This old adage has seemed to take on a new meaning when you depart from one culture to another. The more things that change, the more they stay the same. My cultural examples are ones a little different than the usual “same, same but different” phrase that you hear throughout SE Asian countries, particularly in Thailand.

Terrell Kaucher is The-Idea-Man.org

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Feb 22, 2024

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My example mainly looks at how young people in Lao use their local traditions, showing the similarities and differences to their western counterparts. As a young boy, growing up in Southern California in the late 40’s and early 50’s, the Cub Scouts (for boys) and Brownies (for girls) was the normal path to membership to the Boy or Girl Scout organizations. You felt a certain pride for your work.

The uniforms and the badges you could attain through the mastering of a variety of skill sets was an important way of gaining…