Cultural Diversity

Culture is something that appeals to me every time I have to get into it simply because I have been fortunate enough to meet, and really get to know, people that were born and raised in other countries. Discussing with them the differences in our upbringing is something I cannot seem to get enough of. For us all to share that mutual respect and truly enjoy each other, the 10 basic commandments by Martin Hahn will help, as long as we keep in mind that the possibility of us being totally unique individuals truly exists.

A perfect example of how and where one of these basic guidelines should have been applied is when I accidentally ran into one of my American friends at work today. I am from Trinidad, and even though I recognize the cultural differences, I sometimes forget because of how close we (this friend and I) have become. According to our reading this week, the seventh commandment is as follows: “Be aware of body language: learn the basic differences in the way people supplement their words with body movement.”( Hahn, 2012). This is very hard for me. We, in Trinidad, show our love through a slight tap of the butt, sometimes, especially if we have not seen that person in a long time. There is always some form of touching somewhere. This shows our excitement as well. It shows how much we miss that person. And that is okay. But in the American culture it is not; and it could be quite uncomfortable if and when you put some thought into it.

The other commandment, the 8th, to which I must draw reference, is the following: “Be aware of different etiquette rules or manners: what is polite in one culture may be considered rude in another.” (Hahn, 2012). A perfect example of this is punctuality. In Trinidad, it is somewhat respectful for guests to arrive to a social event a few minutes late; there is a very laid-back scheduling system over there. Most times, the hosts are not even totally ready for their guests at the proposed time of arrival. But over here, in the United States of America, most people/hosts expect their guests to be there on time.

Reference:

Hahn, M. (2012). Ten Commandments of Intercultural Communication. Retrieved may 14, 2012, from

http://ezinearticles.com/?Ten-Commandments-of-Intercultural-Communication&id=120247