Cultural Experience
CROSS-CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
Cultural Experience
Some of you may have recent experience in a cross-cultural setting which you can use as the basis for your “debrief” in this section. However, for those of you with little or no cross-cultural experience, the following activity will help you to begin to learn how to interact with people from a different culture while making objective and concrete observations about that culture.
Plan
With the help of your facilitator, plan a cross-cultural experience for you to participate in. Select a setting in which you have not been and are not presently involved. This could be visits to an ethnic community centre, immigrant homeless centre, carnival, festival, church or international student meetings, etc. Plan to visit the place at least three times. You may also find an opportunity to visit a mosque or temple, or to go on a short term mission trip.
Debrief and Evaluate
Write a short description as soon as possible after each visit and discuss with your facilitator your observations and experiences about:
- The place, the people, and the activities - did you notice different things on successive visits?
- How the people interacted amongst themselves.
- How they interacted with you. How do you think they perceived you?
- What language was spoken? Did you notice any nonverbal communication?
- Were you able to build friendships? How was this done? How did they progress each visit?
- Did you experience culture shock? If so, how was this manifested?
- Did you have opportunity to communicate Christian truths? How?
- What did the people teach you?
- What were the two main things that were different from your own culture?
- If you had to live and witness more permanently within this culture, what would you have to change in your attitude towards the people in this new culture?
Goals
- Have recent exposure in a cross-cultural setting and be able to explain your observations about the culture, the differences to your own culture, the experience, and the effect it had on you.
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