Cross-Cultural Differences and Communication

Cultural identity is a significant force that shapes the interaction between people from different cultures. The contemporary globalization has made intercultural interactions inevitable in the contemporary society. People draw conclusions about other people's culture depending on a wide range of observations about the individual's way of live, values and behavior. For instance, understanding what people from specific cultural values helps in drawing about that culture in that specific aspect of value or behavior (Byram, 2015). For example, I have drawn the conclusion that martial art is a significant cultural practice in the Chinese culture. This conclusion is informed by the several Chinese films that I have watched that have largely been characterized by Martial Arts. This predominance of martial arts in these films informed the conclusion I have drawn from the Chinese culture.

UNIT 4 DISCUSSION

I am visiting a new country within a different culture from my culture. I am aware of the cultural differences and the possibilities of misunderstanding. There are significant cultural differences in perceptions of time, communication styles and gender roles between the two cultures. When I feel hungry among these people with a very different culture, I will choose to go to a restaurant. This is based on the knowledge about restaurants as universally accepted... In my interaction, language is likely to be a barrier to communication (Fontaine, 2007). For effective communication, I will seek a person from that culture who understands my language to interpret my request and guide me through the culturally acceptable foods within that culture. An example of miscommunication that is likely to occur is in the use of gesture and body language. Such communication signs are universally accepted in my culture may be misinterpreted people from the other culture. I will seek to be understood by use of an interpreter who understands my culture. This thought experience could help me in my daily life enabling me to understand how cultural differences can interfere with communication. This understanding will help me to coexist with people from different cultures.
UNIT 5 DISCUSSION

Globalization has enabled people to move freely from one country to another. This free movement has led to interactions between people of different culture. Consequently, one culture may be influenced by another culture. In this analysis, I will compare the cultural values between the United Kingdom and the United States of America. In the aspects of power distance, the United Kingdom ranks low at 35. This is slightly lower than U.S. ranking at about 40 (Geert Hofstede, n.d.). Power distance refers to the extent to which the countries have embraced equality among all the…