Blog Post #1 - Ricardo Roldan

 When I originally learned that our chapter would be about intercultural communication, I have to admit that I wasn't expecting too much. I assumed it would be boring or simply "common knowledge" that dealt with individuals speaking to each other across national borders. However, once I reviewed the presentation, I quickly realized that the topic is far broader. In fact, many of the issues covered in the presentation occur daily, in everyday conversation, most people take their own communications for granted.

Something I particularly enjoyed about the presentation was its ability to go beyond the idea of nationality/ language. Prior to this chapter, when I heard the term "culture," I generally associated it with cultural norms/traditions or the country someone came from. I did not realize until reviewing the presentation that culture could also encompass aspects such as age, religious affiliation, gender identity/disability, or even how individuals communicated. The presentation seemed to make the topic seem more relevant and/or applicable because of these aspects of culture that we encounter daily at school, online, and at work.

In addition to making culture seem more accessible/relevant, I found myself interested in learning more about culture shock. Culture shock is typically perceived as something that occurs when an individual travels to another country. However, the presentation described that culture shock can also occur when an individual transitions into a completely foreign environment like moving to a new town/city or switching schools. This concept made a great deal of sense to me. specially transitioning to a new school (or even entering college), meeting new people/social groups and encountering unfamiliar lifestyles can cause initial discomfort - which is often referred to as feeling "out of place." While culture shock is primarily defined as traveling internationally, many students experience feelings of disorientation when entering an entirely new academic environment. Therefore, this aspect of the presentation felt somewhat relatable.

Additionally, I appreciated the slides about race and ethnicity because both are often confused or conflated. As a result of the presentation, I finally gained clarity regarding the distinctions between racial vs. ethnic classifications. According to the slides, race tends to refer to biological characteristics whereas ethnicity refers to cultural practices and traditions Since there are so many people who are unaware of the distinction between race and ethnicity, I believe it is imperative to discuss this topic further. Race continues to influence how people interact with one another today. Although societal progress has been achieved in certain areas, racism still exist throughout modern society on a regular basis.

The slides discussing sex/gender/sexual orientation also resonated with me due to the vast amount of discussions surrounding these subjects currently taking place in modern society especially regarding the online media. What I enjoyed about the presentation was the manner in which it demonstrated how societal expectations/culture can impact how people expect others to behave. Many times, people form assumptions about others without recognizing their actions will lead to communication problems. I appreciate how respectful yet informative the presentation was with regard to the importance of these topics.

 I  also appreciated learning about the topic concerning generations based upon age. Honestly, this topic was very easy for me to relate to since I've noticed huge generational discrepancies in communication styles. Today's youth tend to communicate via texting/messaging platforms/Social Media/etc. whereas previous generations tend to rely upon phone calls/Face-to-Face interactions/etc. These differences in communication style alone can create confusion/misunderstandings. Furthermore, younger and older generations differ greatly regarding respect towards one another - which creates additional communication obstacles. Ultimately, this reinforced for me that miscommunication isn't solely due to differences in languages but rather differences in upbringing/life experiences.

Finally, the portion concerning disability was possibly one of the most impactful sections for me. I valued the emphasis placed on respect and inclusion rather than solely medical definitions of disabilities. The presentation stressed that individuals with disabilities merit equal respect/treatment as everyone else - which should be apparent but unfortunately is not consistently practiced in reality. Communication requires a great deal of patience and understanding regardless of whether one is communicating with individuals who may express themselves in non-traditional manners.

High context/low context culture was something that initially caused confusion for me. But then I found out it's something that really makes sense. There are certain cultures that tend to be super direct and straight forward, while others have an emphasis on body language, tone, and non-verbal cues. I've figured out that a lot of miscommunication happens simply because people typically assume that people communicate the same way they do. A person who thinks another person is being rude by being too direct, will likely see another persons' indirectness as unprofessional. I never really looked into how we communicate that closely prior to this chapter.

Chronemics was another section that caught my attention because I had never given serious thought to how vastly different cultures view time. Some cultures are extremely rigid when it comes to schedules and punctuality; while others are generally far less concerned with adhering to rigid time constraints. I thought it was interesting because many people form judgments about individuals based on how they perceive an individual's respectfulness or irresponsibility- without realizing the vast cultural differences involved. An individual can be perceived as being irresponsible or unrespectful (in one culture) when the same actions would be viewed as acceptable in another. This section of the chapter made me realize how quickly people tend to misjudge others based on differing views on time.

The Power Distance segment of the presentation tied-in fairly well to aspects of real-life. The work place example provided clarity to help illustrate how some cultures place a strong value on Hierarchy and Authority, while others provide greater equality among employees and management. I believe this is a significant reason why communication styles differ in Schools, Jobs, and Families. In some cases, it is acceptable to question authority, whereas in other cases it is deemed unacceptable. I find it interesting because it illustrates how Cultural Differences affect Communication in ways people are unlikely to notice.

In addition, the Ethnocentrism/Stereotypes sections were probably the strongest parts of the entire presentation. Everyone is familiar with Stereotypes- whether it's seeing them posted on Social Media, etc. The presentation illustrated how Stereotypes negatively impact communication and relationships due to the fact that they lead to immediate judgment of individuals rather than taking the time to get to know them. The Ethnocentrism portion of the presentation also pointed out that some individuals believe their own culture is inherently superior to all others. I believe this is still a large issue today because people tend to immediately judge cultures they don't truly comprehend.

Something I enjoyed about the presentation were the designs of the Slides themselves. I thought they were visually appealing, well-organized, and easy to read. I appreciated that there were visual aids and examples throughout the Slides- as opposed to long blocks of text. Visuals generally aid in making complex ideas easier to retain and understand. Overall, I thought the design of the Slides were both visually pleasing and clear in conveying the concepts.

I also appreciated that the presentation used real-world examples to relate many of the concepts presented in order to help make them applicable to everyday life- as opposed to presenting strictly formal definitions. While some chapters can sometimes appear too "academic" or abstract to apply to real life, I felt this presentation did a great job of relating concepts to real-world applications. Smaller items such as texting style, tone of voice or how individuals respond in conversations can tie-back directly to Intercultural Communication. This made the presentation more useful as opposed to merely being material to memorize for a class.

As the presentation came to a close, I appreciated the shift in focus towards improving communication rather than simply addressing issues. The Culture-Centered Skills and Empathy sections added a positive spin to what could have been a negative conclusion. Honestly, I believe Listening and Being Open-Minded are two of the most valuable Communication Tools one can possess. Individuals will continually come from various backgrounds/experiences; therefore, learning how to better understand others will continually become more relevant in our daily lives.

All in all, I ended up enjoying this Presentation more than I originally anticipated. Initially, I believed this Chapter would simply cover fundamental topics- however, several of the topics were intriguing once I focused upon them. The Presentation has allowed me to recognize how greatly culture impacts communication in virtually every aspect of life- regardless if it involves Language, Age, Traditions, Gender Roles, etc., - Cultural differences influence virtually everything we do on an everyday basis regarding interaction with others.

Following completion of this Chapter, I now am more aware of the many different forms of communication and why misunderstandings occur so readily. I believe the largest lesson learned from the Presentation was that Respectfulness, Patience, and an Open-Mindset can aid in communicating with nearly anybody. Regardless of background or experience- Understanding these differences can result in much stronger Conversations & Relationships