#maximizing study abroad

This week the Maximizing Study Abroad reading focused on different types of communication styles. Two different types of communicating are high and low context communications. High-context communication relies on cues from the situation, environment and the people involved in the communication. Nonverbal cues are much more important to understand the meaning of a message in high-context cultures. Low-context cultures are more straightforward. This communication is very verbal and explicit in the message. The United States tends to be a very low-context culture while Costa Rica is more high-context. The book gives tips for low-context communicators going to a high-context environment. This biggest piece of advice I gained from this section was that even though it will take a will to learn how to pick up on nonverbal clues, eventually it will get better.

Identifying Low- and High-Context Communication

I did not think that this activity was very difficult. I think the differences between low and high context cultures is very easy to understand. I think the difficulties with these different types of communication will actually occur when I find myself in a situation where I have troubles communicating. Even though the United States is a very low-context culture, I am actually more in the middle of these two different styles. I tend to like my information to be given to me in a direct way. If I need to have a meeting with someone important or schedule something, I want to make sure I have all of the details and understand what is happening. However, if I need to communicate with someone about my feelings, I tend to be more indirect. I do not like confrontation, so I try to avoid it at all costs. One of the examples in the book was, “If you have a problem with someone, you won’t go to them and say that you are upset. Rather, you will ask another friend to help work out the problem.” I know I do this all the time. When feelings are involved I really do not like to outright say what I am feeling. Another example from the book was telling a professor in a class that you disagree with them. I could never do argue with a professor. Not only I am so shy that I would not speak anyways in class, I could never imagine going against someone who has more authority and is way more qualified than I am.

Contrasting Your Communication Styles

Direct vs. Indirect

Me: Indirect

Host Country: Indirect

Home Country: Direct

Linear vs. Circular

Me: Linear

Host Country: Circular

Home Country: Linear

Detached vs. Attached

Me: Attached

Host Country: Attached

Home Country: Detached

Idea-Oriented vs. Relationship-Oriented

Me: Idea-Oriented

Host Country: Relationship-Oriented

Home Country: Idea-Oriented

Statements of Adjustment

The activity on page 96 of Maximizing Study Abroad was not very hard to figure out. The statements that were in stage 1 and 2 were very straight-forward. For the stage 1 travelers, I could easily see that they were still in the honeymoon phase of study abroad and had not learned much about the culture yet. The stage 2 travelers were obviously frustrated with the way the culture worked and valuing their own culture over their host country’s culture. The biggest trouble I had was in determining the difference between stage 3 and stage 4. I think when studying abroad these stages will also be the stages I will have the most difficulty with deciding which stage I am in. The most important piece of advice I would give to these students would be to make sure to reflect often on your words and experiences. It is hard to learn about yourself and how you react to certain situations if you do not take time to think about what has happened in the past. This advice is something I am going to try really hard to do while studying abroad.

Personal Lows and Highs of Study Abroad

Potential Low Points:

·     Getting sunburns and bug bites

·     Missing the midterm elections

·     Not enjoying some of the food

·     Not improving my Spanish as quickly as I am hoping I will

Potential High Points:

·     Getting to connect with lots of new people

·     Getting to experience the beautiful nature

·     Improving my Spanish

·     Doing excellent work in my internship

My Personal Coping Strategies

1.    Dancing to music that I love around my room.

2.    Journaling to unravel my thoughts and stay calm.

3.    Talk to my friends from back home, or talk to my mom who always gives the best advice.

4.    Doing my makeup or watching Netflix. Any of the ways I normally try to make myself less sad in the States.

5.    Take a nap to get away from everything that is stressful.

Coping Scenarios

I would tell Jerika to talk to Gregor about her worries regarding the trip. Having good communication is key in any relationship. Jerika needs to make sure that going to meet Gregor’s entire family has the same implications for him as it does to her. I would hate for Jerika to miss out on an incredible opportunity to learn so much about a new culture just because of a lack of communication. If I was Jerika, I would probably still go on the trip and not worry about meeting the family. If the relationship is not that serious, Jerika will never have to see the family again. In my opinion, she should go on the trip.

If I was Terry, again I would try talking to the host mother to see if we could compromise. Maybe Terry only goes away every other weekend, or if it is possible he could spend more time with the family during the week. Terry maybe needs to think about if choosing to stay with a host family was the best decision to make given his desire to travel so often.

Differentiating the Phases of Cultural Awareness

Alexander: II

Mee: IV

Karenna: III

Shane: I

Ingrid: III

Norio: II

Lia: III

Aaron: I

Maria: IV

What’s Up with Culture

Learning Style Survey:

 In order to receive the best experience while learning, one must understand what methods fit best for their needs. Of course, people are not cookie-cutter creatures that match every description of a learning style. The survey simple provides an awareness of preferable needs in order for the reader to recognize potential advantages and disadvantages. For example, if an individual is in class and the professor only instructs through speech, visual learners are more than likely to receive worse grades than auditory learners. Knowing these aspects about yourself helps tremendously in enabling the best learning experience. When a student is aware of potential disadvantages it allows them to plan ahead and have a better chance of succeeding in the class and outside of school. The Learning Style Survey addresses all types of approaches to learning such as components of how one exposes themselves to learning situations. According to the point system, I am considered three times more introverted than I am extroverted. Yes, these answers may not apply everywhere all the time, but it gives perspective on my willingness to open up to people and opportunities. There is nothing wrong with being introverted; however, I understand the potential disadvantage of lacking social interaction while in large groups. When studying abroad in Costa Rica I do not want my introverted aspects to prevent relationships, and I am further aware of those aspects and can make a conscious effort to be more open.

Cultural-Learning Strategies Inventory:

Cultural shock can be a huge hindrance to experiencing the beauty of a different culture. Rather than falling into a mental block of stress and disorientation, there are ways to immerse oneself in a culture pleasurably. This is not to say that stepping out of one’s comfort zone will be easy and non-stressful. Allowing yourself to be uncomfortable may be the hardest part of studying abroad actually; however, it may also be the most important part of the trip. Studying abroad permits an individual to grow mentally. A person can decide either to isolate themselves or immerse themselves. I recommend immersing yourself, otherwise, opportunities are guaranteed to be missed. The Cultural-Learning Strategies Inventor provides numerous methods to best prepare oneself for the journey. Sections include strategies to deal with culture shock, making judgments about another culture and communicating with people from another culture. The recommendations under each are completely practical, and I plan to take part in such as appropriate body language, host family expectations, participate in clubs, and have open communication to best understand cultural standards from a non-ethnocentric viewpoint.

Stress factors to consider while abroad:

Here, let me help you. When discussing intercultural and international issues, we ned to remember: Stereotypes are bad. But, generalizations are the first step in a process of understanding cultural norms when integration into said culture is important for you and/or others. Generalizations are a tool to help us understand how cultures vary by giving us a push towards gathering quantifiable data. When you make a generalization, follow it up with an hypotheses (a question you ask yourself that you can then go out and test). For example, “I’ve noticed in British sitcoms the humor is dry. I’ve also noticed while being abroad that many British people have a sense of humor that is also dry. Is dry humor a staple in Britain?”  Obviously, not every British person has a dry sense of humor, and you assumed that going into your research. But, after asking many thoughtful questions to locals and watching sitcom after sitcom, movie after movie, and news program after news program (you get the idea), you learn that the culture has a tendency to like drier humor. Having said this, you KNOW not every person fits your generalization, but the culture itself seems to appreciate drier humor more than it is appreciated in your home country. Let’s use an American example. Someone abroad in America for the first time might think: “Hey, Americans are really self-centered and wasteful. But they are usually really nice to others.” Are all Americans wasteful? Or would someone perceive that from watching only American TV shows? Are all Americans really self-centered? Or does America have a different view on individualism than your home country? Are all Americans usually nice to others? Or are you in a certain area where people are just known to be nicer than others?  These are the questions you should ask yourself when making generalizations. After you have your list, you might go and test your questions out. Generalizations, however, are just that: generalizations. Asking questions and doing research are how generalizations stay generalizations and help to better integrate you or others into a culture. They help us understand how we should board a bus differently in France vs. Spain, for example.  When you don’t want to put in the work to learn something new, you have just evolved your quantifiable generalization into a stereotype. Generalizations are to be used with caution. They are to be tested and proven or disproven. They can be false, but that is why they need to be researched, tested, and asked about. So, let’s keep generalizations educated so that we can differentiate between a statement upheld with quantifiable data or a statement said with uneducated and lazy malice.