Cultural Gaps

I guess that there's more than one way to end up with gaps in cultural knowledge.  When I was growing up in the Philippines it was easy to understand how I could lack insight into American culture.  In fact, I knew plenty about it, but when we would come back here I would end up finding out at awkward moments about details that had escaped me.

But it's definitely not a homogenous culture.  I realize that even Liam, who has never, in his four and a half years, been outside U.S borders, has some interesting gaps.  Granted, four and a half years is not a long time to find out about a culture - especially while learning to talk, walk, pee in the potty and sleep through the night.  Still, I think it's kind of funny that he doesn't know who Ronald McDonald is.  When given a bandage with this character after a vaccine (at the county "health" department - why they are advertising this establishment is beyond the scope of this post) he identified him as a "clown." 

Another interesting gap is in the area of soft drinks.  Allen drinks Coke sometimes, but rarely at home and never with meals.  When we were watching a movie the other day Liam asked what the iconic "Coca-Cola" sign in the background said.  Liam sometimes drinks what I drink - "healthy" carbonated beverages with fruit juice (as well as sugar) or "natural" soda made with cane sugar instead of corn syrup.  So today when he was throwing up repeatedly I got out a can of cola.  Liam liked it a lot.  He remembered having shared some of mine when I had some.  After a while he asked for more "cola-coca." 

Thankfully, Liam's digestive system seems to be on the mend.  He's currently eating a jelly sandwich.  Earlier he was coloring, and educating me about colors that girls like and boys don't - mostly pink.  He colored a picture of Jesus pink "because I love Him so much" even though he says that pink is not a color for boys.  When I asked him why not he said "because lots of boys don't like pink."  So I'm guessing that some aspects of culture haven't escaped his attention.