One of the intermediate benchmarks for understanding cultural perspectives is describing how men and women are treated differently in the larger society, identifying some of the stereotypes and exaggerated views of a culture, and explaining some of the political beliefs. These goals can all be tied back to the research that I did for my presentation about the revolution of Spanish cinema after the death of Franco. Catholicism and traditional values were at the forefront of his rhetoric and policy. While men pursued careers, women were expected to have a more domestic role. Something that I learned while doing research is that Franco wasn’t as harsh as other Fascist leaders, which is why he hasn’t been strongly rejected by history. There are still many adults in Spain who consider themselves Fascists and appreciated his conservative politics.

 

As for some of the advanced cultural benchmarks, I haven’t acquired new skills yet, but I have new ideas about how to approach certain situations. For example, an advanced “I can” statement is that “I can engage in social conversations at a sporting event with peers.” I believe that acquiring this skill requires actual practice. But when I’m abroad I am going to pay more attention to my native peers, and try to observe how they speak to one another. I don’t have the skill yet, but I know what to look for.