This is the discussion post they responded to
• You arrive in a developing African country as a Peace Corps volunteer.
• What aspects of a very different culture do you think would be the hardest to adjust to and why?
• What might the citizens of that country find shocking about your culture?
These are the post to respond to
1.Honestly the food and places I have here would be the hardest to adjust to for me. The reason why is because I have to eat a lot because I stay in the gym, but there isn't even gyms in Africa.
I would have to either quit or find blunt objects. In my culture I could go anywhere and find food, but in Africa they have to find food in order to eat. They miss many meals and we complain when we haven't eaten in a couple hours. We also complain when we can't even find clothes to match and get mad if something is ugly when given the item from a friend or family member.
If I was given something living in Africa I would take it because they don't have much of anything. If they were to come here they would probably think its unfair how our lives are so easy and they don't really have to do anything to take care of themselves because of how easy it is. They would be thrilled to live in the kind of culture we live in, but I don't know. I believe living in a culture of nothing would be good and bad on a person because it could change them and show them how grateful we should be for the things that we have because other cultures don't have anything.
1. Throughout the world different regions and nations develop various traditions and customs. Looking through the outside in these may seem very odd to some people. Culture shock can occur when an individual visits an area where the culture is much different than his own. It can be difficult for that individual to adapt or understand the culture in front of them.
Usually this leads to a black-lash where people may not be willing to give up there own traditions when placed in an area where the majority of the populations customs are different. This can lead to allot of problems and result in altercation. It's important to try to understand others cultures and not see them as a threat to our own. Instead of always placing your culture in a self centric point of view, try to comprehend how another individual that's from another region may be culturally shocked from your own culture.
2. I've had a recent experience of culture shock. Recently I've had a friend from south east Asia visit the United states. She was well aware of the customs of American culture so adapted quite well.
But the biggest incident occurred while we where shopping one day. We visited a outdoor sports outlet looking for fishing gear for an event we had planned that week. The store trip went well until we walked to the back of the store. As we turned the corner a man checking out an assault over the counter was checking the sights pointing the weapon at the ground and thinking about purchasing it. I didn't think twice about this and continued walking. Little did I notice that she quit walking 10 steps behind me and was almost frozen. It didn't take me to long to realize that what I'd just done was culture shock my friend. She had never seen a firearm in her life.
As we left the store we had a conversation and she immediately disagreed with the idea of across the counter fire-arms. I tried to explain as non political as possible that this is a cultural norm here in America and it's of great controversy right now but always has been a normal custom. This incident made me wonder if in the future if I travel to foreign country and because as culture shocked as my friend on that day will I be able to understand another culture even if I disagree with it.