Blog 16

One effective example of intercultural communication is when Tyessa talks about her experience at Neque. She is talking about a little girl when she says, "I helped her with homework and she helped me understand that language isn’t always needed in a relationship or even in a conversation. Sometimes you just need to listen with your mind and your heart, not with your ears." She makes a very good point here. I believe she means that language is still there, but in a different form than just words. It is a feeling and connection in which we can make with one another. I found this to be the case as well when we were working with the children at Neque. When I couldn't understand them, they would just take my hand and show me the way or demonstrate something. This seemed to be the best way to communicate with one another. 

 Another example of effective intercultural communication is when Thea talks about her experience at Neque as well. She say that, "Despite knowing very little Spanish we were able to connect with the children through play." I agree with this. I found that everyone speaks the language of play, no matter where they are from. Even if we couldn't understand everything they would say to us, we could still communicate with them through the language of play. This also shows us that there are alternative methods to connect with someone, that is not just speaking their language. 

 An example of ineffective intercultural communication is when Elizabeth discusses her experience at Mitad del Mundo. She says, "The process was very fascinating and also disturbing." She is referring to the process of the shrunken heads. Many of us found it different, but we would not label it as "disturbing" because that would label us as being ethnocentric. Just because we find something different than what we are used to, it doesn't mean that their beliefs and values are wrong. We should accept them for who they are and not judge or label them as hurtful things. 

 I chose these three blogs because I really enjoyed my time at these places. I also thought of Neque as one of the best examples of intercultural communication being seen through a different light. It really opened my eyes up to the various ways of nonverbal communication as well. 

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