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QUESTION
- Have you ever felt unsure how to communicate with someone from a different culture? If so, how did you handle it?
- Have you ever surprised someone, or been surprised, by a gesture or statement that is acceptable in one culture but out of place in another?
- Imagine that you were commissioned to write a book or create a video for people from other parts of the world who will visit your community for the first What communication-related topics would you include? What advice would you give?
- Think of a time when you met someone who seemed very different from you at first but eventually became a close friend or Create a timeline that illustrates turning points in your relationship when you learned more about each other and developed rapport.
- How do you rate yourself in terms of intercultural sensitivity and open-mindedness? What steps might you take to keeping growing in this regard?
ANSWER
Communicating with People from Another Culture
Sometimes we find ourselves confused when we want to communicate with people from other cultures. My experience of this confusion was when I was unsure how to approach them. Having watched a few Asian series and observed how they greet and talk to each other, I wasn’t sure how to speak to this one Korean girl I met at the library. I was curious about many things but found it challenging to start the conversation. For instance, I thought of how slang won’t match her language, or perhaps I may be speaking faster. Eventually, I said hello and found how easy it was to have a conversation than I had initially thought.
When communicating with people from another culture, you might be surprised by how gestures vary from acceptable in one culture to being offensive in another (Vũ, 2010). One of the surprising gestures is the “OK” sign, which is usually done by forming a circle with the thumb. I was surprised to find that France considers the sign offensive as it represents an offensive gender mark.
If I were to create a video with communication-related topics from other parts of the world visiting my community, I would focus on the most important aspects. These aspects include the values and principles of the community, symbols, boundaries, rituals, and language. I would mostly emphasize the language and the mannerisms of communication as they form the basis of communication (Wang, Lin, and Chu, 2011). Furthermore, I would advise that the visitors use acceptable communication styles, like, no slang, taking turns when speaking, and simple sentences and understandable words. Still, they would need to know the culturally acceptable means of communication, which I will include in the video.
Turning points in a relationship with a new person begin with proper communication. When I first met the Korean lady at the library, I faced difficulties because we were different from one another. As I learned about their acceptable gestures and distance, we would share and develop rapport as days went by at school. We became friends for a long time until she had to move away.
Regarding intercultural sensitivity and open-mindedness, I would rate myself as average because of how culture is a broad topic and takes time to adjust. However, I am open to learning and understanding other people’s cultures while appreciating their uniqueness. To keep growing, I intend to take time to know other people’s cultural mannerisms without judging and respecting them for who they are.
References
Vũ, T. L. (2010). A Cross Culture Study On Using Gestures Of Vietnamese And American People (Doctoral Dissertation, Đại học Dân lập Hải Phòng). https://lib.hpu.edu.vn/handle/123456789/19403
Wang, W. C., Lin, C. H., & Chu, Y. C. (2011). Cultural Diversity And Information And Communication Impacts On Language Learning. International Education Studies, 4(2), 111-115. http://www.ccsenet.org/ies
