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) 

I felt very lucky to live here in Italy, especially when I had to study the healthcare system in the US. Despite what one might think about our country, it seems that here, there is still a bit more humanity when considering a human being's life.

• Moments in which I felt uncomfortable: (what made me feel like this, with particular examples if possible)

Anytime I have meet (virtually or not ) new people I always feel  really unconfortable, but it is always a transitory moment.

• Moments when I felt comfortable:(what made me feel like this, with particular examples if possible)

I felt confortable all the time when skyping, our american peer was really nice and open minded, despite her young age.

 

B. Knowledge

• The most important things I learnt about family life and/or life at school.

Well, I think I didn't learn much about this matter, actually I never asked anything about it.

• The most important things I have learnt about the country, the nation, the state of the target language.

I once again verified that all that glitters is not gold. The USA wouldn't be a suitable country for a person like me.

• 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 think they use the word 'wow' too often, but maybe she just wanted to be kind.

 

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 had to explain to our peer that, here, in Italy, your doctor is a person that (almost) always follows (clinically) up to your death comes.

• 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)

I asked our peer how she felt about the fact that the state might actusally leave you alone when you really need a hand.

 

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A self-assessment of my Intercultural Experience 

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 would like to know what young people do in their free time, especially those things concerning politics and arts.

• 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'd like to know Cuban refugees think about the USA, do they see it as a way out or a  new mother land or a master which is still imposing the embargo on their country, reason by which things got so complicated there.

 

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: as I already pointed out in  my final paper in January (I think), I don't believe in a total cultural relativism, you really have to live in a country before only trying to understand how things go on. Anywhere you will find bad and good things.

 

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: I always use common sense, for example, death penalty is considered a cultural feature, but to me, is simply barbaric. Let's consider that there' no harder and safer solution to keep a criminal behind bars (in this way another crime is commited).

 

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: 

the state which is supposed to export democracy do not know it at all. (Sorry to say that, I'm really worried about that)

• I know how to engage in conversation with people of the other culture and maintain a conversation. Example:
• I let them to be expressed widely so I can understan if thei're open minded or not.

 

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:

• I know how to discover new information and new aspects of the other culture for myself. Example: I go to the net and look for themed websites and newspaper articles.

 

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Self-Assessment of my Language Learning

 

Please provide specific examples of the following:

 

• words, expressions I learned in English: Kidney stones

• improvements in my pronunciation of certain words or intonation: spinach I used to say /spinats/ but it is /spinits/ instead.

• improvements in my listening: well, skyping was a demanding activity, my headphones sometimes did not work properly so the audio signal wasn't that good and understand our peer was kind of a challenge. I had to develop a natural sound-screening system to get all the words I had to hear.
• changes in the way I speak Italian to non-native speakers: I try to use the best Italian I know, that is mine, but when sentences weren't understood I simplified them as you can hear in those films when natives talk to 'foreign people' (it did not happen so often though)
• words, expressions I learned doing the wiki project: recipient, I thought it meant 'recipient' but actuslly is the one who receives benefits from their ensurance.
• improvements in my reading doing the wiki project: well, I had to learn the langua of insurence systems
• improvements in my writing doing the wiki project: I feel more self assured when I write know, I still do lots of mistake, but the message always passes in all its features. That's the only reason why I'm studying foreign languages: to be understood. : )

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