Tag Archives: culture

Cultural Exchange, culture, entertainment, lifestyle, technology, television

Modern Family: Rewatching 2009 in 2021

By Jack Schwartz

Edited by Natalie Grace Sipula

[3.5 minute read]

It’s no secret that when the pandemic forced us to spend more time indoors, many people quickly turned to streaming TV shows and movies to keep themselves entertained. Unsurprisingly, streaming giants like Netflix boasted huge increases in usage in 2020. Increasing screen time is an experience that I would say is nearly universal at this time. Shows that were released on Netflix last March, such as Tiger King, quickly became trending topics. Suddenly, Joe Exotic was everywhere, and everyone was talking about his zoo full of big cats. As I thought about how to carry out my first session as a Conversation Partner, I reflected on how television has given people of all different backgrounds common topics and themes to discuss, especially over the past year. Of course, students in the United States have rather different streaming options than students studying in China. If you take the time to compare streaming platforms, however, identifying pieces of media that are accessible to people in multiple countries is definitely a possibility.

Of the American TV shows accessible to both me (in Los Angeles) and one of the students participating in the Conversation Partner program (in Beijing), Modern Family stands out as a great choice. The ABC sitcom, set in a Los Angeles suburb documents three very different couples and their families. Many of the relationships between these families were rather tense in the pilot episode, and the show revolves around their growth and increasing connectedness. Rewatching the 2009 pilot episode of the show in 2021 was quite interesting, as the qualities that once made the families stand out have since become great topics of conversation.

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash


 Take, for instance, husbands Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cameron (Eric Stonestreet), who in the pilot episode are nervous to reveal their adopted daughter to the rest of the family. This representation in a broadcast network was quite groundbreaking in 2009. Rewatching the pilot episode in 2021 provides an opportunity for having an open conversation about the shifting cultural attitudes towards adoption by same-sex couples and the advancement of LGBTQ+ rights in general. 


 Another relationship that sparks conversations is the one between Gloria (Sofía Vergara) and Jay (Ed O’Neill). Gloria is an immigrant from Colombia and is over 20 years younger than her 63-year-old husband. The pair are far from the average relationship one might have expected to see on-screen in 2009. Gloria’s relationship with the rest of Jay’s family is layered with jokes at her expense about her accent and language barrier in the pilot. In later episodes, she has more open and honest conversations with members of the family about her experience as an immigrant and the challenges posed by not being a native English speaker. Seeing the rest of the family’s growth, compassion, and understanding is a heartwarming component of the show’s trajectory.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Overall, Modern Family is a great television show choice because it succinctly captures shifting American norms and values throughout the 2010s. On a wider level, rewatching the first season has revealed to me how valuable American media can be in sparking conversations with other students. Although students participating in the program might be located all throughout the world due to online learning and COVID-19, identifying which shows are licensed for streaming in their respective countries proves immensely beneficial. If you have a chance, try streaming Modern Family or another TV show and ask Conversation Leaders if they’ve seen these shows!

Featured Image by Jose Rago on Unsplash

Jack is a senior earning an M.S. in Applied Economics and Econometrics through the progressive degree program. Born and raised in Washington, DC, he’s loved getting to spend the last few years in Los Angeles and has driven across the United States five times. From scuba diving to writing movie reviews for the school newspaper, he tries to take advantage of everything Southern California has to offer. He studied abroad in Madrid last spring and is always looking to improve his Spanish.

culture, Identity, New Experience, Sight Seeing, Travel

Memories of Home: Long Island

By Matt Solowan

Edited by Natalie Grace Sipula

[3 minute read]

Whenever people ask me where I’m from and I say New York, they always reply with something along the lines of “Wow, that’s so cool! You live in New York City!” I then have to remind them (and for some people teach them) that New York is actually a really big state, and New York City (or Manhattan more specifically) is only one part of it.

I grew up on Long Island, about an hour drive from Manhattan. While some people only know us Long Islanders as inhabitants of the setting of The Great Gatsby, we have also made quite a name for ourselves for other reasons. From the beautiful beaches of the Hamptons to our world-famous bagels and pizza, Long Island has come to be known for many things.  When I go home for breaks now, I like to squeeze in as many of my favorite Long Island-themed activities as I can possibly fit in. This got me thinking about what my perfect day on Long Island would be. So without further ado here it is:

I’d wake up early so that I can get to my favorite bagel shop while the bagels are still fresh. I’d order my favorite bacon egg and cheese on an everything flagel (slang for a flat bagel) and an iced coffee. No breakfast food can compare to a Long Island bagel, and in fact, whenever my family or friends come to visit me at school, I always beg them to bring me as many as they can( By the way, if you think you’ve had a bagel, but it wasn’t from Long Island, then you probably were just eating bread).

Photo by Ann on Unsplash

If it were summertime, I would then drive out to the beach with my friends, preferably the Hamptons or nearby Fire Island, but Jones Beach or Oyster Bay are nice hangout spots too. While we may not have the same crystal clear blue water that you find in the Caribbean, to me spending the day at the beach has always been like a mini-vacation (although the seagulls can get pretty annoying).

After that, my friends and I would return home to get ready to go out for the night. One of the best parts about living in the shadow of Manhattan is that at any time you can hop on a train and spend the night in one of the greatest cities on earth. No matter how many times I step out of Penn Station on arrival in Manhattan, I am always in awe at the sights and sounds of the city.

Photo by Alex Simpson on Unsplash
Continue reading Memories of Home: Long Island →
culture, friends, seasonal, Travel

The Culture of Sleep Away Camp

By Katie Stone

Edited by Natalie Grace Sipula

[3 minute read]

Most people have little knowledge of sleep away camp aside from classic movies like “The Parent Trap” and “Meatballs”.  The image that comes to mind when most people think about sleep away camp is of canoeing on a lake, tie-dying t-shirts, or making s’mores and telling stories around a campfire.  The truth is, all of these things certainly exist at sleep away camp, but there is so much more that is involved in this American summertime tradition.

Photo by Artem Kniaz on Unsplash

As a child growing up in the state of New York, my summers always took place at sleep away camp, where I’d spend my days in nature among friends. If you’ve never heard of sleep away camp, it’s a summer-long activity-driven community for children and teens. I have had my fair share of bracelet making and song singing, although my favorite part of camp is undoubtedly interacting with all of the people I’ve met over the years.  Because there are about 100 girls at my camp, and 200 boys at the neighboring “brother” camp, it is safe to say I recognize every face I see.  I can walk down the stunning lakefront path to the dining hall and see friends ranging in age from 8 to 21. There is a certain bond that forms between people who live together in an isolated, yet self-sufficient mini-world that is sleep away camp, and this made this a very memorable part of my childhood.

One of the strongest and most tight-knit communities I belong to is my sleep away camp.  Tucked away in the serene Adirondack mountains, camp is home to a small group of kind, creative, and unique people. The sense of comfort is so strong in this small, lakeside oasis that every person feels like a member of a family. We admire each other’s passions, supporting one another in everything from sports to plays to painted masterpieces; I have never felt more at home in a place besides my own house.  Growing up as a camper, I learned fun lessons from my counselors: how to french-braid hair, craft string bracelets, and effectively mouth words to songs that I was too young to memorize.  They taught me the games, songs, and customs that bind our camp community together, making sure to promote camp spirit.  Now that I am a counselor, I feel that it is my duty to highlight these traditions and pass down the skills I learned to my campers to demonstrate how special this place truly is.

Continue reading The Culture of Sleep Away Camp →