Precerpt from My 20th Language - 🦎 The Cultural Chameleon: Beyond “Gee Whiz” Culture
Jim Bernhardt of the U.S. Department of State once coined the term “gee whiz culture” to describe the kind of cultural content most language programs teach—curious customs like Day of the Dead or quirky etiquette rules. These are fascinating, yes. But they’re not enough. For real language users—even those with modest proficiency—acquiring culture is as vital as acquiring grammar. How people speak and how they behave are inseparable. Without the cultural component, no matter how fluent you are, you’ll still be perceived as a foreigner. 🧬 What Does It Mean to “Acquire Culture”? It’s not about memorizing holidays or historical timelines. It’s about absorbing the unspoken rhythms of a people. It’s about knowing when to speak, when to pause, how to gesture, how to sit, how to blush. It’s about comfort, not just competence. I’ve been called a cultural chameleon. Not because I know everything about every culture I’ve lived in—but because I’ve learned to move within them natu...