Klarinet Archive - Posting 001016.txt from 1995/10

From: "Lorne G. Buick" <mcheramy@-----.CA>
Subj: Re: Sound of America details
Date: Fri, 27 Oct 1995 20:14:00 -0400

I wrote this before noticing that someone else had posted a reply- I'll
post it anyway...

> Other student tours
>often times put you up in other people's houses which would really suck.
>Imagine having to stay overnight in some foreign family's home! I think that
>would be really weird.

I'm sorry if this gets off the topic of the clarinet or even music, but I
could not let this statement slip by...

Nate, this may come as a shock to you but Americans have a very bad
reputation in certain respects, in many places and it is due to the sort of
attitude represented by this statement. I realize that not all Americans
share this attitude, probably a very small minority on this list, but
having lived in South America and Europe and visited many countries on
those two continents, I know that too many Americans abroad give the
impression that they are ignorant and disdainful of other cultures,
languages and peoples, and not open to experiencing other cultures.

Would you think it was really weird to go and stay in some American
family's home? I think if you ever do go and stay with "some foreign
family" you might find they're not so very different... and even if they
are, sometimes it's good to experience "weird" and different things!

I hope I haven't offended any of you Americans out there- I know many of
you travel and are no doubt exemplary ambassadors for your country...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
LGB Lorne G Buick Draft III Music
mcheramy@-----.ca Wind Music
Arranging, Copying, Publishing
Have basset horn, will travel