Adapting To a New Culture

Adapting To a New Culture

Reading Response #1
Adapting to a New Culture

      In order for a person to be successful in adapting to a new culture, communication is one of the key factors. There are two types of communication, personal and social communication.
      Personal Communication refers to how a person interprets and responds to the environment around them.   With this, a person is taking in the language and culture of his or her surroundings.
This cognitive process allows a person to empathize with the people of that culture.   The concept of being able to empathize is called Affective Competence.   A person, who lacks affective competence, can feel as if they do not belong, or that they are not accepted into the host culture.   Another component to personal communication is Operational Competence.   This refers to a person’s ability to effectively communicate with other people.   This can help a person to communicate with other people when there is a problem.   For example, if a stranger is trying to find a bus station if he or she can appropriately communicate what they are looking for, this in return will make the conversation to go smoother and faster.
When it comes to Social Communication, the interaction with the culture helps the “stranger” to understand how people of that culture communicate as far as facial expressions and their body language (gestures).   With social communication, one can evaluate themselves in how they react and respond when they are talking.
The environment plays a role in the adaptation of a culture.   How accepting a community is in allowing “strangers” into their environment is important.   If a community is not open to new comers that could hinder a person’s ability to adapt in such host culture.   Some environments are more accepting of some individual and less accepting of others.   There could be numerous reasons why this is and some can include the relationship between the “strangers” country and the racial or ethnic prejudice, which the...