Pickup Games as a Way to Encounter Cultures
Some people view themselves as cultured if they are well traveled. Others think being cultured involves a degree in history, or in-depth study on the traditions and pasts of different countries. Still others think that being cultured can only be attained through living within the culture itself.
While there are thousands of interesting facts and tidbits of information people can learn from books and travel excursions, true understanding of a new culture only comes through immersion. It is only through walking the streets, shopping in the back-alley markets, eating the local foods, and forming lasting friendships, that a person will ever truly become cultured. Perhaps one of the best, and yet rarely considered, methods of learning about new cultures is through pickup games.
Sports are an integral component of a nation. For some nations, the most popular sport is soccer, for other folks, rugby, basketball, cricket, or hockey. Any nation with a sport that is easy to form pickup video games gives a golden opportunity for foreigners. What sport is played, the way it is played, and the attitudes of the players all shed light on a country’s underlying beliefs and attitudes.
The first thing one can learn about a culture is determined by how easy it is for a foreigner to join a game. If players are friendly and welcoming, generally that culture is welcoming as well. If they refuse to allow foreigners to play or do so with reluctance, it might be because they see foreigners as an inconvenience or clumsy. If the person trying to join is female, it is possible that culturally it is inappropriate to have mixed gendered games. Another thing foreigners can learn about a culture comes from the rules used within the game. Is there someone making all the calls or does no one ever call anything? If there is someone that keeps score and enforces the rules, that culture might be one in which following authorities and rules is viewed as essential. One more interesting factor to consider is the players. Do the players share the ball and include newcomers or do they ignore them? Some cultures are naturally more willing to share and have more confidence in the abilities of people. Often times, these slight details can be gleaned from a simple pickup game.
Although a single may possibly discover a lot about a lifestyle from sports activities game titles, there are even now some items that take time to understand about. Once example is security. Do the locals have personalized home security systems? Although home security is simply accessible to Americans, several countries do not have this luxury.
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