Week 6- Intercultural Interactions- Dominique Lawson

My Intercultural Interactions
     There are many intercultural interactions that I go through on a day to day basis. Because culture is so broadly defined, I can encounter and interact with various cultures in one day. When intercultural interactions are thought of, race is the first thing that comes to mind. This class has taught me that culture is based on much more than race and ethnicity. It can be based on language, on religion, on gender, sexual orientation and much more.

Not only are they boys, they're French. But we still managed to make an amazing picture despite the cultural differences

      As a woman, I feel that my biggest intercultural interaction is with men. When contemplating just how different men are from women it's kind of amazing that we can live in the same world and even have relationships with one another. In my classes, in the cafeteria, on the sidewalks of campus, and in my dorm I encounter men. There's no escaping them. The man I find it hardest to communicate with is my boyfriend. In arguments it seems as if I'm talking to myself sometimes. We have completely opposing views on so many things that it's amazing we've even made it the three years we've been together. But we get along even through the many obstacles and communication barriers. It's hard at times, as with many other intercultural interactions but we get through it. :)  

     Another aspect of intercultural interactions is through religion. There are so many differences between religions and so many misconceptions that sometimes it's hard to even find similarities with people of different religions. It becomes hard to have a conversation because you're afraid to say something that may be against their beliefs. I believe that it's good to take a step back and realize that while religions may be different in big ways there are always huge similarities as well.
       And of course being African American has its cultural differences from the other races of America.But those are so obvious, I don't even want to talk about them.  
Book Time!! 
     For immigrant children it is hard to adjust to a new culture. They are thrown into intercultural interactions in every aspect of their lives besides their home life, and even then there may be some. Friends come in hand in a school environment because they can help bring a piece of the old culture to an uncomfortable place and make it more comfortable for the immigrant. The peers help teach language skills and help them learn unspoken things about the new culture (Suárez-Orozco p. 142). In order to effectively communicate between cultures you must be culturally competent (Vaughn, p. 102). Cultural competence is defined through awareness of one's own assumptions, values, and biases, an understanding of culturally different people in a world view, and strategies and techniques that can be used during the interaction that are appropriate (103). 
       Cultural competences requires an understanding of one's own culture and and understanding of others' cultures. I believe that in some areas I am culturally competent and in others I am not. In the cultural aspects of gender, race, and religion I feel competent because I have studied areas surrounding the cultures that are not specific to me in these areas and I feel that I have applicable knowledge within these areas. I do not feel that I am culturally competent when it comes to sexual orientation because I have not taken the steps to understand the other cultures in this area. I intend to, I just have not reached that point yet.