Social Media Post - The Finale

The time has come, where I now must depart from the most wonderful place I have ever been to. I've had many interactions in my time here with people I thought I would never meet. It wasn't until this week, that besides my host family, I actually interacted with someone who was British and befriended them. We stayed up talking about the differences between our cultures, and I just remember not wanting to offend him. Although I talked about last week that my conscious competence has now become unconscious competence, that has only been with slang words. I was more conscious in this interaction because I didn't want to look stupid around my new friend. I talked about things I knew were popular in Britain, because as we learned in class:  Pop culture is often seen as populist, and that can depend on what culture you belong to. I talked about how I liked Ed Sheeran, and Doctor Who. I even talked about how I liked tea more than coffee. I think that our interaction would have gone differently if I hadn't learned about his in class in the sense that I would have talked about things that aren't so popular over here in Britain. An example being, Once Upon a Time, one of my favorite and most popular TV shows in the states. He would have no clue what I was talking about and it would possibly create a divide between us. I have loved all that I have learned from London, and I can't wait to return. Until we meet again.

Social Media Post - Week 9

This week has been the week where I've noticed the change in my vocabulary over my time here in London. My conscious competence somehow turned into, unconscious competence. Conscious competence is when you focus on analytic thinking and learning. Unconscious competence is the level at which communication goes smoothly but is NOT a conscious process. When I first came to London, I forced myself to say things like "chips" instead of "fries", and "toilet" instead of "restroom." The reason I did this was because I knew before coming here that the cultural language was different from my own. So I would remind myself of these cultural differences, and became very aware of what I saying and when I was saying it. However, as time went on, I started to think less and less about it. It wasn't until Thanksgiving dinner that I realized that my conscious competence, to always remind myself of what to say, became unconscious. I was ordering mash, and I also asked the waiter where the toilets where. He kindly took my order, and I didn't think anything of it until my fellow classmates commented on it, and asked me why I had said "mash" instead of "mashed potatoes."  I've grown so accustomed to these words and this language that it is something that I don't have to think about anymore and I just, do.

Social Media Post - Week 8

This week in class, we talked about conflict. One of the topics was on indirect/direct conflict approaches to certain situations. Since being in London I haven't had many conflicts at all, but there is one that does stand out. A couple weeks ago, me and three other girls apart of the program were verbally harassed by a man whom we'd never met on the tube. The four of us were getting on the tube when a man behind us started to talk to us. It wasn't until we were all standing on the tube that he directly approached us, and made his point clear. From his viewpoint we didn't let people get off the tube before we got on. However, we didn't see anyone getting off when we got on, so it was probably just a huge misunderstanding. He kept belittling us, he used very precise language, and he kept trying to articulate his issue with us (direct conflict approach). However, the four of us didn't want anything to do with him. When he would ask us questions saying "do you understand?" or "do you get how it works in this country now?" we wouldn't even reply. We would start to move away from him and continue to ignore him, just to avoid the situation (indirect conflict approach).  I personally consider myself a pacifist, meaning that when conflict arises I tend to avoid it, and stay calm. The other girls I was with however, are usually direct in their conflicts, but since we were all in such a different culture than to one we were used to; it was hard for us to anything but indirect. Because at least for me, I didn't know if other people on the tube would side with him, or us. The man eventually left us alone and got off the tube a short time later. Unfortunately, it will be one of my most memorable experiences on this trip.

Social Media Post - Week 7

This week we have been learning all about popular culture and how it influences us. Something I've learned about is how America rarely learns about any other pop culture outside of the US already. In fact I could only tell you about the TV show Misfits and of course the infamous One Direction; because that's as far as my knowledge goes for Pop Culture in Britain. However since coming here I have been introduced to many different popular things here, such as fashion. Pop culture is often seen as populist, and that can depend on what culture you belong to. Back in Vancouver, fashion isn't that big of a deal. I could go out to the grocery store in sweat pants and a hoodie and no one would even give a glance my way. Since being in London however, fashion has been a big part of my life. I've found myself thinking more and more about what I'm choosing to wear out and about and whether or not it will reflect upon myself badly. Because here fashion is a big deal, and it represents who you are as a person. Although yoga pants may be pop culture back in the states; here it is skinny jeans and leather jackets.

Social Media Post - #6

If there is one thing that I hate more in this world, it's when people invade my personal space. I'm fine if I have a certain relationship with that person, but if they're a total stranger then I feel quite awkward. The United Kingdom is a noncontact culture; meaning in which people tend to stand farther apart when conversing, maintain less eye contact, and touch less often. North America is as well a noncontact culture, but we also have aspects that make us a contact culture as well. I've been told many times by Brits, that we tend to stand too close during conversation, and make too much eye contact. However, if I've learned anything about my time in London, it's that the tube becomes a very contact oriented place, and its something most Americans would find awkward. Earlier this week the picadilly line was down, so the central line, the line I take to school, was packed. I've been on packed lines before, but this one was just insane. For the first time since being here I felt my personal space being completely invaded by total strangers. It was too the point where people were literally leaning on me, yet no one seemed as affect or as awkward as me, because for them this was an acceptable way to break the noncontact culture rules. Most people in America wouldn't have even gotten on the train. By the end of my journey I had to literally push my way through to the door. So although all cultures are either a contact or a noncontact one, there are certain situations where this can get reversed.

Weekly Social Media Post - Week 4

A whole month has come and gone since my arrival in London, and I couldn't be more sad. This week most of our group took a weekend trip to Scotland, I was excited because I had never been before. During this trip and this week, I started to feel more comfortable and "in-place". In class after reading about the U-curve theory, I realized that something called Culture Shock, finally went away. The U-curve theory is a model that shows what migrants go through in three stages. Culture Shock is at the bottom of the U-curve theory, and is a short-term feeling of disorientation, or discomfort due to the unfamiliarity of a new environment. At first I was initially excited to leave for London, however when I got here I was overwhelmed at how different everything was. I was incredibly homesick my first week, and completely lost and confused. I even at one point felt as if I was going through an identity crisis. My whole life I had said I wanted to live in England and make a name for myself here, but suddenly those feelings became the opposite. For awhile I had feelings of wanting to go home, because nothing here felt familiar. Over time this feeling started to go away as I went on more excursions and after class activities. It wasn't until Scotland, however, that this feeling fully went away. Being with all my friends on the bus, and having movie nights, to trying to see Nessie; it was the first time that I felt comfortable and that I could be myself 100% of the time. It was also the first time, on the train ride back from Scotland, I started to refer to London as home. And I couldn't be more glad I got over the culture shock.

Social Media Post - Week 3

This week I've kept it low key. I've stayed at my home stay more and decided to catch up on much needed sleep. I did, however see Wicked; which was excellent. This week in class we've learned about the two different history viewpoints.
1. It's in the past, can't we just get over it and move on? 
In America this is typically from the white point of view. 
2. It's my history, if you don't understand it, you don't understand me. 
Which in America is usually from the view point of African Americans. 
My whole life I've been sort of stuck in between these two view points. I'm mostly Native American and Scandinavian, so in American terms I can be from both viewpoints, it usually depends on the situation for me. However, I've never had been the victim of prejudice or racism when it comes to me being White or American, only Native American (or on occasion when people think I'm hispanic). That all changed yesterday when I went to Primark. I went to buy rain boots for the upcoming Scotland trip, when I went to check them out the cashier asked how my day was. When I answered she looked up at me and then asked me if I was American, with a tone in her voice I can only describe as distaste. When I told her yes, she took the 20 pound note I gave her and ran a money detector pen over it, to test if it was real. She then quickly shoed me out of the store and proceeded to whisper to her friends. I had similar situations happen to me before, but never for being American. It was the first time that I felt like historically both nationalities I came from could fit in with the second view point. It also made me realize the color divide that we have in America is still prevalent,  here it wouldn't have mattered if I was white, black, tan, or pale, because it would have happened no matter what as long as I was American.

Social Media Post - Week 2

Week two of living in London has been a busy one; with classes and multiple filed trips, but it is still too fun to complain. This week I had the chance to go with other students to “The Comedy Store”, a comedy club in the West End. I was more than excited considering that I had been ill the day before and feeling a bit homesick because it was my nephew’s second birthday. When I got to the comedy club I was excited that all the comedians were all from different parts of the world. Part of their standup routine was to take suggestions from the audience and make a joke out of it. One comedian from Canada was given the topic of the royal baby, but instead of it being funny, most of the audience found it offensive. I didn’t think anything of it because in America it’s quite common to make fun of our political leaders, however here if anyone speaks ill of the Royal family people are quick to come to their defense. It reminded me of how in class how we’ve been learning about power distance, where power is distributed unequally, and how some cultures accept it more than others. In America we have quite a low power distance, making fun of people who are higher than us in “social rankings” is actually normal, jokes are constantly made about our president. In London however I found that there is a higher power distance within that aspect. Everyone loves the monarchy and respects it, and to even make a joke about the royal family seems preposterous here. The level of respect people have for one another and their leaders in Brittan, makes me wish we had that. 

Social Media Post - #1

My first week in London has definitely been a wonderful experience thus far. However, the far most interesting/strange new experience for me has to be “The Tube”. It isn’t strange because of how fast paced everything is, or even the multiple ways to get lost. The most interesting thing about the tube is the amount of different types of cultures you see while taking it. Earlier this week I hopped on the tube the last second; and in the process my jacket got stuck in the door. Several people immediately jumped in to help. One man who couldn’t speak English tried to pull my coat free from the door. A Muslim woman moved from her spot so I had a place to stand. And a British man told me that the same thing happened to him once, then proceeded to help tug my coat out of the door. Despite different cultures, race, gender, religion, ect. It seems that everyone was willing to help the American. If the tube can be so peaceful in this way, then why cant the rest of the world? This is what I truly love about London.