Personal Narrative: Intercultural Relationships

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Personal Narrative: Intercultural Relationships

Intercultural relationships are essential to our survival as a people. Without interacting withone another, the wrld would not be the place it is today. I would not be the person I amtday. I can recaall an instance of intercultural relating that has affected me. It changed the way I view the world. Living in the United States, we are subjected to many races and cultures. Living in central New Jersey, though there are many types of people, life is usually the same on all ends of the spectrum.

My trip to the Bahamas has allowed me to realize this: in the Bahamas, people, cultures, and attitudes are dfferent than what I have been subjected to my whole life. People tend to be more friendly and laid back. The atmosphere is light and there is no sense of the world rushing by. It was a culture shock to observe such differences. When I got to speak with some people nativeto the Bahamas, one woman said that the Americans tend to let things pass them by. That all of the “stuff” in life becomes more important than living life. Iagreed, but still could not get used to how “slow” things were in the Bahamas. Through out that trip I kept thinking of what that woman said.

A few days later I ran into a man from Japan (around my age). He spoke english. When he asked me if I spoke any other languages, I said no. The young man was shocked to hear my reply. The man admittedthat most people in Asia know at least two languages. Once again I had realized the differences of my culture and others’. I had also asked the man if he agreed with the woman who had said that Americans often tend to let the fast pace of our culture affect our own lives. He agreed, but said life is just as fast or faster in Japan. The young man said that it just depends on how you deal with the pace.

In the days to follow, I had been thinking…two different people from different places that I. One culture being absorbed first hand as I stayed in the Bahamas. Another (Japanese) explained to me. It makes me see how different New Jerseyi than everywhere else.

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