Rebeca Castro - Reflection on Presentations #1

Intercultural Communications: What is it?

Group #1 - Chapter 3

    Communication is key to understanding a person, groups, situations in the world, etc. Without this main form of lifestyle, this world would be chaos as a whole. In intercultural communications there are beliefs and values that were mentioned in our presentation. It included: religion, race, ethnicity, disability, age, generations, and social status. In the section of ethnicity, something I found interesting was 'native language'. Growing up in a rapid moving society like America, but in Miami, Spanish is the second tongue to many. Having a second language like Spanish is important because not only is it beneficial to talk to more groups of people, it kelps the culture and its roots alive. 

Language as the key - intercultural, cross-cultural communication

    In the video above, it talked about Lee starting a new job in Turkey and feeling out of place. Even if she tried to learn the language it was hard, but she found someone who spoke her native language. This interaction is important because even if humans try sometimes it may not be enough. But as humans we need to show kindness and patience with each other, so we do not outcast those who actually try. Giving grace to ourselves and to others is what will allow communicating to be a beautiful process.

    One of the biggest conversations online in social media is age gaps and generation differences. In many cultures, there is a respect for seniority, it is a hierarchical system. The elderly are seen as wise and have years with them. If they are not acknowledged or respected, it is seen as disrespect and they were not taught etiquette. This shows the similarities in culture, but as well in communication. Another similarity among many cultures is the socioeconomic status (ses). In America, the biggest group in society is the Middle Class, this class continues to grow, but also goes through struggles. There is a graph mentioned in the presentation that describes the growth, but the decline as well. The high class throughout many cultures have more opportunities, better jobs, and higher pay. 

In our presentation, it was mentioned by Erika, that there are two terms when talking about Intercultural Communication, the Melting Pot v. Salad Bowl. Erika mentions that America can be considered both a melting pot and salad bowl. It shows the diversity of the groups in America in different aspects. Our group was able to dive deeper into each sub-group and research key points of the topic. The process of working together on the presentation was short, but it showed us how to communicate on what was needed in the powerpoint. Efficiency was important for this presentation, working with this group was fun and learning on the importance of communication. 

Group #2 - Chapter 9

With the continuation of communication, this group’s topic is about communication in groups. The sub-groups from this chapter were about families, social groups, support groups, interest groups, service groups, work groups and teams, and virtual groups. The organization of the presentation was cohesive and easy to follow. The group members were able to describe the points well and get the topic across. The visuals were coherent to the topic and added more understanding. One of the presenters, Manuela, voiced the presentation very well and talked in depth about the four family patterns mentioned in the powerpoint. As well, Kevin spoke with confidence and shared that experience with the audience. 

In the section, Virtual Groups and Conflict, this topic was interesting because it shows how to resolve issues from online meetings. When in-person meetings occur, there is more physical interaction, so it would be easier to resolve. But when it is online it becomes harder to detect and easy to ignore. There is a part in the presentation where it speaks on healthy groups and the importance of it. Many times we find ourselves looking for outlets to fill voids in ourselves. But it is important to find support groups or certain individuals who can be the community to rely on. One of the things I did not know was the ‘Pseudo Conflict’. It was interesting to see how there is a term for situations like that and having solutions to manage the conflict. Working together, like this class allows for us to grow in character, skills, and especially communication. At first we are strangers to each other, like Group #2 presentation states, building trust creates organization, positivity, and encourages teamwork. These results are just a few of what can be achieved the more worked in groups. Community is meant to be together and if went through alone the process would be more difficult. 

Group #3 - Chapter 10

Communicating and working in groups would usually require a position to be filled. A leader or captain is first in line and becomes the representation of the group. But it is more than that, it is assigning roles, managing conflict, giving encouragement, and maintaining goals. These few assets are what can make a strong leader and good results. At times, there isn't only one leader, but two or more to maintain a balance. In many societies among different cultures there are dictatorships, democracy, parliamentary, or communist governments. When there is only one leader in charge of these countries it is usually one power deciding everything. Leading to issues, chaos, and no shared power. In the U.S., it is one shared power with checks and balances. There are different groups to keep it in check, but at times there are situations where the power can be held in one group or individual. The presentation for group #3 was informative on describing the leadership functions and how they are able to communicate with each other. 

Conclusion

Being a communications major, this presentation was a new experience to learn about leadership, support groups, and the fundamentals of intercultural communication. This process would have not been possible or retaining the information if it was not done in groups. If everyone is focused on a goal I believe that it is possible to achieve many things.