This paper discusses a cultural experience in India, and responds to two peers.

You should write at least 200 words in the original post; then you should post with content and detail on the posts to your peers. Aim for at least four sentences in each post to your peers, building the Discussion with references to the Reading, application in your life, or other information to help share your perspective. With the original reply and two posts to your peers, this means you will post three times to each Discussion Board. You will want to use APA format with in-text and full end reference for citation of sources, which can help to give credit to the research you used and also to distinguish between your ideas and the sources.

Topic 1: Culture and Communication

Imagine that you are visiting a country or culture where you are not easily understood. Your expectations about time, personal space, the roles of men and women, and communication styles seem foreign to the people you encounter. You are hungry and need to get something to eat. Where will you choose to go? How will you interact with the people to get what you need? Describe what this experience would be like. Give one example of how a miscommunication could occur.

What are some ways you might seek to be understood? How can this thought experiment help you in your daily life?

In this discussion, I will be taking a trip to South Korea! I get there and find myself feeling lost, misunderstood, and now hungry. The most prominent language spoken is Korean which is very similar to Japanese. Although Koreans share one language, the key difference is dialect. Based on this, I would download a translator app so I could get around and interact with people. I make a friend and we plan to meet up for dinner later that night. For dinner, I know a little bit of what to expect because “Korean cuisine is based on rice, vegetables and meat” (Resources, 2020). One example of how a miscommunication could occur is by being late. South Koreans put a lot of value in punctuality. The last thing I would want to do is come off as disrespectful by arriving late to dinner with my new friend.

When it comes to different cultures, their norms and customs will be much easier to understand if you take the time. Trying new food, asking questions, and keeping an open mind are ways to do this. I can take this and apply it in my own professional life. I work in the medical field and I encounter many patients with different backgrounds. It will certainly help to keep an open mind and be understanding of new things.

References:

Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved November 04, 2020, from https://www.commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides/south-korea-guide

Shrm. (2019, August 16). 10 Ways to Learn More about Other Cultures. Retrieved November 04, 2020, from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/global-and-cultural-effectiveness/pages/learn-more-about-other-cultures.aspx

I decided to write about taking a trip to China. The first issue I would have trying to find something to eat in China would be not understanding the language. In China the prominent language is Mandarin. To be understood I could try to use sign language. If sign language does not work I would use the translator app on my phone (we are pretty lucky that we have the technology we do these days). Even with the translator app I know I would have issues pronouncing certain words correctly.

The Chinese culture basically eats all animals, rice, and noodles. Meals are also essential to their everyday life. The Chinese believe eating together can bring harmony and closeness to a family and relationship (Lin, 2000). Chinese people also do not eat much deep-fried cooking and rely heavily on fresh food (Lin, 2000). A miscommunication I could easily have in China would be to walk into a restaurant and order something deep-fried that I would from a Chinese restaurant in the US like crab rangoon or almond fried chicken. I would order it assuming because it is served at Chinese restaurants in America it is eaten in China which it is not.

Learning ways to communicate and about the miscommunications I could potentially have with other cultures can help me personally and professionally. I plan on being a therapist and it will be beneficial to know different aspects and cultural beliefs of every culture when working as a human services professional. It is also helpful to know personally when building relationships with new people.

References:

Kathy Lin. (November 1, 2000). EthnoMed. Chinese food culture profile. https://ethnomed.org/resource/chinese-food-cultural-profile/.

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