Reflection paper
As a person coming from a different culture, this course has thought me a lot about the values and culture that are cherished in the USA. Bearing on mind that my former knowledge about the American culture came mainly from popular Hollywood films, songs and media, I was positively amazed that it is not the true picture of America. Furthermore, I learned on how to appreciate differences and become more tolerant towards the variety of cultures that coexist in the USA.
The Arabic culture that I belong to cherishes tradition and there are certain social rules that are strict and should not be broken. In the past, I was annoyed about some rules in my country, but now I have learned to understand them. Even though I do not approve of something, I have learned to accept it because over the course I have learned that this belongs to my cultural heritage. On the other hand, American culture is similar to my culture and many others, even though it does not seem as such on the surface. Regardless of our color of skin or ethnic origin, there are some values such as devotion to family that are the same. The values that I find similar to my couture include the respect of the tradition and family as the threshold of every individual.
Another aspect that this course has learned me is tolerance. The more we learn about the variety of cultures that exist, the more we learn to accept and respect the differences. The learning about the past of culture is the proper way to understand the present culture and its change through centuries. In this manner, I have learned that the more I know about a certain culture, I more I will respect it. The American culture does not ask of us to change but to accept the differences. Thanks to this course, I have become a better person, a person free from stereotyping people based on their gender and nationality.
Additionally, I have learned that culture is not a static thing, but changes during the historical and social transitions. As such, each culture, including my own has changed in variations depending on the circumstances. The saw my culture though the eyes of the native American and only then learned how to appreciate it. Also, my intercommunication skills improved. In the past, I was frequently unaware of the problems that emerged due to the cultural difference, but now I recognize the verbal and non-verbal mistakes that I make and correct them. Our culture, American and Arabic, are similar also in the constant need for learning and education. Our culture is defined by capabilities to express clearly our thoughts. Regardless of the language barrier, I have managed to make a good starting point for further development as an individual.
