Amanda Toler, one of the colleagues on the list to the right, works with study abroad programs. If you check out her blog, she talks about the importance to educate individuals at a young age about cultural differences. I agree. Dora the Explorer is the coolest kid around; independent, bilingual, and she has a pet monkey!
I was a nanny for a few years, and also a member of the National Spanish Honor Society in high school. I didn't know a word of Spanish until I was 13, and thought that was young at the time. My parent's friends were so impressed, I remember. But when I started caring for 3 young children it was both shocking and refreshing that they already knew so many words and phrases in Spanish, mainly thanks to Dora!
Ms. Toler makes a good point that I had not really thought about in depth before, however; my research topic is focused on teaching adults concepts that if they were born a few generations later they would find patronising.
But, because it can't be helped that if we do our jobs as good parents and educators that each generation will be more cunning, coy, and educated, we'll have to swallow the pride and continue trying to get ourselves up to speed with the world that is so constantly and rapidly changing.
My recommended site for more valuable reading on learning about cultures today is http://www.international-business-center.com/. It's a large focus on not just getting by as a tourist, but how to do business in a way that won't leave you not only embarrassed, but also potentially without a client!
Here's another site I find really interesting, but somewhat questionable as it does not give an author and is a bit opinionated about cultures without offering sources so I question it's reliability. Even as a not so stellar site, the read is still applicable: www.analytictech.com/mb021/cultural.htm
Enjoy.
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