SDLC 105 - Learning Journal #2

This week's reading was "Figuring Foreigners Out"

People belonging to different cultures across the globe have different ways of communicating with each other. Be it different languages, body language, gestures, behavior or attitude, it varies from culture to culture.

People from different cultures can be individualistic or collectivistic by nature. Individualistic means they think about themselves and their independence first. Nothing comes before self. Whereas collectivist nature takes the form of thinking and working in a group or as a group as a whole. It can mean the immediate family. The well being of the group as a whole comes to the forefront and is most important.

Nonverbal communication is the main and the root cause of mis understandings and confusions among cross cultures. It can change the entire meaning of what someone is trying to convey.                                            

The point I am going to convey now need not be catagorised to a particular culture but can be more individualistic. Different people conceive time and how to manage time in different ways. Time can be limited and should not be wasted-Monochronic or it can be unlimited-Polychronic.                                  

A persons place in the external world differs from person to person and from culture to culture. Some people believe that success is what you make of it . You can put in the necessary effort and achieve what you want whereas some people believe that effort needs to be combined with good luck.

Another cause for confusion in people of different cultures is direct and indirect means of communication. Some people are to the point and very direct and some people beat around the bush and say things in a very indirect manner.

So to come to the point, if you learn different languages it helps you to bridge the gap across different cultures. This leads to a better understanding of different types of people from varied backgrounds.

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