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More handpicked essays just for you.
Cultural differences and communication
Interpersonal communication between people from different cultures
Interpersonal communication between people from different cultures
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Recommended: Cultural differences and communication
What do you think the best way to adopt a new environment that has a different culture for a foreigner? …………. Well, I think it’s to develop social relationships with members of the new culture, and in order to have a better communication with them, it’s not enough just speak their language fluent, but we also have to know the personality of the country and the way that people talking. Today I want to share some of my culture shock experiences with you, and I hope those experiences can help you to have a little closer look of the personality of Americans and the way that people talking.
The first thing I want to talk happened at the first day I attended to USC as its student, which just several weeks ago. A friend and I went to the cafeteria to have lunch. There was a middle size? guy caught my attention. He carried a big backpack and wore a huge headphone. He was singing as he stopped in the front of a food counter. It seemed that the music he was listening reached the climax. He closed his eyes, turned to another side and opened his arms while his sound became more and more loud until almost yelled! Everybody turned to look at him, and he seemed still enjoyed in that song. During a short quiet moment, a lady who sat in a wheelchair beside the table I sat suddenly moved her body hardly and yelled: I like it! I like it! The guy who shared the same table with us looked at me said: “Oh man, it is amazing, isn’t it?” I was still in shock and replied him a smile after couple seconds. …… This experience is unforgettable for me. That’s the first time that I feel the free and open personality that people have in this culture so strongly.
Travelling abroad is an opportunity of a lifetime and can be specifically life-changing if one becomes a part of the culture. Adapting to an unfamiliar culture in a third-world country can be a shock when coming from a first-world country. The atmosphere is completely diverse, from the people to the food to their daily lives. However, the new country feels more like a home than a vacation destination when fully immersed in the culture. So what are the similarities and differences between living in a first-world country like the United States and living in a third-world country such as Fiji? Fijians and Americans are alike in some of their personality traits but vary in their food and daily lives.
“The Contact Zone”, is defined by Mary Louis Pratt as “the space in which transculturation takes place – where two different cultures meet and inform each other, often in highly asymmetrical ways.” Pratt describes what she calls ‘contact zones’ and elaborates on the pros and cons of these cultural interactions. She sees the contact zone as a place that allows people to exchange cultural ideas and break down the dividing cultural borders. When a contact zone is started, people are able to interact on new levels gaining a new perspective because they are able to collaborate with people from foreign cultures. If you are always with people of the same culture as you, you become used to hearing everything from the same perspective. With a new perspective, you can see your culture from a different point of view and reanalyze the logic behind your cultural traditions. Every ethnic/ religious/ regional/ cultural group has its high and low points, and it is just as important to learn about the low points as it is to learn about the highs. Gloria Anzaldua’s essay, “how to tame a wild tongue”, focuses on the ideas of losing an accent or native language to conform to the dominant culture.
In conclusion, this book gave me a whole new view on life and how we can interact better with different people. The book emphasized that culture is key to understanding people. Sometimes it is hard to connect with others because they are indicated as different but in due time we can adjust. Every culture has their own traditions when it comes to what they eat, what to wear, dating, various ceremonies, holidays and more. Reading this book helped me become more accepting of who I am and where I come from.
What really is a culture shock? According to Webster’s II 1994 Dictionary, Culture is a particular form of civilization, esp. the beliefs, customs, arts, and institutions of society at a given tome. In this essay I have to admit I will not be discussing how the world is going to be hit by some huge culture shock, but how Culture and Identity relate to situations in my life. For those that know me, know that I was a child exposed to many things while growing up. I moved to many different cities throughout my life and embraced all that I saw around me. These movements brought me to learn and understand cultures besides my own. The way I was raised and the transitions in my life have now brought me to college.
A sudden change in one’s surroundings can result in culture shock. Culture shock refers to the anxiety and surprise a person feels when he or she is discontented with an unfamiliar setting. The majority of practices or customs are different from what a person is used to. One may experience withdrawal, homesickness, or a desire for old friends. For example, when a person goes to live in a different place with unfamiliar surroundings, they may experience culture shock. Sometimes it is the result of losing their identity. In the article “The Phases of Culture Shock”, Pamela J. Brink and Judith Saunders describe four phases of culture shock. They are: Honeymoon Phase, Disenchantment Phase, Beginning Resolution Phase, and Effective Function Phase. These phases denote some of the stages that exemplify culture shock. The four phases are illustrated in the articles “New Immigrants: Portraits in Passage” by Thomas Bentz, “Immigrant America: A Portrait” by Alejandro Portes and Ruben G. Rumbaut, “When I Was Puerto Rican” by Esmeralda Santiago, “Today’s Immigrants, Their Stories” by Thomas Kessner and Betty Boyd Caroli, and lastly, “The New Americans: Immigrant Life in Southern California” by Ulli Steltzer, and are about the experiences of some immigrants. This essay will examine the four phases of culture shock and classify the experiences of these immigrants by the different phases of culture shock identified.
Depression is a mental disorder that currently affects more than 350 million people worldwide (who, 2012). With such a staggering amount of people suffering from depression it is important for people to know about it. While some people think that depression is just short term differences in one’s mood that is not the case at all (who, 2012). Someone suffering from depression can have their disorder have negative effects on their life and other people’s lives. Luckily for most people suffering from depression there is treatment available Sadly though because many people don’t understand depression they may not seek treatment at all (NIH, n.d). In order to truly understand depression you need to understand what it is, signs and symptoms, causes, how to diagnose it, and treatment.
This DB has been interesting. The more I read, the more interesting the topic of feminism became. There are so many views and it is not as cut and dry as it first appeared. I started by looking up the definition of feminism. Webster’s dictionary has the definition as 3 things: the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes; the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities; and the organized activity in support of women's rights and interests.
Depression is a serious mental health illness which affects an individuals’ mind, body and mood. It is a chronic and lifelong health condition (NICE, 2006) thought to be caused by a number of biological factors including neurotransmitter disturbances in the brain and an element of genetic vulnerability; these are often in addition to psychosocial factors such as the occurrence of undesirable life events, limited social network options, poor self esteem and the occurrence of any adverse life events during a persons’ lifetime (Bernstein, 2006). Depression can have an impact on a persons’ ability to do many things including working, engaging with others, participating fully in family life or maintaining relationships, and it can also impact on a person...
To be more specific, the spectrum of emotions comprising culture shock can range from alienation and loneliness to confusion and stress. When analyzed more carefully though, culture shock can be viewed through a more fundamental standpoint. Essentially, it can be defined as an emotional stimulus one develops when experiencing a different behavioral response from an individual or group in a social situation that is familiar to both parties involved. How an anthropological researcher handles his or her emotional reactions to these behavioral responses of a native people will dictate the formation of the social relationship that is continuously being developed. From the subjective opinion of the researcher, culture shock can undoubtedly seem like an impediment to his or her progress in research at the time that an instance of it occurs; however in the long term, properly approaching any difficulties experienced from culture shock in an objective manner can reveal under...
Feminism is the result of the woman’s liberation movement, which began in the 18th century and gained momentum in the late 19th century after it was found that males were completely dominating every area of life. The word feminism at any point in time, has had many negative connotations to it as well as a good majority of the
...ence of GM crops is that genetic modifications can develop proteins in plants which a consumer could be allergic to. For example, one of the most common allergies is with the peanut. What would happen if peanut proteins interlace into tomato seeds? Then people with peanut allergies would not be able to eat genetically modified tomatoes. There are many reasons to stop the production of GM food. It can produce serious long-term nature accidents, but there is no way to know much about it until is too late (“GM Food” 2).
My brother knowing that I will definitely experience culture shock, started giving me tidbits of what I would expect. I remember him saying “This is America my sister, they speak different here, many things have different names from home”. He then told me “open the trunk and offload y...
Everyone reacts differently to new environments.While some are excited others are upset to have to leave important people behind. Culture shock comes in many different forms and sizes, some may find it harder to adjust than others. The difficulties to adjusting don’t always show up right away (TeensHealth). Culture shock is experienced in many different ways some common feelings are; sadness, loneliness, anxiety, trouble concentrating, feeling left out, negative feelings towards the new culture and frustration (TeensHealth). These feelings are temporary, eventually people get used to their surroundings. Although, many have been planning on the change for a long time, many still experience the impact of culture shock (International Students and Culture Shock). A huge majority of the cultures norms are based on language.
Feminism is defined as the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. It began as an organized activity on behalf of women?s rights and interests. This concept was developed to help women earn a place in a predominantly male society. Unfortunately over the years, the intentions of feminism have become distorted, not only by anti-feminists, but also by the feminists themselves. The principle of equality for women and men has turned into a fight in which feminists wish to be better than men. Feminism has been twisted and misunderstood so much that it has become a harmful idea.
Depression affects people all around the world and takes over many lives. It is a detectable disease. Most every case of depression is very personal, and usually has it’s own specifications and circumstance. By speaking with people who have depression in their families and being a sufferer of the disease myself, I’ve realized that it’s not the end of the world and there are ways to get help. Treatment for depression is relativity inexpensive but whatever the cost; it is more than made up for an increased productivity, efficiency, physical health, improved relationships, and enjoyment of life.