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 Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 5:54 pm
So I went to the SLAA meeting tonight. That's Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous. No, I'm not a member. I went to observe the group as a part of a class assignment. We had to attend one session and write a reflection paper about it.
I never realized that they'd be so open to having visitors (about 6-7 people from my class showed up). They welcomed us warmly and even though we were there, still remained relatively open about the things they talked about. I was surprised to see that they had set up rules to follow as a group and they keep a Day Count for how many days it's been since they've had sex. I didn't think they would be talking about the kinds of things that were brought up, but overall it was a very mind-opening situation for me...
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Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 6:59 pm
It's somewhat surprising that they would be so open in discussing all that. You get to do some weird stuff in college, Blossom! Interesting, but strange ...
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Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 7:23 pm
Heh, yeah...we do some weird stuff...
Once I had to wheel myself (as part of a group) around the city in a manual wheelchair for 2 hours to check out the accessibility of the city.
Another time, later this semester, I'm going to have to have an "otherness experience" in which I am among the minority of the group. Does anyone have any ideas as to what I could do?
I've also spent numerous classes doing arts and crafts for class credit. All my housemates got jealous whenever I would bring home another craft project...
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 4:44 am
I suggest you try an African American church service for your "otherness experience". I've done it ... it's humbling, but I also had fun. It wasn't stodgy and stuffy, as I was used to. And even though I was definitely in the minority, people were very nice.
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 6:10 am
Ooh, that sounds like a really great idea! But I don't think I'd be able to find one up here. The population is a majority of Irish and Polish Catholics, as well as a large Jewish population. It seems kind of ironic that a Jesuit university would be plopped in the middle of a Jewish neighborhood, but it work out great as far as I can tell.
I was actually considering three places for me to go for my "otherness experience" - a church that says mass in Spanish (i'd understand most of it but still be in minority), a Jewish temple, or a gay bar. xd There are just too many good choices - I can't decide...
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:14 am
Very interstressing! I've been to a funeral as a minority...it was an experience to be sure, but the whole ceremony was uplifting and wonderful in some serious ways, too. Not stodgy, as Fresnel says.
smile
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:16 am
<@~{Carpe Noctem}~@>
I think me entire high school life had been an "otherness experience". Though seeing as I'm a minority a lot of things I do end up being that way. Out of curiosity what class are you doing the "otherness experience" for is it the same class as the SLAA meeting?
<@~{Seize the Night}~@>
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:51 am
You know what's weird? Going out with your own father, and having people staring you down and wondering how come you're out with him.
My father is Mexican-Irish, but you wouldn't know it to look at him. He's very much hispanic looking. I could fall either way, but I swear I get the weirdest looks from people when I'm with him. Used to drive me crazy when I was younger, especially when we were in San Antonio.
Looks like...what's that gringa doing with that old Mexican guy?
He's my dad, for crying out loud. :/
I know that's not nearly the same as your experience, _of_, but it's still a weird one.
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:14 am
Duce_of_Spades <@~{Carpe Noctem}~@>
Out of curiosity what class are you doing the "otherness experience" for is it the same class as the SLAA meeting?
<@~{Seize the Night}~@>
Actually, the two assignments are for two different classes even though they are both counseling classes.
The SLAA assignment was for Group Dynamics. We had to see how a self-help group was run.
The "otherness experience" is for Multiculturalism. We need to go to a place where we are definitely the minority. It should be interesting to see what comes of that experience for me.
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:16 am
Do you have any tiny latin restaurants you could go to? Would that count?
I go to one with a friend of mine, and we speak only spanish when we go, and most of the clientele is hispanic...so it's a good learning experience. I try to go at least once a week, and get some more spanish lessons in. *grins* I trade with the waitresses who are learning more english!
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:18 am
<@~{Carpe Noctem}~@>
I know what you mean. My cousin looks Hispanic but he is actually part Caucasian. His dad is white and his mom is mixed so I don't know how he ended up looking Hispanic.
<@~{Seize the Night}~@>
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:21 am
I'll have to ask about the restaurants. I don't know of any around here, but I don't know if that would count. I'm seriously thinking of going to a Jewish temple service. My best friend is Jewish and even though she's down at Tulane and wouldn't be able to come with me, she could explain it to me so that I could understand what was going on...
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:21 am
Duce_of_Spades <@~{Carpe Noctem}~@>
I know what you mean. My cousin looks Hispanic but he is actually part Caucasian. His dad is white and his mom is mixed so I don't know how he ended up looking Hispanic.
<@~{Seize the Night}~@> It's weird, isn't it? You never know what genetics will do to ya. Heck, when I dance, I've been mistaken for being Lebanese. And my youngest bro looks completely hispanic, and my other bro looks more...Italian. It's funny how the boys got to be very ethnic looking, and my sister and I are not so obvious in our heritage.
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:31 am
I'm a European mutt. A quarter each of Italian, Lithuanian, German, and English. But I don't feel like I look like any of my ethnic countries. My dad looks Italian. I wish I looked like something. Or at least I want curly hair for some reason...
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:49 am
Hee hee! I'm a mutt too...
Mom is French/Chippewa and Italian
Dad is Mexican Irish.
So, I'm a mess, but I don't look like anything in particular. However, I did get a lot of belligerent stereotype groups...so I bet I'm a meanie!
*snickers*
I have obnoxious hair, too...like a funky old school western barbie--y'know, that one that has the button on her back to wink her eyelids, and the copper wire strands in her hair to help it curl>
My mom has fine hair, and my dad has curly, wiry hair that grows straight up. When I get my hair cut, I'm frequently asked if I'm of African, or Latin descent, accordingly...some of my hair is very curly and coarse, but the majority is pretty straight and thin. I get the worst of both worlds...when the weather is humid, my curls bounce up and look a bit frizzy, but the straight stuff goes lank.
I do think I got a flat french milk maid's butt outta the deal, too. Not too good, if you ask me. *giggles*
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