Surviving Cross Culturally

Goals in Crossing Cultures: Just Survive. Then Learn.

A collection of random thoughts on crossing cultures.

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

Did you know this about #Australia? Would any #Aussie dispute this? Although this is just based on temperature, not precipitation. #survivingcrossculturally
(credit: @Locati0ns)

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

#India is very mountainous, but the #Himalayans make it look so flat. #survivingcrossculturally

(@Locati0ns)

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

Getting paid in USD (or another strong currency) is noticeable when living in a lot of the world. We cannot forget that most of those around us suffer as the exchange rate changes. #exchangerate #survivingcrossculturally #economics

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

Weekend Cleanse:
(@viewspxrn)

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

"Misconception #3: More Time Spent in the New Language Is Always Better"
-Dormer, Language Learning, 23.

You must have comprehensible input. But there is a saturation point. And if you don't understand the input, it's useless.

#survivingcrossculturally #languagelearning

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

"Misconception #2: Some People Are 'Good at Languages' and Others Are Not"
-Dormer, Language Learning, 21.

Outside of learning disabilities or physical challenges (hearing, speaking)... be careful that you don't give up too quickly.

#survivingcrossculturally #languagelearning

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

"Misconception #1: Children Are Better Language Learners than Adults"
--Jan Edwards Dormer, Language Learning, 17.

Sometime, perhaps, in certain skills. But not always. Be careful that you're just talking for the sake of talking.

#survivingcrossculturally #LanguageLearning

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

Myths surround 2nd-language acquisition. Why? It is a new field!

"Only in the past 50 years have we started to see scientific studies contributing to our understanding of how new languages are learned."
"Language Learning," Dormer, 17
#LanguageLearning #survivingcrossculturally

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

To survive in some places you MUST learn the language.

To thrive in ANY place, and to get the feel of and learn the intricacies of the your new culture, you MUST learn the language.

Learn the Language! But... HOW?!

#languagelearning #survivingcrossculturally

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

Weekend Cleanse: #peaceful
(@_magical_nature)

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

"Modern #Africa was designed against its will to be a divided thing. A continent of 54 houses built on sand, poorly anchored to business deals written using Victorian definitions of civilization."

@DipoFaloyin, Africa Is Not a Country, 65

#survivingcrossculturally

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

How Secure Are You?

"I am from a philosophy that questions why you would order something new off a menu when you know exactly what you want; why order something new WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND PRECISELY WHO YOU ARE?"
@DipoFaloyin, #Africa Is Not a Country, 5
#survivingcrossculturally

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

Totally foreign to ("personal, privacy focused") Western Worldviews!

"I was raised with a strong belief that it is an aunty's duty to mind your business and that it is impossible to have too many cousins."

@DipoFaloyin, Africa Is Not a Country, 4

#survivingcrossculturally

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

Non-Western Worldview: "I am from a confusingly sublime matrix of who is actually a blood relative, and a deep appreciation of the heat, both in taste and touch, and the healing powers of pepper soup."

@DipoFaloyin, Africa Is Not a Country, 4

#survivingcrossculturally

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

Majority World #Worldview, foreign to most Westerners:

"I am from a belief that to visit our home is to eat at our home, because food is the ultimate love language; food forgives sins and dispenses grace."
@DipoFaloyin, Africa Is Not a Country, 4

#survivingcrossculturally

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

Weekend Cleanse: WoW! Beautiful.
(@culturaltutor)

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

#CultureShock can even happen within one's own country--moving from #rural to #urban (or vice versa) in one's own country also brings completely new sights, sounds, smells, & patterns of life.
#survivingcrossculturally

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

"When the differences are great, we are not sure how to respond. What we did back home does not work here. It is all very confusing. Our physical & emotional energy is taxed just to make it through each day."
Duane Elmer, Cross-Cultural Connections, p 45
#survivingcrossculturally

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

A Vicious Cycle: "The more we retreat from culture and people the less we learn about them; the less we know about them, the more uncomfortable we feel among them; the more uncomfortable we feel, the more inclined we are to withdraw." Craig Storti #survivingcrossculturally

[Surviving Cross Culturally @SurviveCultures]

"Lost! That is the feeling of culture shock. You do not have the tools to navigate this new situation, and it is embarrassing, frustrating, frightening and humbling."

Duane Elmer, Cross-Cultural Connections, p 44
#cultureshock #survivingcrossculturally