WHAT IS CULTURE?

Culture is everything that describes a particular group of people. The group can be a family, a religious group, or people from a different town, neighborhood, country, or city. It can also be people who share a similar ethnic background, life dynamics, or work culture. Culture is often used to describe the features exhibited through history, language, food, arts, geography, family values, and beliefs.

One person can have diverse cultures, such as family culture, religious culture, age group culture, or work culture. When all these cultures are combined, they give each individual their unique culture. As we shall know, there are various ways that both children and adults can learn about different cultures. 

WHAT LESSONS DO YOU GAIN FROM INTERACTING WITH DIVERSE GROUPS?

Spending time with people from other cultures allows you to know what they struggle with and their traditions as a community. Further, you also get a chance to rethink any assumptions you have had about your practices and daily life. Such knowledge promotes personal growth while enabling you to learn new things about your culture. 

You can learn about diverse cultural groups in various ways. For example, you can conduct research or ask your peers on different social sites about their cultural norms. Remember, to understand other cultures well, you can opt for practical methods like traveling and camping. 

By doing so, you get cultural awareness and a real-time experience of what it feels like to belong to another culture. Here are some of the most effective strategies you can use to learn about other cultures. 

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• STUDY A NATIVE LANGUAGE

Being conversant with a native dialect enables you to interact and engage with people from diverse cultures effectively. This ability is also known as cultural competence. The simple act of learning new words and phrases helps you connect with others deeply. By learning a new language, you acquire robust cross-cultural communication expertise when speaking your native language with people from different cultural backgrounds. 

• DIVERSIFY YOUR READING HABITS

Rather than reading books written by people you identify with, adopt a practice of reading books written by different people from different cultures. This helps you learn numerous facts about the culture. Further, you’ll be able to identify with the culture better. 

• UNDERSTAND DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHY AND ECONOMIC PRACTICES

The economics and geography of any country are critical and closely associated. You can begin by establishing the following. 

• What are the trading practices of this culture? Do they use trade or money?
• Does the culture have any resources?
• Does the culture specialize in exports? If they do, what do they mainly export?
• What role do these things play in terms of their cultural practices and beliefs?

 

INTERACT WITH PEOPLE WHO COME FROM DIVERSE CULTURES

This is one of the ideal ways of learning and understanding other people’s cultures. One way of achieving this is going to international camps. The advantage of attending these camps is that you meet people from different countries and races. Not only do you learn about their culture, but you also teach them your culture.

Having a one-on-one interaction with people helps you hear their stories firsthand. Leverage this opportunity to ask questions about the culture and teach them everything they want to know. This way, you learn from each other. 

• SAMPLE FOOD FROM OTHER CULTURES

Food plays a critical function in human existence. Further, the food we all consume is connected to our culture. You can learn and understand a specific culture by sampling their food. It would only be possible to comprehensively define culture by evaluating its cuisine.

Food is an extensive need, and regardless of where you are or where you come from, you need food. Many of our social cultures likely emanated from food. In the past, for instance, people would wander through the land to hunt and gather food. While food practices have changed in the modern-day world, they remain one of the uniting factors for people worldwide.

OTHER WAYS INCLUDE:

• Participate in local celebrations and events with an open mind and heart.
• Art is a critical part of understanding a new culture. Consider visiting history museums, cultural performances, and art exhibitions in various areas. By learning new things, you can appreciate considerable cultural differences. 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF LEARNING DIFFERENT CULTURES?

In today’s ever-changing world, people worldwide are fast realizing the importance of learning, understanding, and appreciating diverse cultures. Why is this necessary? It plays a significant role in developing communities that excel in problem-solving and enhancing varying conditions. Let’s discuss the benefits of understanding different cultures.

• YOU GET TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD BETTER.

The world comprises people with diverse cultures. Where possible, being exposed to different cultures helps you embrace and appreciate people who are different from you. Further, the more your children interact with other children from various cultures, the more they respect and value them.

Going to summer camps is an excellent way of exposing your children to diverse cultures and practices. Whether they interact with other children from different countries or regions, they will learn something new during camp. 

• MINIMIZE STEREOTYPES

When your children learn about people and their different cultures, they’ll be less likely to classify them depending on stereotypes. Remember, everybody is different, and what one person does shouldn’t define an entire community.

• HELPS PREVENT AND OVERCOME ETHNIC AND RACIAL DIVISIONS

Ethnic and racial divisions can hurt society. For instance, it could lead to a lack of opportunities, misunderstandings, and, in the worst cases, violence. Communities marred by ethnic and racial rivalry often suffer from both financial and human resources. These vices distract communities from finding concrete solutions to their budding issues. 

• ENHANCES EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Language is a critical part of human communication. However, it’s not the only contributing factor to effective communication. Understanding different cultures enhances communication in varying ways. For instance, culture can influence speaking tendencies such as figurative language, speed, and presentation. 

Culture also contributes to the way people depict their gestures and body language. Meeting and interacting with people allows you to diversify your communication and look at the world from a different perspective.

Benefits of Communication Among People from Different Cultures

Communication boosts credibility and trust and makes you vocal about your culture and beliefs. There are numerous benefits of communicating with people from different cultures, and connecting with people from other countries helps you build an appropriate personal life. 

Mastering the art of effective communication makes you more productive while allowing you to maintain healthy relationships with your friends and peers. Again, understanding other cultures promotes your intelligence, verbal fluency, and awareness. 

Communicating with people from different cultures exposes you to various essential skills, such as problem-solving and stress management. You may want to meet people from other cultures to connect with the fast-evolving world, learn their practices, acquire new methods of executing tasks, and understand them from a personal point of view. 

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• CREATES OPPORTUNITY TO MEET NEW PEOPLE

There are different ways of meeting new people. For instance, participate in various celebrations, attend camp, visit people from diverse cultures, and celebrate special days. This enables students, especially, to meet, interact with, and make new friends. This is an ideal way of expanding a student’s social circle and creating room for them to learn about different cultures. 

• EXPOSES YOU TO NEW EXPERIENCES

Interacting with different cultural backgrounds allows you to understand and appreciate other people’s ethnicity. What’s more, you will also learn invaluable stories from one another and master the art of enjoying your own culture from a different perspective. Engaging in multicultural experiences allows you to participate in new activities, taste new food, and experience a vast range of things away from your comfort zone. 

Children can get exposed to new cuisine by sampling new foods, participating in different cultural celebrations, listening to stories from their peers from other countries, and further engaging in various activities such as art or learning how to play a new musical instrument. Exposure to new things helps children to explore the world better. 

WHY SHOULD YOU LEARN DIFFERENT CULTURES?

Learning and understanding different cultures are critical in day-to-day life. Here are the reasons why you should be conversant with diverse cultures.

• THEY ARE INTERESTING

Learning about other cultures is fascinating. Today, we live in a digital world where children spend most of their time with their gadgets. To discourage a sedentary lifestyle, expose your children to different cultures from an early stage. 

Sending your children to camp is one way of achieving this. While on camp, your children will be exposed to various culture-promoting activities. Having hands-on experience is better than reading or even watching the same on television.

• IT STIMULATES THE MIND

Being exposed to culture-learning opportunities stimulates the mind and helps you think in diverse ways. It’s ideal for challenging your thought development and enhancing your ability to refine information. 

• IT PROMOTES UNDERSTANDING

Misunderstandings can cause many problems, mainly because we live in a multicultural world. Learning and understanding different cultures helps you understand why people do things the way they do. When you identify with other people, you sympathize with their situation. This facilitates understanding and prevents misunderstandings. 

• YOU UNDERSTAND VARIOUS WAYS OF DOING THINGS.

Cultural practices shouldn’t be the reason why people oppress one another. While discarding some practices is impossible, some sections of different cultures need to be renounced. Learning about diverse cultures helps you realize that there are numerous approaches to life, and you may not be the best.

Many times, interacting with people from different cultures helps you view life from a different perspective. When you learn about other cultures, you establish new ways of thinking and approaching and solving problems. 

• YOU BECOME MORE PREPARED TO COPE WITH THE EVER-CHANGING WORLD

In today’s techno-savvy times, the world is rapidly becoming smaller. As people travel far and wide, there is a high chance that you will encounter people from different cultures. You’ll need to master the art of tolerating each other. Remember, you’ll also want people to handle you, and the best way of achieving this is by understanding.

This plays a significant role in living in an all-around community and making you a versatile human being. If your children are going to camp, they’ll need to learn about other cultures to avoid misunderstandings. Learning about other people’s customs and cultures gives enriches the children’s experience everywhere they go. 

WHAT’S THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE?

Language enables you to express your feelings and thoughts, facilitates communication, and allows you to exchange knowledge with others. To fully master a different language, you’ll need to understand the culture. It’s worth noting that to understand a different culture, you should strive to study the terminology associated with the culture.

This is attributed to the fact that language is highly dependent on various factors. They include the ever-changing customs, values, and views of the people who speak them. Remember, language mirrors the beliefs and values of a culture and our perception of the world. The difference between two cultures can be expressed through their languages, and understanding the differences helps you relate with people better.

DOES UNDERSTANDING DIFFERENT CULTURES PROMOTE GROWTH?

Yes. Knowing a particular culture helps you become connected to a community. You may want to support this community by:

• Engaging in new experiences away from your comfort zone
• Learning their traditions and beliefs
• Applying the skills you learn in various aspects of your own culture. 

By learning about other cultures, you will have: 

• ENHANCED CULTURAL SENSITIVITY

Learning about other cultures is similar to understanding diverse languages. Once you make an effort to learn and connect with a specific culture, you will have an easy time improving your skills on the go. 

Having cultural sensitivity to a particular culture enables you to be more aware of a wide range of cultures. Cultural awareness encourages you to gather more information about diverse communities and inspires you to discuss your culture with interested parties. 

• ABILITY TO RE-ASSESS BIASES

A cross-cultural experience makes you more conscious of your actions, such as the words you utter, your thoughts, and your dressing style. It also enables you to rethink your background and establish where you may have learned culturally insensitive opinions and habits. By admitting personal biases and being ready to change your views, you start appreciating people from diverse groups for who they are. 

Remember, adopting cultural diversity is critical for societal and personal development. Understanding etiquette rules from various parts of the globe allows you to connect with others better. 

Whether you are visiting New York, Japan, or any other aspect of the world, these rules will come in handy to help you connect with others better. They will also facilitate effective decision-making practices. 

FINALLY

There are various cultures, practices, beliefs, and norms in the world. Teaching children how to be culturally conscious and respectful of others prepares them to face the world. It’s an ideal way of reminding children that what they are conversant with may not always be the right way. 

Interacting with diverse groups from different cultures will help children make new friends and easily interact. They will also be able to solve culturally based issues before they arise.

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About the Author: Stephen Ekstrom