Crossing borders: bridging the gaps in intercultural relationships Autumn Jackson, M.A. Esteban Touma, M.A.

Our Intercultural Relationship

Intercultural Relationships Communication and interaction between two people with different religious, social, ethnic, and/or educational experiences RELATIONSHIP Love Work Business Studies COMMUNICATION Verbal Non-verbal Gestures Body Language Expressions

Intercultural Relationships Difficulties in meeting halfway Preconceptions Environment Language Different Values Time Informality Directness/Honesty

Preconception Cultural conceptions = Individuals What we learned: Intercultural relationships can only develop if people are encouraged to think of the other person as individuals, and to try to put preconceived notions aside.

Environment determines behavior Rules and norms are determined by environment. Not being in your own environment might be confusing.

60% of all communication is non-verbal Environment 60% of all communication is non-verbal How does your behavior change in different circumstances? Wedding Hospital Day at the beach What we learned: Empathy. Try to visualize your own environment through the eyes of a stranger.

Similar words have different connotations Language Mañana Tomorrow Besok Similar words have different connotations The meaning of a word depends on the culture. What is being said? What we learned: Language communication needs to be done through pauses and reflection. Active listening.

Values are determined by society Different values Values are determined by society Time: Culture of efficiency vs. relaxed society Formality/Informality: Sociable relationship vs. formal behavior Directness: Politeness vs. honesty What we learned: Not judging a person by how he reacts to our rules. Respecting values. Understanding other people’s behavior.

Conclusions There will always be moments when you need to deal with an intercultural relationship Be aware of other people’s culture values. Aspects to consider Respect Awareness Knowledge

Thank you! Sources:  Pease, Adam. The Definitive Book of Body Language. New York: Bantam Books, 2009. Samovar, Larry, Richard E. Porter, Edwin R. McDaniel. Communication between Cultures. Boston: Cengage, 2009. Gudykunst, William and Young Yun Kim, "Communicating With Strangers: An Approach to Intercultural Communication," in Bridges Not Walls, ed. John Stewart. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1995.