Even with the study abroad experience I had last spring, being in Becoming Foreign has certainly improved my intercultural communication competence. This is primarily because our discussions of different cultural factors – such as whether a culture is monochronotic or polychromic, hierarchical or equal, etc. – have drastically broadened my understandings of differences between cultures. […]
Read MoreI think that Smith College, particularly in the houses, nonverbal communication takes on a unique role. American culture is already very high context: we tend to be pretty explicit in our communication. In the close quarters of a residential college, this dynamic is amplified and it can be difficult to find moments of silence, let […]
Read MoreBefore my time abroad, I spent a good deal of time imagining how I would be stereotyped as an American in Denmark. I had been told by friends and family members more well-traveled than me that Americans are often poorly received in the countries that we visit. We are understood as obnoxious, entitled, and ignorant. […]
Read MoreWhile I have joined many of my classmates in criticizing the practicality of the theories and models we have studied thus far in this course, I do ultimately find the discussions we have incredibly valuable in strengthening my ability to understand cultural differences as well as my ability to communicate effectively across different cultures. In […]
Read MoreIn reading both chapters, I had thoughts similar to Jennie’s: as a student who has already studied abroad, I find the study abroad paradigms presented by Vande Berg and Bennett unnecessarily complex and involved in measuring student experiences. Like Jennie, I had not heard of Vande Berg’s study abroad program types or Bennett’s explanations of […]
Read MoreIn our first class, we discussed the importance of taking a course like Becoming Foreign in our contemporary world. With global travel becoming increasingly accessible and popular, and the onset of communication technologies like social media, we are living in a world that is more connected than ever. Consequently, we encounter difference in language and […]
Read More