All about learning

                I never quite realized the many lessons that are ingrained into my brain that are really only a part of my culture until I came abroad and started communicating with those that have a different cultural background than me. Being in a home-stay during my time in Barcelona has been of great benefit to me as I have really been able to fully grasp the cultural values that are held among those living here. A few days ago before my host family and I sat down for dinner I had the pleasure of talking with our host mother’s boyfriend for a little while. During our conversation he talked with me a lot about the current state of Spain and Barcelona, and how some in the Catalunya area want to separate from Spain. In this conversation he inserted his opinion on this sort of politics and brought up the conversation as if it was no big deal. As I was sitting there I started to think about how back home I was always taught that because things such as politics are controversial and can bring about arguments, it is best to not discuss them with those you do not know that well. This conversation made me realize the difference in mind set between my culture and the culture of the people in my home-stay. Nicholas was not at all uncomfortable with talking about this sort of topic, and it seemed that he was more focused on teaching us about what is going on in Spain rather than worried about bringing up something of controversy.

                Having this conversation taught me that with intercultural communication, there aren’t always the same “rules” that may be followed. In some cultures, it is okay to talk about certain topics while others it may not. I never thought it was wrong of Nicholas to bring up this topic, in fact I was happy he did. Not only did I have a moment where I was able to see a difference in cultural communication styles, but I was also able to learn more about the present state of Barcelona and Spain as a whole. When approaching conversations of intercultural communication, it is important to remember that while a topic may come up that you are not used to having with people you do not know, there is always something to learn from this discussion. Be open minded to the fact that they may not be thinking the same way you are about the topic, be willing to understand what they are trying to talk to you about, and be understanding of the cultural differences between you and others during these conversations.

                Talking with others in Spain has allowed me to come to the realization very quickly that each culture has a different way of communicating.  I am grateful that I have been able to talk with people like Nicholas because I believe it has given me a better understanding of the culture in Barcelona. It is not always easy to communicate with people from a different culture, and you may hit some bumps in the road, but as I keep saying, being open minded will help things become a lot easier and will most likely help you communicate with others better.