October 29, 2014
Since my return from Ghana in July, I have assumed a position as a Special Education Teaching Assistant at the county high school. Prior to working here, I haven't stepped foot through the doors since my own graduation in 2009. Not much has changed outside of my own perspective, with the exception of the integration of cell phones as 'mobile learning devices' and an adjustment to the class schedule every Thursday to accommodate a 30-minute activity period. As with any job, teaching and mentoring students has its challenges and its triumphs; its frustrations and its rewards. One of the most rewarding aspects of my job, to date, has been the discussions I have had with students who are interested in international affairs and my experiences outside of Centreville and the U.S.
I never thought searching for deer droppings would invoke discussions about differences in cultural taboos, but that's exactly what happened today during Environmental Science, my first class of the day. While in search of deer scat (an experiment in experiential education to teach students about random sampling techniques using quadrats), Kat, a very bright student who is interested in potentially pursuing a degree in international diplomacy or economic development policy, began telling me about her best friend who recently went to Europe for a three week celebration of her 16th birthday (talk about a Sweet 16) and brought her back a small souvenir from England. Kat and I have engaged in numerous conversations about college, my experiences abroad and her own global interests, and as with those previous discussions, our conversation turned to current affairs, media portrayals, book recommendations and of course, Ghana. Another student, who was listening intently to our conversation and integrating into it through his own questions and observations, made a random comment about our expedition to find deer scat and his discomfort with the teacher using the word 'poop' so openly. My reply to this was, "You know Justin, everything and everyone poops." Kat retorted with, "Yeah there's even a book called that." We all laughed and this segued into me telling an anecdote about having stomach problems during my time as a student in Ghana living with a host family and how 'poop' was not a taboo topic of discussion, as it typically is in American culture. I detailed my story about how I had to take middle of the night trips to the bathroom, which was only accessible through the bedroom of my host mother, and how she shared this with the neighbors in our compound. When my neighbor asked about my 'running stomach' (as it is referred to in Ghana), admittedly, I was slightly self-conscious, but then quickly realized that talking about illness, particularly words we try so hard to avoid saying aloud in the US, like diarrhea, was nothing to be shy about; in Ghana and in many parts of the world, foodborne diseases are common and so, are central topics of daily discussion. Recalling this experience made me wonder: Why is it that talking about 'poop' in the US is such a hush-hush topic? Has it always been this way, or like Ghana, was our population more open about subjects such as these prior to the establishment of our modern medical system and the advances we have made in public health? What are the factors that influence, shape, and can ultimately change, cultural norms and taboos?
