It's Tartan Week over the pond in New York, a week long celebration of all things Scottish. This is a good thing. We're an extremely small nation who need all the promotion and marketing that we can get, but we do have a very strong identity and pride, or so I thought.School kids over here are currently on holiday, or 'spring break' as they are now calling it.
Spring Break?!
This isn't 'The O.C.'
This isn't 'Dawson's Creek'.
They don't have a 'School Disco' any longer, where they'd get on their best clobber and spend the evening trying not to dance with each other. Oh no, we now have a 'Prom Night' where they wear gowns and tuxedos and arrive in stretch limos. I have no problem with American culture, but it's not MY culture. My high school used to have a Burns Supper every year, and it was great. Kilts, haggis, and poetry. I'd be amazed if high school students could even tell me when a Burns Supper was supposed to be held. I find that quite disappointing.
Spring Break?!
This isn't 'The O.C.'
This isn't 'Dawson's Creek'.
They don't have a 'School Disco' any longer, where they'd get on their best clobber and spend the evening trying not to dance with each other. Oh no, we now have a 'Prom Night' where they wear gowns and tuxedos and arrive in stretch limos. I have no problem with American culture, but it's not MY culture. My high school used to have a Burns Supper every year, and it was great. Kilts, haggis, and poetry. I'd be amazed if high school students could even tell me when a Burns Supper was supposed to be held. I find that quite disappointing.
7 comments:
Totally agree. Why the hell do we have "proms"? They're discos for God's sake! Discos! I likewise hate all the trick or treat bollocks that proliferates in October. What next? Are we going to be celebrating thanksgiving too? Bah humbug!
Nooooo!!! I can't believe the British are so quick to adopt the shit they see over here. I live here and hate so much about this selfish greedy counrty. The problem is, I'm also selfish and greedy and have a far higher standard of living than I'd ever have as a nurse in the UK. Saying that, if all things British are eventually morph into a wannabe US I suppose I'm better off here.
I'm mortified. I thought Scotland was all Trainspotting, nothing under your kilt, deep-fried Mars bars, fine whisky and losing to Italy at the rugby. What the hell happened? You'll be telling me next that the haggis have become extinct...
Oh we still retain all our age-old Scottish traditions like heart disease, alcoholism, and knife crime, as long as they don't get in the way of things like Arbor Day, Columbus Day, and the Kupalo Festival.
Ron, mate you're definitely better off there, if only for the weather.
There was a Scottish Day over in Canberra, Australia just last Saturday actually. I know this because one of my volunteers for THE sausage sizzle fundraiser couldn't go - she was off to the Scottish fair out in the country.
Next year - I'm going to that!!
It has to be said that most of Scottish culture revolves around trying to kill each other. Fighting is a Scottish passtime, as is drinking whiskey to excess and eating haggis and other noxious foodstuffs.
Actually, haggis is fantastic. I can understand that even the idea might put people off, it did for me for years, but you have to try it. You'll love it.
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