America - Nick Campbell

Hey there!

I'm Nick, and I am a freshman here at the University of Michigan. Right now I am studying clarinet performance as well as international studies. My dream is to play in an orchestra some day, but if that doesn't work out I'd love to work in politics or run the National Endowment for the Arts here. While music takes up most of my time, I do manage to procrastinate with other hobbies. First, soccer. The greatest sport in the world. I am a huge Chelsea fan, so 2013 was perhaps the greatest year ever. I also am a huge TV nerd so I wastes lots of time on Netflix. I like to think I have decent taste, but secretly (or not so much) I am obsessed with cheesy teenage shows on MTV like Akward and Teen Wolf. I don't know if you guys have heard of those or not, but they aren't exactly high drama TV... I live in Virginia, at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, so I decided to share a picture of my friends and I at the peak of one of the mountains.

So on the topic of Zwarte Piet..

I'm sure you've read a lot of the same stuff from us, but its all true. To me, Zwarte Piet is a racist stereotype of black people. I grew up in a very conservative, white area of Virginia where a lot of racsim was tolerated. But black face? Not a chance. The relationship between white and black people here is buit on years of slavery and hate. So now, any action against another race is taken very seriously. I understand that your culture is very different, though. Your society isn't founded on the same racial undertones. I'm also impressed that you guys are finally starting to tone down the black face for Zwarte Piet...How do you feel about that? Was Zwarte Piet an important part of your childhood? When you look at Zwarte Piets what do you actually see? A black faced white man, or just a fun character of the holidays?


http://www.dw.de/dutch-court-rules-in-favor-of-black-pete/a-18058433
I found this article that discusses the issue of Zwarte Piet in the courts? Was this ruling a big headline in the Netherlands? Was their outrage? Happiness?

Thanks for reading! If anyone wants to talk soccer, music, or tv, I'd be happy to!

America - Spencer Bartok

Hallo! Mijn naam is Spencer Bartok en ik kom uit Los Angeles, California. Ik ben achttien jaar oud en mijn verjaardag is op 21 maart.   Ik ben een student aan de Universiteit van Michigan in de stad van Ann Arbor.  I studeer Engels, bioscoop, wiskunde, en natuurlijk Dutch, maar ik wil economie studeren.  Ik ben ook in een broederschap hier op school. Het heet Sigma Alpha Mu of "Sammy."  Ik hou van films kijken en sporten met mijn vrienden. Ik vindt de Nederland prachtig en een dag ik wil daar studeren.

                            Dit is een foto van mijn broers en ik in Brazilië voor de World Cup.

Zwarte Piet and the issues thereof is a foreign concept to me and most likely a majority of Americans. As an American, I find this tradition most definitely a form of racism.  If one were to paint their face black in this country, he or she would upset a lot people as the history of slavery and racism in the United States still haunts us like a specter.  Racism is still a hot issue and everyone here is a lot more conscious about purposeful or accidental discrimination as a result.  Many, including myself, would be uncomfortable with a character such as Zwarte Piet, especially if he was involved in such a joyous holiday as Christmas.  However, as it is a long-standing tradition in your country, it is easy to see why most Dutch people would shrug it off and claim that Zwarte Piet is not an icon of racism.  A country's history, especially one as rich as your's, is important to maintain, honor, and respect; however, I believe that Zwarte Piet could and should be turned into a much more diverse character. Instead of all Piets being black, why not have them all be different colors? There is no need to completely eradicate a beloved tradition, but changing how this tradition is handled would make everyone feel included and a lot more comfortable.

My question for you is:
What is your favorite part about living in the Netherlands, and what is your least favorite part?

America: Clara Li

Hello! My name is Clara Li and I am from Bethesda, Maryland which is a couple miles outside of Washington, D.C. I am a freshman at the University of Michigan and am part of a student dance group called Outrage. I have been dancing since I was four years old and I used to focus on ballet but in high school I started jazz, contemporary and modern. Next semester I hope to take classes in the School of Music, Theater, and Dance because I want to continue to be active and because it is something that I am very passionate about. I am planning on majoring in International Studies, but I am also considering the major Politics, Philosophy and the Economy or applying to the Ford School of Public Policy for my junior and senior years. This past summer I traveled to Switzerland, France, Denmark and Sweden and I realized how much of the world that I have not seen or learned about. Therefore by majoring in International Studies I hope to travel and learn about the range of traditions and practices that are not present in Western culture. I want to combine my love for exploring and traveling with my passion for medicine by joining the Peace Corps after college and later doing Doctors Without Borders. I hope to foster positive changes in all the places that I visit through medical assistance, providing aid, and advancing health care systems in developing countries. 

This is my prom date and I in front of the Washington Monument. 

In class, when we first discussed the story behind Zwarte Piet and the cultural influence of this tradition, I thought that it was discriminatory towards colored people. American society places a strong taboo regarding the issue of slavery, therefore the practice of black face seems backwards and racist. We also learned about how the influx of immigrants to the Netherlands brought increased debate regarding the continuation of this practice. Foreigners are shocked by how these black faced servants are serving this white master and having these influences around children every year. However, though it may seem derogatory through one perspective, the common Dutch belief is that this is a harmless tradition with no aims of being racist. I understand how the people are used to seeing these actors every year and view it through a mainly entertainment point of view. I think that part of the reason for such strong and opposing views about this practice can be attributed to our individual cultural practices. There is more social and cultural disparity regarding race in the US compared to the Netherlands where, though there are inclusion and exclusion practices, they revolve less around race and more around ethnicity. 

The link that I have attached below is a speech from the UN human rights organization that discusses the implications of the Zwarte Piet tradition in the Netherlands. The article states that the "portrayal of Zwarte Piet perpetuates a negative stereotype and derogatory image of Africans and African descent." Do you agree with this statement? Do you believe that measures should be take to replace or discard this tradition?

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=14013&LangID=E 

Amerika - Hallo! Ik ben Cara Bloom

Ik ben op de linker

Dit is mijn vierde en laatste jaar op de University of Michigan. Ik kom uit Chelsea, Michigan een klein stadje in het westen van Ann Arbor. Mijn ouders nog steeds wonen en Chelsea. Mijn zus studeert aan de University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Dit is mijn geboortestad Chelsea

Ik hou van studeren informatica en ik ook hou van mijn Nederlandse les. Ik studeer Nederlands omdat afgelopen zomer ik woon en Amsterdam. In Amsterdam ik werk bij een kleine bedrijf. Elke ochtend ik fiets door het park aan het werk. 

Ik fiets in dit park elke middag

Ik ook fiets in Ann Arbor. Vandaag het sneeuwt daarom fietsen is moeilijk. Ik zal binnenkort naar huis gaan en thee drinken met mijn kat. Misschien zal ik ook iets koekjes eten.

Zwarte Piet: 

I was first exposed to a lot of Dutch culture on the website Stuff Dutch People Like which includes things like "gezelligheid," stroopwafels, Canadians, tulips, and of course Zwarte Piet. What I found more interesting than the article itself was the conversation being had in the comments. There were a three basic stands that Dutch commenters used to justify the tradition: 

• Zwarte Piet is a Moor, not an African and this was a caricature that is based on history. 
• Zwarte Piet has become a tradition and isn't offensive. If you get offended then that's your fault. 
• Zwarte Piet is for children and they don't find it racist so if you are offended it's because you're not the target audience. 

And one common counter argument: 

• Zwarte Piet shouldn't have a place in modern Dutch society because it is an antiquated, offensive racial stereotype. 

One person echoed what Annemarie said in class yesterday with an insightful comment: 

"What often surprises me is the Dutch people’s inability to anticipate how things are taken by others. “We didn’t mean any offense, so it’s your problem that you feel offended”, is not a very good attitude as global citizens." - Reggie

This was what I found when I discussed Zwarte Piet and other strange traditions with my Dutch friends. Some who had lived abroad could see why others would be offended, but many couldn't understand it and almost none thought that the offense was on the part of the offender. They tend to blame a person for becoming offended instead which has huge cultural implications such as liberal gay rights policy and the Dutch people's frank way of speaking. Because these types of behaviors are so well regarded in the global community, I think the Dutch have been lulled into a false sense of hubris about their cultural standpoint on offense as being correct in all cases. By taking a few steps back and doing more quantitative and qualitative research on how traditions like Zwarte Piet actually effect people, the Dutch will be able to logically assess and separate which traditions are appropriate in a global society from those that are not. 

Questions: 

What kind of bike do you have? Where would you like to go (other than NYC) if you came to the US?

Toedeledoki! Toodaloo!

America: Jenna VanZoeren

Hallo! Mijn naam is Jenna VanZoeren en ik ben een eerstejaars aan de Universiteit van Michigan,  maar ik kom uit Kalamazoo, Michigan.  Op UofM speel ik voor de club volleybal team, ik ben in een vrouwenclub, Gamma Phi Beta, en ik wil studeren biomedische technologie.  In mijn vrije tijd ga ik naar sportevenementen en ik tijd doorbrengen met mijn vrienden.  Op een dag wil ik studeren in Nederland. 

<-- 
Dit is een foto van mijn twee vrienden en ik.  (Ik ben in het midden). 






Nu op Zwarte Piet:
I believe that Zwarte Piet is a very racist tradition.  If anyone in America ever paints their face to look like an African American, they can expect to be confronted with lots of criticism. Racism played a large role in the history of the United States, and because of this we are very aware of these types of things and why they can be so offensive.  Although people try to say that the Petes are black from being covered in chimney soot, to me this is clearly just an attempt to hide the truth and make the tradition seem less racist.  Along with having their skin painted black, the Petes are given big red lips and afros, making it pretty obvious that they are meant to portray African Americans.  Personally, I think the use of blackface in this traditon should be completely stopped, but I know that is almost impossible because it is a tradition so embedded in the culture of the Netherlands.

Here are two short articles about a celebrity who did blackface.  Hopefully this will give you a better idea of how we view this sort of thing in America:
http://www.eonline.com/news/475028/julianne-hough-s-blackface-plus-5-other-celebs-who-should-have-rethought-their-offensive-costumesArticle 1
http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/isla-fisher-told-julianne-hough-to-wipe-off-her-blackface-on-halloween-20131311

My question is does anyone know what my last name, VanZoeren, means?  My professor explained to me that Dutch names with "Van" often mean "of the ____" but she was unable to tell me what mine was.  Any ideas?

America: Erin Shy

Hi! My name is Erin Shy.
I am a freshman at the University of Michigan. Right now, I'm studying Calculus, World Politics, Linguistics/ Psychology, and Dutch: Amsterdam Culture. I'm also on the  club tennis team here at Michigan. We practice together a few times a week and travel around the country to play against other schools.

I am from Redondo Beach, California, which is a suburb of Los Angeles. I love going to the beach, surfing, playing tennis, going to concerts, and hanging out with friends. The first picture is of my hometown last winter (the weather is very different from Michigan's).

The second is my pet dog. Her name is Lucy and she's a yellow lab who just turned six years old. She is very hyper, but is always super happy. She loves people and meeting other dogs.

The last picture is my and some of my friends at Coachella, which is a music festival in the desert in California. Thousands of people come to hang out and listen to live music by their favorite bands.

What are some of your favorite musical artists? What do you think of Americans? What are some of the stereotypes you have?

Redondo Beach, CA

My pet dog, Lucy

Coachella (I'm on the left in the blue tank top)

The tradition of Zwarte Piet was shocking to me when I first learned of it. It seems extremely racist, especially after hearing the context and history to which it was brought into Dutch culture. The idea of "black slaves" as part of a child's holiday tradition would be extremely controversial in America, as racial conflict and slavery are sensitive parts of our history. It is important to people to treat these topics delicately, and remain politically correct in any speech regarding them. However, after hearing the Dutch point of view, I understand that Zwarte Piets are not thought of in a remotely racist manner. While black people and Zwarte Piets are entirely separate in Dutch people's minds, Americans would take offense to this tradition and find it inappropriate. The attached link explains more about how Americas find the tradition racist.

 Is Zwarte Piet racism?

America: Mylaica Conner

Hallo!

Hoi, ik ben Mylaica! Mijn achternaam is Conner. Ik kom uit een klein stad in  Michigan en nu woon in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ik ben 20 jaar. Ik ben derde jaar student aan de Universiteit van Michigan, Ik studeren Biopsychology, Cognition en Neuroscience. Ik houd van te glimlachen! (: 

Ik ben Zwarte Amerikaanse, so the whole tradition of Zwarte Piet does not sit well with me. Even I were not black I don't think I'd agree with it, and being black I would not mimic white people or any other race and/or culture. I was planning to study abroad in the Netherlands this spring and I was really excited, but learning about Zwarte Piet really made me second-guess things. I look at the Netherlands as progressive and I find the celebration racist. Racism is basically prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed towards someone of a different race because they believe that their race is superior.  I feel that mimicking and stereotyping Africans as "jolly slaves" when slavery was nothing close to jolly. They are following and working for a white man, or St. Nicolas. What bothers me most is the black facing, the act of painting non-black people black and giving them what appears to be African/black features. That is not a thing that we do in America and if it is done it's done by people who are in most cases racist or behind closed doors. I realized that some people don't look at it as wrong and find it funny, fun and entertaining which could just be ignorance and not being aware. We learned about some of the justifications for the black facing and it really stuck out to me. "They got that color from going down the chimney" that'd be fine if they were not completely black and didn't have African features. I feel like once people begin justifying why something looked at as wrong is the way it is, is the moment it is no longer not being aware. If someone wasn't aware they would not have to justify it, they'd be oblivious to seeing anything wrong, hence it is not ignorance to me. I understand tradition and I understand that people want to hold on to something but many traditions that are let go are let go for a reason. Learning about the celebration made one of my goals to be to someday travel to the Netherlands during the celebration of St. Nicolas. I would love to be immersed into the tradition to get a better understanding, though I probably wouldn't be completely comfortable as a black person walking around the Netherlands not agreeing with "tradition" but it would be intriguing. I do not have a way to offer change because I am not from the Netherlands and I do not know how breaking tradition and changing things work. I do hope that people soon realize that it is not right no matter how it is put and elicit change. I still would love to study abroad in the Netherlands in the near future, as well as gather a better understanding of the way people think and behave. Exploring different cultures has always interested me and I look forward to exploring the Dutch culture, even while not agreeing with the racist celebration of St. Nicolas.

 De man achter mij in de afbeelding is niet zwarte in gezicht, Ik studeerde in China.