Cultural Differences
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Using Cultural Differences to Come Together, by
Shana Medah
We think of cultural differences as the things that separate us and view cultural differences as obstacles we must overcome – and indeed, they do often present themselves in the form of a problem that must be solved. However, the problem-solving process also gives us an opportunity to know each other (and ourselves) better.
When I was in high school, my family hosted a high school exchange student from Germany for the summer. My brother (who was about 14 at the time) was shocked nearly speechless when, after being in our home for little more than a week, the exchange student asked my brother for a “rubber”.
My brother, in deep shock at why this young man, still practically a total stranger, was asking him for a condom, and not having one at his disposal in any case, managed the only reply he could muster, “Um. . . er. . . uh. . .w hat do you mean?”
Our exchange student, quite unaware of what he had just requested, responded, “You know – when you are writing and you make a mistake. You use it to correct what you wrote.”
My brother let out his breath and the panic left his face. “Oh! You want an ERASER!”
We all learned that day that the little thing you use to remove the traces of your pencil on the paper can have many names. My brother and I learned not to be shocked if such a request ever came up again, and our exchange student learned why we were shocked in the first place. What could have been a serious misunderstanding became a chance for each of us to grow. In fact, this incident helped me immensely years later when I taught ESL to adult immigrants who would inevitably ask the same question. At the very least, I knew that my students were requesting school supplies and not making inappropriate advances.
I tell this story to illustrate how mishaps turn into learning experiences. The whole scene only lasted about 15 seconds, but it encompassed an entire discovery process. I call it “Stop, Look, and Listen.”