Laughing Without an Accent provides its readers an engaging glimpse into the multicultural lifestyle of the author Firoozeh Dumas. Her superb ability to translate humor amongst different communities, speaks vastly to her cultural awareness. Dumas’ detailed chapters deliver ample illustrations of what the life of a global citizen can entail.
In particular, I define a global citizen as someone who possesses characteristics that help them to actively engage with people of any culture. They have an eagerness understand and comprehend lifestyles different than their own. Through an openness to try various cuisines or participate in any cultural traditions, a global citizen incorporates aspects of these cultures into their own lives to better themselves.
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This is showcased in how she responds to the Iranian Hostage Crisis. As the American sentiment toward Iranians became hostile with the production of hateful bumper stickers and t-shirts, Dumas justifies their beliefs and actions. She realized that Americans watched the news to learn about other parts of the world, and that the coverage was mostly the worst qualities of each country. The news broadcasted the American hostages in Iran and how brutal the captors were, which portrayed Iran in a negative light. Dumas understood the American hostility towards the Iranians and didn’t fault them for it. Ultimately, her actions demonstrate why I believe that Dumas is accurately described as a global citizen.
In contrast, I do not yet describe myself as a global citizen. I believe that I have not attained the knowledge and understanding of other cultures outside of my community to consider myself a global citizen. Nevertheless, I intend to shape myself into a global citizen similar to Firoozeh Dumas through travel, cuisine, reading and conversation with people from all walks of life. In my opinion, in order to become global citizens, people must immerse themselves in the diverse cultures and traditions of the