go more than 3 days without Skyping her mum.

3. Exchange photos that show your respective countries and family and friends at events such as
weddings, reunions, vacations, festivals, celebrations, or funerals. Special occasions will
illustrate cultural dress expectations. Ask your partner why people in the photos are wearing
what they are wearing. Describe the photos you and your partner shared.

Haleys Photos:

This is Haley with her mother on holiday in Barcelona, Spain.

This is a group of Haleys cousins at her uncles wedding.

My Photos:

This is a photo I shared with Haley of me and my mother when I was younger.
 I also shared this photo of me with my two younger siblings, Aubrey and Weston, on the day of
Aubreys Senior Prom.

4. Describe your experience of sharing photos with your partner. What surprised you most?
What were the similarities between your photos and your partners? What were the differences?
Summarize this information for your report.

It was interesting seeing some of the photos that Haley showed me. We noticed that in the baby
photos with our mothers, the style in clothing is very similar, and the overall quality of the picture
comes off looking as vintage.

5. Add questions of your own and describe your partners answers.

Are you close to your family?

Yes, although I miss them back home, we still have our weekly Skype sessions, so it feels as if I
never left. I also have some family here in the states, which helps when I am feeling homesick.

Why did you decide to come to WKU?

I have always had a hunger for travel and having family in Kentucky, I decided it would be an
opportune time to see the U.S. for a few years.

How often do you go home or does your family come to visit?

I go home over the summer, and this semester my parents came to visit me for 2 weeks.

6. In summary, what information did you share with your partner about your culture?

I told Haley a little more about my small hometown, and why I decided to come to WKU. We
talked about our future goals, and what we are looking to do after college. I explained to Haley
how majority of those I graduated with in high school are planning on moving back home, and
how I am wanting to move to a northwestern state. I also talked a little about my Study Away
 Montana trip, and told her how it has given me this need to travel more.

Haley urged me to travel and experience new things, especially while I am younger and trying to
figure out what I want to do with my life. She thought my idea of moving somewhere new was a
great one, and she jokingly suggested I move to Scotland.

7. Are there any comments or concerns you have after your first meeting with your partner?

There are no comments or concerns moving forward.

8. Take photos of your culture sharing partner with you to include in the report.

My roommates and I took Haley to one of the WKU Mens Basketball games.

Report 2: Cultural Ideals and Characteristics

1. In Chapter 2 of Meanings of Dress we discussed the cultural ideals in the United States for men
and womens appearances. Ask your partner to describe the cultural ideals of beauty for men
and women in his or her country. Include discussion of body type (fat, thin), hairstyle (color,
texture, length) color of eyes, and types of clothing (western, traditional).

Fashion in the U.K. vs. U.S. is not really that different. I dont know why people automatically
assume that it is. I do tend to see more red heads back home though. I guess that is just a trait
that is more common.

2. Ask your partner about past and present body adornment. What was practiced by men or
women? Is it still practiced today? Are certain practices associated with different types of
people (for example, married or single, occupational groups, social class groups)? Compare
practices with those in your country. You might want to discuss the growing acceptance and
changing meanings of tattooing in the United States.

Kilts are still worn today by men during special occasions, like weddings.
 *For a laugh: here is a picture of Haley dressed like a traditional Scottish male. She said that it
was for a costume one Halloween.

3. Ask your partner to describe a holiday celebrated in his or her country. What customs are
involved? Is special dress worn to indicate that a person is mourning? Compare this with
customs in your culture.

Burns Supper is on January 25, and it is a celebration of the life and poetry of Robert Burns.
Its usually a dinner with haggis (sheep organs with oatmeal in the sheep stomach), neeps
(mashed turnips), and tatties (mashed potatoes). You read Robert Burns poems while bagpipes
play in the background.

4. Ask your partner to describe a funeral and a wedding in his or her country. What customs are
involved? Is special dress worn to indicate that a person is mourning? Compare this with
customs in your culture.

The only difference during a wedding is that all males where kilts. Funerals are no different. We
wear black in mourning as well.

5. Ask your partner to describe the educational system in his or her country. Is education funded
by the government? At what age did your partner begin school? What are expectations for
teachers in his or her country? How competitive are colleges and universities in his or her
country? At what age do most people stop going to school?

Mainly our schooling is called primary, as compared to what you call elementary and middle.
You are in primary school for 7 years, then you start secondary school for 4 years. You then go
on to university, or college. There is also a qualification test you have to take for placement.
Scotlands schooling is a little different than that throughout the U.K. Our schools are also not
affiliated with religion. Like how some of the school here are Christian or Catholic, thats not
common in Scotland.
 6. Add your own questions and describe your partners answers.

What is your favorite place in Scotland? Why?

Edinburgh, because it is very diverse in its culture.

What is your favorite place you have visited in the U.S.? Why?
California, because the weather is incredible, unlike Scotland. Scotland can be quite dreary
sometimes.

7. What new information did you share with your partner about your own culture?

Haley told me about the traditional dish that they serve, haggis. She said that it is organs from
the sheep that is chopped up and cook with spices, and how the stomach is stuffed with oatmeal
and cooked. She says it is delicious; I will take her word on it.

8. Take photos of you with your partner to include in the report.

Haley and our mutual friend, Emily, came to my 21st birthday party. Haley thought this tradition was
funny because shes been able to drink legally, in Scotland, since she turned 18.
Report 3: First Activity
Plan an activity with your partner that emphasizes cultural differences. Have some fun! Be sure to confer
with your partner about what to do. Suggestions to choose from include:

1. Write a three (or more) paragraph summary of your activity together. What did you do and
where did you go?

Haley had mentioned that she had never been to Nashville before, and I immediately knew what I
wanted to do for one of our activities. I asked her if she would like to go to Nashville for a day, and
 I would show her all the different murals. She was more than willing to go on a day trip with me.

That Saturday, I drove us down to Nashville. On the way we talked about our day, and how our
week was, etc. We went around to all the different murals that are on display in East and West
Nashville. We drove all over the city that day.

While we were at the Draper James mural, we noticed the Sprinkle Cupcake ATM. We decided that
we would get one, and it was a neat experience. You just swipe your card like an ATM, and choose
the cupcake that you want. They were surprisingly very good cupcakes, because we didnt have
high hopes that they would be. Later on, we got some traditional Nashville BBQ, and then headed
back to Bowling Green. It was a good day.

2. Include a receipt, movie ticket stub, or something to document what you did together.

The Sprinkles Cupcake ATM does not give you a receipt after you use it; but I have attached
pictures from mural hunting and the actual cupcake dispenser.

3. What, during your activity, made the biggest impression on you? Why?

Haley really enjoyed seeing the different murals around Nashville, and each time we found a new
one, she was genuinely excited to see it. She also wanted her photo taken in front of basically all
of them we found, but I didnt mind taking a few for her.

4. What types of things did your partner notice and ask about?

Whenever we got lunch, at the end of our meal, once we had paid, I tipped our waiter. Haley was
very confused as to why I was leaving extra money, after I had already paid for my meal. She says
that tipping is not common in the U.K., and I explained to her that it is considered taboo here.

5. Also, ask your partner to compare the consumption patterns of your respective countries. (You
may ask specifically about dress, jewelry, make-up, automobiles, etc.). Is the consumption
patterns of the two cultures similar or different? Why?

Haley discussed how the drinking age in Scotland is 18, and how they drive on the left side of the
road. She says that dress and makeup are basically the exact same, however the whole preppy
look is not very prominent in the United Kingdom.

6. What new information did you share about your respective cultures?

Tax is already incorporated into the prices in the U.K.

7. Add your own questions and describe your partners answers.

What is your favorite cupcake flavor?

Red Velvet.

Do you want to stay in the U.S. or move back home?

I think after university, Id like to continue to travel across the U.S. and many other countries;
ultimately I think I will move back to the U.K though.

8. Take photos to include in your project!

This was the photo I took of us, in front of the Draper James mural outside of Reese Witherspoons
boutique in East Nashville. Haley (left) and Taylor (right)

These are the Sprinkles Cupcakes we bought from the Cupcake ATM. It is located next door to the
Draper James store. These were surprisingly very good cupcakes; neither of us thought they would be.
 This is one of the photos I took of Haley in front of the Sweet Pea mural.

Report 4: Second Activity and Culture Comparisons

Plan a second activity with your partner that emphasizes cultural differences this activity must be
different from the activity you selected for Report 3.

1. Answer questions 1-4 from Report 3 in relation to your second activity together.

Over Spring Break, we decided to take a mini road trip to Ohio, to visit Haleys uncles. We stayed
with them for four days, and took us to places in Cincinnati we have never been before. They were
super friendly, and were more than welcome to let me stay with them.

Her uncles seemed to know a lot of people in the Cincinnati area, and they actually took us to an
art exhibit one night. We got to meet local artists, and see their work that they had on display. It
was a really cool experience getting to see the process of buying and selling art; also seeing how
much one piece could sell for. There were at least 100 people at this art show, and we got to dress
up for the occasion.

One of our favorite days was when we got to go to the Cincinnati Zoo. Neither one of us had been,
and he uncles urged that we go check it out. Haley had not been to an American zoo, or to one
since she was a little girl. My favorite animal is a giraffe, and hers is an Okapi, which is in the
giraffe family, so when we had the opportunity to feed one, we were thrilled. It was nice getting to
experience something new together, since we both come from very different places.

2. Also, ask your partner to compare the politics and government of his or her country to systems
 in yours. Are the laws and policies created to maintain order in your partners similar to those
in your country? Why or why not? Are elections and campaigns similar? Why or why not?

Our government is led by the First Minister. This person is nominated, kind of like your president,
by our parliament, to represent us in the monarch. Basically, Nicola Sturgeon is the one who calls
the shots and is the current First Minister. It sounds complicated, but its not really. Its just
different than what you are used to.

3. Ask your partner to compare the youth-oriented culture in the United States to the other culture.
How are youth and old age regarded in both cultures? Are young people in each culture concerned
with presenting an image? What images are desirable and why?

In the U.K., most schools are required to wear uniforms, so it is harder to express yourself growing
up. Since going to school in the U.S. the past two years, she has loved getting the opportunity to
wear whatever she wants on a day to day basis, and not have to stick to set rules when it comes to
wardrobe. Since it is a colder climate in Scotland, you do tend to bundle up more, but it is not
customary to dress more conservatively.

4. What new information did you share about your respective cultures?

Edinburgh has a zoo that I would visit as a child. This is my first experience in an American zoo.

5. Add your own questions, and describe your partners answers.

What is your favorite animal?

Hmm, an Okapi probably. I find them very interesting and funny looking. Its like a small giraffe
and zebra mashup.

6. Take photos!

Here is the ticket from our day at the Cincinnati Zoo.

Each of us got the opportunity to feed the giraffes. This was one of the highlights from the day; a giraffe
is my favorite animal.
 Culture Sharing Summary

This project has been an amazing opportunity, and I have really enjoyed getting to know Haley. I

like how this project has been a way to learn about new cultures, while also getting to participate in fun

activities. This project has pushed me outside of my comfort zone, because I am not really one to walk up

to a stranger and ask them if I could use them as a partner in an assignment. I noticed that the more times

Haley and I met up to talk, or go on our activities, we realized how much we actually had in common,

despite our culture differences. We even learned that our families share a lot of the same values, and that

family is the most important in our lives.

Personally, there were no low points in this project for me, because there wasnt anything I didnt

enjoy getting to do with Haley. However, the high point of this project was when I spent Spring break

with her and her family in Cincinnati. We both got to experience new things, like going to the Cincinnati

Zoo, and also going to an art show. Our trip to Nashville was a lot of fun as well. Haley loved getting to

see all the different murals that had been painted around Nashville, and we also got to enjoy some good

food in the process.

The similarities in dress between Haley and I are honestly remarkable. There isnt much

difference in how we dress. We are both into the more hipster, vintage styles, and this was something we

bonded over a few times. Someone would always like what the other was wearing, and wed instantly ask

where we found it. I noticed that Haley does dress more conservative than I do, and when I asked her

about it, she said that it was force of habit from where it is usually colder in Scotland, majority of her

wardrobe is for that.

I think the main benefit of this project is being able to step out of your comfort zone, and

experience new things with someone who is different than you are. This experience has made me want to

get to know more international students, and learn more about their culture and where they come from.

Haley and I have become great friends, and now that the project is over, we will definitely stay in contact

with one another. I want to learn more about her life, see if we have any other similarities, and also take a

few more mini road trips to experience new things together.