socialization—A story from 3 years ago in France

This week we move into socialization...the idea that reality is socially constructed. Last week I facetiously asked you when you learned that it wasn't okay to eat dogs. This week, I am going to ask you to think back in your life. You may think about a toy, a tv show, a conversation with a family member...anything really. What did it teach you? How were you socialized? Did you know it at the time? How has it affected/impacted your life? ——Prof.

     Three years ago, my father was in Lyons, France on a business trip. So I also went there from Switzerland to meet him(I was in Switzerland for one year as an exchange student). We went out with his colleagues one night for French food. We were at a restaurant, it was already very late, around 9pm.We waited for our steak, and spiral shell for a while--Most French eat dinner very late; and they do things slow. So my father and his friends started to drink and talk first. One of them brouhjt a Chinese liquor(Baijiu in Chinese, you can check it here if interested:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baijiu)-- I don't drink wine, so i was only eating my salad. Anyway, it's a long night.
 

     During this dinner, we met some interesting strangers next to our table. They’re Americans, one was an actress, one was scriptwriter or film director, and one was soundtrack musician if my memory was right. When they heard we had Chinese distilled alcoholic beverage, one guy was curious .So my father's friend offered him to try a glass of Baijiu. They also warned him that the alcohol was very strong and intense, he should taste it little by little. But the American guy was quite excited and didn't listen, he drank that glass up in one breath. Our Chinese friends were worried, ask him if he felt OK. He stayed calm for a second saying “I am OK", but one minute later, he said " I think I need to go to the bathroom". And on his way to the bathroom, he fell. Fifteen minutes later, he came back, he said the Chinese wine was amazing that he felt his stomach was on fire, and he threw up; but he was sure if he just drank a sip of it, it would be much better. And we all laughed.

        Later, we continued to have our dinner. And I started to talk to the Americans. And I knew it was their last night in France, they had an early flight the next morning to catch, they were so glad to experience some exotic Chinese stuff before they left. And I also told them my experience as an exchange student, they we were quite surprised by that.

      I learned a lot from that night--

     First some basic culture difference.

     Second, it's easier to talk to a strange on a trip than in daily life. Well, we know that Americans are open, but I was also somewhat opened my heart to talk to the American actress. We even left emails to each other. However, I don't know if I will do it again later in my life. And now I'm in America now, I never spoke to a stranger, I guess that's what people do--they can easily open their heart to strangers because they will never meet each other again.

     Third, I think every behavior from others can influence our lives. I'm in USA but not UK or Australia because I met so many nice American friends (some acquaint some not), but i had unpleasant experience with people with British accent. And I just changed my major to English last week; I may also be a scriptwriter later. I believed it all happened for some reason, or what happened in my life.