Nathan Algren (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
shiroi_tiger) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2009-05-13 11:36 pm
shiroi_tiger) wrote in fandomhigh2009-05-13 11:36 pm
Entry tags:
Culture Shock, Thursday, 5/14, Period 2
When the students settled around the main campfire today, they might notice that their teacher was already sitting there and waiting for them, his arms crossed over his chest, dressed in an outfit that might even be considered fancy dress clothes... If you were looking for fancy dress clothes from America, 1876.
If Algren was going to teach a class about culture shock, he was going to demonstrate that he was just as susceptible to it as any of his students were, around here.
"I see a few new faces," he noted, remaining where he was seated as he surveyed the class. "Which, considering the subject material of this workshop, doesn't surprise me. Either the majority of you have found yourself in a place that's a far cry from the home you're used to, or you're looking to end up in such a place in the future, I'd wager." There was a pause, and Algren allowed himself a moment to look amused. "Or else there was a mix-up in the office. If that was the case, I won't judge. You might learn something here, regardless.
"This class, ladies and gents, is going to cover the several stages of culture shock, one week at a time. I'll do my best to base the course material around scenarios that will serve you well here in Fandom, but the goal when the workshop is through is to give you hands-on experience dealing with culture shock in a less... absurd environment, as well." He was allowed to call Fandom absurd, damn it. "Culture shock, for those of you who might not be familiar with the term, is what occurs when a person spends an extended period of time in a culture that is different from one's own. It isn't necessarily instantaneous, as the name suggests, but it can wreak havoc on a person's mental state and emotions, once that person begins to come to the realization that the behaviors that they're comfortable with won't necessarily get them the results that they expect in their new environment.
"I'm going to make today's class an easy one. Introductions. I want names, where you're from, one thing about Fandom that strikes you as oddly different from the place you call home, and one thing about where you come from that you think might come as a shock to people from the outside, starting with..." He pointed at a random student. "You."
A beat. "Oh, and I'm looking to fill in a second TA spot. If anyone happens to be interested in taking a little responsibility alongside Miss Sawyer in helping the class survive the term, please come and speak to me after we're finished our introductions."
[The TA slots are already chosen, but feel free to ping to Algren to attempt to win him over, if you'd like. Syllabus, rules, and class list are here!]
If Algren was going to teach a class about culture shock, he was going to demonstrate that he was just as susceptible to it as any of his students were, around here.
"I see a few new faces," he noted, remaining where he was seated as he surveyed the class. "Which, considering the subject material of this workshop, doesn't surprise me. Either the majority of you have found yourself in a place that's a far cry from the home you're used to, or you're looking to end up in such a place in the future, I'd wager." There was a pause, and Algren allowed himself a moment to look amused. "Or else there was a mix-up in the office. If that was the case, I won't judge. You might learn something here, regardless.
"This class, ladies and gents, is going to cover the several stages of culture shock, one week at a time. I'll do my best to base the course material around scenarios that will serve you well here in Fandom, but the goal when the workshop is through is to give you hands-on experience dealing with culture shock in a less... absurd environment, as well." He was allowed to call Fandom absurd, damn it. "Culture shock, for those of you who might not be familiar with the term, is what occurs when a person spends an extended period of time in a culture that is different from one's own. It isn't necessarily instantaneous, as the name suggests, but it can wreak havoc on a person's mental state and emotions, once that person begins to come to the realization that the behaviors that they're comfortable with won't necessarily get them the results that they expect in their new environment.
"I'm going to make today's class an easy one. Introductions. I want names, where you're from, one thing about Fandom that strikes you as oddly different from the place you call home, and one thing about where you come from that you think might come as a shock to people from the outside, starting with..." He pointed at a random student. "You."
A beat. "Oh, and I'm looking to fill in a second TA spot. If anyone happens to be interested in taking a little responsibility alongside Miss Sawyer in helping the class survive the term, please come and speak to me after we're finished our introductions."
[The TA slots are already chosen, but feel free to ping to Algren to attempt to win him over, if you'd like. Syllabus, rules, and class list are here!]
Re: Introductions [05/14]
Karla deliberately didn't mention how important psychic scent was to such a determination. Having to explain that would take...a really, really long time.
Re: Introductions [05/14]
Arthur was fairly sure that even if he'd come in wearing a crown and the Pendragon coat of arms, people wouldn't have been able to get it.
Re: Introductions [05/14]
Re: Introductions [05/14]
After four months of this place, Arthur still had trouble sorting out insults from cultural differences.
Re: Introductions [05/14]
"So, would it then be proper here to introduce myself as a Queen?" Her tone was half-insolent, half genuine interest. "What about being a Healer and a Black Widow? When do I stop listing titles?"
Re: Introductions [05/14]
What? She was a Queen, and unlike Alice, not being trained by him. Ergo... (Of course, he didn't extend such courtesy to Leto anymore, but then Leto hadn't bothered to inform him of the specifics of his position until long after they got casual)
Of course, she could also be lying to him, but so far the bearing wasn't far from it.
Re: Introductions [05/14]
Let's see if she'd made any sense this time.
Re: Introductions [05/14]
The concept of someone being a Queen and not doing their job was honestly, on some level, extraordinarily offensive to Arthur in ways he couldn't articulate if life depended on it. The best he could make of it was that some of her Queens ruled without a King, or something.
Re: Introductions [05/14]
Re: Introductions [05/14]
Re: Introductions [05/14]
Re: Introductions [05/14]
There was a dragon she should try asking about that lot, but she'd probably be there all month just to get a straight answer. And Nimueh, but considering that she was dead, that would probably be hard by now."My father rules by right," he said, almost stiffly, but with conviction, "And that right is mine next by birth and oath and service."And clearly, being pure awesome was something he'd been born to, too, but that didn't sound like an argument she'd be capable of understanding.
Re: Introductions [05/14]
She'd be able to understand the argument better if he started showing some proof of it. Any time now. She's got the rest of class.
Re: Introductions [05/14]
He wouldn't, of course, because despite his moods he did know how to control himself when needed. He would have mentioned the illegality of magic as well, but his continuing friendship with Merlin and Reno put him on somewhat shaky grounds there. He'd rather not call attention to it.
"As well as the faith entrusted in us by the people."
Even if more and more of that seemed to fall to Arthur, lately.
Re: Introductions [05/14]
She could keep going, but she had a question instead. "What's a god?"
Re: Introductions [05/14]
Or, again, Nimueh.He chose to shelve it with the other thousands of culturally confusing things he didn't understand, under the heading, Not quite like me and would treat it accordingly.Mainly by not knowing how the hell to act about it. Ladies and gentlemen, why Arthur was in this class. "...God is God," he said, slowly,
being from a BBC show that tried to avoid linking Christianity to all the witch burnings. "Creator of us all. You can't just-- take Him away."Even Leto had his bloody sandworms.
Re: Introductions [05/14]
[And, sadly, with that, I must go sleep. SP?]
Re: Introductions [05/14]
[ always! ]
Re: Introductions [05/14]
The Queen of the dragons made us Blood, but we simply lived as landens before that." By this point, Karla was speaking mostly to herself trying to untangle the strange concept of 'God.' "I don't think we have one," she said finally.
Re: Introductions [05/14]
It was either that, or you realise that you're utterly mad, or perhaps that is completely impossible, neither of which seemed like very constructive additions to the conversation.
He was trying to be good. He was starting to fail.
Re: Introductions [05/14]
There, that was diplomatic enough.