Do I really have a topic for our Passion Blog?
Crazy America, Crazier Americans!
This is my first visit to America, and everything is so different. Each day of the last month has been appallingly eventful - be it the kind of people I meet, the kind of situations I find myself in, the kind of food I try - and this alien weather. I've shed tears of every kind, and loved every second of it.
For someone who isn't American, America can be intimidating. The people are easy-going, overly independent, ambitious and yet hardcore 'fun-lovers'. The balance they maintain between their workload and leisure is commendable; and their attitude downright awesome. This is the reason I want to write my experience, as a multi-cultural international student, in this magnificent country of the United States of America.
In the past month, I've had several experiences that I've wanted to share with people, especially other international students or those just far away from home. Be it my first bite of S'mores or my first football game, my first romance with an American, or the 'cool American lingo'. An amalgamation of all these experiences would create a fantastic story (or so I believe) that would not only be fun to write, but also interesting to read (let's hope)!
For the beginning, I would start with my background and explain all my pre-conceived notions, assumption, hopes and anticipations of America before I actually flew in. The phase between being accepted to college and actually reaching college was filled with a lot of drama and excitement; and the high expectations were greatly met particularly in the first week itself. This should set the mood for the writers to imagine what was coming in the consecutive blog posts, and allow them to read my story, not just through my words but with the same strata of emotions that I write with.
Over the next few weeks, I would talk about the highly 'American' in nature, but rather odd for an outsider. The overwhelm of the huge campus further catalyzed these stories, by making every incident seem much more hilarious and unique. The opportunities and topics and endless, which further excited me to write about it.
Eventually, based on the type of audience I receive, I believe I will have to alter my stories a little bit. If the readers more American, I may have to speak in more details about things that the Americans find weird about the international students and their habits. This would relate more with them, and strike a better chord with their minds - gaining a better response. If, however, the audience is more international (which i anticipate is going to be the case), I would make it a point to mention certain generic problems that each of us faced, and not just problems pertaining personally to me. This again would connect better with my audience, making it a successful blog.
The StoryBoard !
This is something I'm really excited about. It could either go awfully wrong, or be a beautiful project. So this is how it goes :
I would place an A3 sized sheet of paper, along with a pen, in a particular (crowded) common space. It would be a 'freeboard', that students or the public in general would be free to write/draw on. There are soft boards all over campus that allow random sheets to be pinned up, and I would use one of them for this experiment of mine.
Why?
Good question. To just see what people would be willing to say. I expect a lot of profanity, disturbing images, and random love notes. It's the 'unusual stuff' that I'm more excited about; to find one of those random saints who have a nice quote to share, or a sweet msg to write to someone hey don't even know. I wasn't to see the progress in the kind of messages that people share, and the different ways the sheet would end up being used.
People fascinate me immensely. I wanted to try this experiment anyway, and being able to write about it would be a wonderful experience. I'm eager to see the transition through time, and can't wait to compare the sheet from week 1 to week (who knows?).
I understand the risk involved, given the ambiguity of the content that my StoryBoard would be exposed to. But that makes it even more exciting. Call it a social experiment - it is a direct view into he minds of the PennStaters around us.
Bruh I 100% agree man. Americans are crazy. Have you tried the cosmic brownies yet? No wonder insurance is so expensive here. So yeah. I would say definitely go with your first topic. It is quite a unique perspective but if you can make it so it wouldn't look like a "foreigners react" blog, it would be even more awesome.
ReplyDeleteGotcha mate! Haven't tried those brownies yet, but they sure sound super cool! I don't intend on making it a 'foreigners' react' blog - hopefully it would be much better than tha.
DeleteThanks!
Both of these topics are interesting, but I find the second topic especially intriguing. It would result in truly unique material each week, and I am genuinely curious about what people decide to write. To be fair, it is risky; what if the writing is lewd, or even what if nobody decides to write on it? I think that, as long as you have plans for these outcomes, it would be a success.
ReplyDeleteI do have plans for the outcomes, and I do fear the directions it could take - which makes it all the more exciting!
DeleteEven if I choose to go ahead with the first blog idea, I shall try the second one out as my own little experiment.
Thanks!
I must say, you have some good ideas for blogs. The coming to America experience is an age old struggle that people who were born here may not quite understand. That is definitely an interesting topic to talk about. I very much like the idea of the poster board in a crowded commons area too. The immaturity of youthful society is very apparent but I must say the comments that you would get would be truly unexpected.However, if I had to recommend one blog, I'd say go with the American experience. The typical American would definitely be very intrigued to see the common everyday things that we American born people have experienced in our day to day life and how they are much more impactful and abstract to a foreigner.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sir, I appreciate your views on my ideas. I am inclined towards the first topic myself - though I'm also very curious about the various directions the StoryBoard could take.
DeleteI think the story idea is fantastic, and it would definitely be an interesting look into the minds of the students here (or even professors?). The Weird America Blog would be fun to red, of course, as America is full of weird experiences that more people should share about, but I think the Storyboard would be pretty neat to look at. I know I for one would participate and NOT draw any profanity or rude images on there...as tempting as a phallic image may be.
ReplyDeleteAhahah, that would be tempting indeed. I'm expecting a good response, especially if I can find a good spot for the board to be placed in. Hopefully I would have you write (/draw/doodle) on the StoryBoard in the near future. Excited!
DeleteThe StoryBoard! sounds like a fun idea. We get to see different ideologies from different perspectives. It's like the eavesdrop blog, but a more ethical way(I guess), or a more systematic approach as you get fresh ideas each day. I'm not sure if you're gonna be excited talking about your adjustments to America every week, because someday you're gonna be one of them and the things you find crazy might not be the same anymore. It is up to you, but I'm open to read both of them.
ReplyDeleteI fear exactly that. I guess I need a definitive plan of action for the Crazy America blog, especially if I need my readers' interest to be maintained. Need to reflect more on the nitty-gritty of each sub-topic that I would cover under each of my topics. Hopefully it will all go well.
DeleteThanks! :)
Shwetanc, both of your ideas have merit. I'm excited to see which one you'll select. I agree that you'd control your blogging "fate" a little more with the first option, given that the second option leaves you open to the participation (or lack thereof) of outsiders to generate the content for you.
ReplyDeleteI like that you included a hyperlink in this post. Could you make it so that the hyperlink appears in a different color than your regular font? This will make it easier for readers to identify as link. Thanks!
Thank you Prof.!
DeleteI had made the hyperlink a shade of blue, but I guess it wasn't distinct enough when viewed from desktops or laptops as it was on my iPad. I have made the necessary change.
I am very confident that I would receive responses on the StoryBoard, especially since I have a strategic location in my mind. However I am a little worried about receiving a variety of content over the weeks. Hopefully I will!
Both of your ideas sound quite interesting. I think both would turn out very well, especially because of how passionate you seem toward both of the ideas. The story board project seems risky, and and could be difficult to blog about some of the time as it all depends on whether or not people write on it. With that being said, I think you are totally capable and would make it work well.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I would most like to see your first idea. That sounds incredibly fascinating to read as I am born and raised American. I find International experience very interesting and always enjoy hearing about the adjustments that are made when international people come to the US.
I spent the entire last night talking to people about the differences in culture and values that I see in this country (from my own). Americans sure seem fascinated by such discussions, which inclines me further to choose the first topic. However, I guess I need to give it a bit more thought.
DeleteThanks!