Learning Journal 10

[Rebekah Yowell]

One of my first cross cultural experiences was when I went on a trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil. The most obvious difference between Brazilian and US culture was that the Brazilians were much more physical, with lots of touching, hugging, and kissing to show affection. Although this was foreign to me, I liked it because it made me feel very welcomed. It is possible I felt that way because in American culture people only behave openly and affectionately to that degree when they are very, very excited to see you, and even though it was a normal mode of conduct for Brazilians, only meant to portray an average degree of excitement, I felt more welcomed by them because I was contrasting their behavior with that of more emotionally reserved Americans. In this way, I can see how misunderstandings may occur between cultures; one culture may attribute more significance to a particular action than another, and someone unfamiliar with a culture may read more into displays of affection or anger than what is intended.

Another crosscultural experience I had was when I went to Spain this past summer. One thing I observed about the Spanish was how they have open displays of affection for family and close friends, but reserve when interacting with those they do not know. For example, when riding the buses and metro I rarely noticed a conversation taking place between two people that didn’t obviously know each other before, except when it was absolutely necessary. This made me wary about engaging in casual conversation with someone I did not know, for fear my actions might be interpreted the wrong way. However, it is possible this tension exists in cities in the United States, and I only noticed it in Spain because it was my first big city immersion after growing up in a small town. Even so, it is an example of a cultural difference, whether it is between US/Spanish cultures or just a small town/large city difference. When I observed this difference, it made me uncomfortable at times because I was unsure of my behavior, and what signals I may give off, albeit unconsciously, through my actions. One thing I know for sure, experiencing other cultures has caused me to be more sensitive to those from other cultures who are experiencing life in the US, because I have some understanding of the uncertainty that comes from being in an unfamiliar setting.