My Experience of the Exchange^{[http://inet.dpb.dpu.dk/infodok/sprogforum/Espr18/byram.html A record of my Intercultural Experience" _fcksavedurl=">http://inet.dpb.dpu.dk/infodok/sprogforum/Espr18/byram.html A record of my Intercultural Experience" _fcksavedurl=">http://inet.dpb.dpu.dk/infodok/sprogforum/Espr18/byram.html A record of my Intercultural Experience" _fcksavedurl=">http://inet.dpb.dpu.dk/infodok/sprogforum/Espr18/byram.html A record of my Intercultural Experience" _fcksavedurl=">http://inet.dpb.dpu.dk/infodok/sprogforum/Espr18/byram.html A record of my Intercultural Experience" _fcksavedurl=">http://inet.dpb.dpu.dk/infodok/sprogforum/Espr18/byram.html A record of my Intercultural Experience" href="http://tulanepadova.pbwiki.com/ICC_Assessment#footnote-2">2]}

Description of my feelings, knowledge and actions during the Exchange.

 

A. Feelings

• Ways in which my curiosity and interest were aroused: (examples that made me re-consider my own culture) We had a great opportunity during this semester. I have never spoken frequently with a person of another culture and language. Every topic we discussed about aroused my curiosity and above all listening an american native speaker was very interesting. Even if I didn't have a lot of opportunities to speak (only twice) it was fantastic as well. It so wonderful to have the opportunity to speak with a person who is sitting in front of a computer in an other part of the world!!!

• Moments in which I felt uncomfortable: (what made me feel like this, with particular examples if possible) I never felt uncomfortable.

• Moments when I felt comfortable:(what made me feel like this, with particular examples if possible) I felt comfortable when my American peer understood what I was saying to her in English; when we speak about interesting topics: immigration, health care, taxes, etc. It was very satisfying the fact that we colud compare Italy and US and speak both in Italian and English and be comprehensible.

 

B. Knowledge

• The most important things I learnt about family life and/or life at school. About family I learnt above all they had to pay an expensive insurance for health care, also the taxes for the college are very high and not all people can afford it. About life at school they finish the high school before us and the majority of students after 18 years old, but also before, leave home to live alone or with a partner to attend the college or to search a job.

• The most important things I have learnt about the country, the nation, the state of the target language. Also in US, like in Italy, there are discrimination against some immigrants, in particular against those who come from the south or from the Spanish countries. I can't say anything more because I did skype only twice and so I hadn't many opportunities to speak with my American peer.

• What I have learnt about customs and conventions of talking with people (topics which interest them, topics to avoid, how to greet people and take leave from them). I have learnt they use a lot the computer, e-mails to speak with friends. Maybe we use more the mobile phone.  

 

C. Actions

• Incidents or problems which I resolved by explaining different cultures to people, helping them see the points of view of different cultures and how misunderstandings can happen. I never had problems of this kind. However if it had happened I would have tried to explain better what I know about the theme of the discussion. 

• Examples of times when I have had to ask questions and work out my own answers (from ask for clarification to understanding cultural customs and beliefs) Sometimes I had problems to understand particular words, context-specific words, but then I asked my peer to explain me better what she was saying and after, in other words, she was more comprehensible to me. Sometimes she had problems with some words, too, and so I tried to explained to her better what I really meant. 

 

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A self-assessment of my Intercultural Experience^{[http://inet.dpb.dpu.dk/infodok/sprogforum/Espr18/byram.html A record of my Intercultural Experience" _fcksavedurl=">http://inet.dpb.dpu.dk/infodok/sprogforum/Espr18/byram.html A record of my Intercultural Experience" _fcksavedurl=">http://inet.dpb.dpu.dk/infodok/sprogforum/Espr18/byram.html A record of my Intercultural Experience" _fcksavedurl=">http://inet.dpb.dpu.dk/infodok/sprogforum/Espr18/byram.html A record of my Intercultural Experience" _fcksavedurl=">http://inet.dpb.dpu.dk/infodok/sprogforum/Espr18/byram.html A record of my Intercultural Experience" _fcksavedurl=">http://inet.dpb.dpu.dk/infodok/sprogforum/Espr18/byram.html A record of my Intercultural Experience" _fcksavedurl=">http://inet.dpb.dpu.dk/infodok/sprogforum/Espr18/byram.html A record of my Intercultural Experience" href="http://tulanepadova.pbwiki.com/ICC_Assessment?doneLogin=e90934e5954e39fbf8c8db28b6ed44eef305a15c#footnote-3">3]}

 

A. Interest in other people's way of life

 

• I am interested in other people's experience of daily life, particularly those things not usually presented to outsiders through the media. Example: I envy American people a bit, because they are more open-minded, they leave home when they are young and go to live alone. These are things that I personally can't do, maybe due to my personality. 

• I am also interested in the daily experience of a variety of social groups within a society and not only the dominant culture. Example: I think in US there are a lot of people of different cultures who can live and stay together without any problem. In Italy this is less possible, probably because we have some prejudices against people from other countries and see them from a wrong point of view. In all countries there are bad persons, but they had not to be Immigrants of necessity.

 

B. Ability to change perspective

• I have realised that I can understand other cultures by seeing things from a different point of view and by looking at my culture from their perspective. Example: When I was speaking with my American peer about taxes I realised they don't pay a lot of taxes like us in Italy, but for example they have to pay an insurance for health care, so I can undesrtand her point of view when she was surprised for the ammount of money we must pay to the State. I also understood the situation of those persons, who even if they haven't to pay many taxes, they don't have enough money to pay an insurance for their health and if it happens to them an incidents they have to decide what fingers they want "sewn" to their hand because the insurance doesn't cover the operation for both the fingers.

 

C. Ability to cope with communicating in a different language with a different culture

• I am able to cope with a range of reactions people from different cultures may have to the way I express myself and what I say. Example: My American peer had never say anything to me about the way I expressed myself. However If she had done so, I would have accepted it with great joy, because in this way I could improve my pronunciation and way of speaking. To speak a foreign language there's always something to learn. The study is never ended!!! If she hadn't agreed what I was saying, I would have accepted her pont of view, because as it is obvious everybody has his/her own opinions and way of thinking.

 

D. Knowledge about another country and culture

• I know some important facts about the other culture and about the country, state and people that I did not know before. Example: A smiliing thing that surprised me a lot, was the fact that when we searched information about the elections I saw videos of Obama with half-naked girl. The girl, a part from praising Obama, showed her body in a squalid way and in part this thing made me smile, becuase I found it rather strange. Also in Italy there were videos and songs on Youtube about Veltroni and Berlusconi, but there wasn't a half-naked girl!

• I know how to engage in conversation with people of the other culture and maintain a conversation. Example: When I have to start a conversation, in particular with a person I don't know, I'm a bit shy, but then the will to speak in English is higher and so I become more happy and satisfied to make me understood.  

 

E. Knowledge about intercultural communication

• I know how to resolve misunderstandings which arise from people's lack of awareness of the view point of another culture. Example of misunderstanding and solution: In this case I try to explain better how the situation is, I provide examples and explain the situation from the beginning with more details.

• I know how to discover new information and new aspects of the other culture for myself. Example: In this case I try to search on google, on del.ici.ous and more or less I always find something. 

 

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Self-Assessment of my Language Learning

 

Please provide specific examples of the following:

 

• words, expressions I learned in English: Engl. incinerator, destructor = Ita. inceneritore; Engl living together = coabitare
• improvements in my pronunciation of certain words or intonation: When I had to pronunce some words which in my opinion were a bit strange or difficult to pronunce, I played more attention to them! I hope my pronunce were satisfying and comprehensible! 
• improvements in my listening: I learned to listen more carefully. I think my listening is improved!! 
• changes in the way I speak Italian to non-native speakers: I tried to speak slowly and if my peer didn't understand I explained better, with different and simpler words.  
• words, expressions I learned doing the wiki project: I didn't learn particular words, because my argument wasn't too specific. I only learned that vivere insieme in English is not cohabitation, but living together.  
• improvements in my reading doing the wiki project: I hope my reading is improved, because a part from the materials for my wiki page, I had also to read the wiki pages of other peers of me. 
• improvements in my writing doing the wiki project: I had to write a lot and so I hope my writing is improved a bit!!

 

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