world view.

a few weeks back i went to grab a bite to eat with a good friend after she showed me around the U.
we were, or more i was, talking about below's sermon by David Platt.

we were talking about the world, and at one point in the conversation my friend, L, asks:

"ok, well, how many continents are there?" (as a rhetorical question)

me: "7"

L: "7?! there's 5 silly!"

me: "hahaha, that's funny, there's definately more than 5!!! there's 7!  that's what I learned in school!"

L: "really?!  I learned in school that there are 5!!"

right there i was having a cultural moment.
my thoughts: how could Peru teach there were 5 continents when clearly there are 7!
ok, i'll step down from my platform and try to listen and wrap my head around this.

here is my view of the world:

7 continents : N. America, S. America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia & Antarctica

L's view of the world:

5 continents : America, Africa, Europe, Asia & Australia

Do you see the difference?

Ok first, L just disregarded Antarctica... she said, really no one lives there, so it really isn't a continent... Hahaha, I laughed, and thought, ok, so then there is 6 in her mind, but they just don't count one.

So the big difference: is North American and South America!!!!

They just include it all into one, it's just one America.

One is more North, and one is more South, but it's just one.

I admired this way of thinking, and it made me appreciate the collectiveness of her world view -- I've been raised in more of an individualistic society, and this small exchange has proven it true.

However I must say, it made me hate the name of my country because it's hard to identify myself.

I can't say I'm "American," because their response, "me too!"

I mean come on: Peru = Peruvian, Switzerland = Swiss, England = British, Germany = German... so easy for them!

So that is why I have accepted my name that they have given me: "Gringa"

and I receive it as a term of endearment : )

Annie the Gringa, it sounds nice, right?!