Are you capable of adapting verbal and nonverbal behaviour to diverse cultures? This change involves having a flexible repertoire of behavioural responses that suit a variety of cultural situations. The next and last step to develop your cultural intelligence is called Action

It will take you about 60 minutes to complete this section. After completing this section you will be able to:

Understand the concept of action.
Get a first idea of how to use and understand verbal and non-verbal communication.

Action: What do I do and when do I do it?

You have almost completed this module about Cultural Awareness. You have increased your knowledge of other cultures, planned and strategized what you need to do in order to prepare for your study abroad adventure, and hopefully still feel a sense of excitement when thinking about cultural differences. The next and last step to develop your cultural intelligence is Action.

Before you choose a destination ask yourself: are you capable of adapting verbal and nonverbal behaviour to make it appropriate to diverse cultures?

It involves having a flexible repertoire of behavioural responses that suit a variety of cultural situations. It includes:

Non-verbal – for example gestures and facial expressions
Verbal – for example language and tone

The next few exercises offer you an opportunity to practice some behavioural responses that will help you take the first steps in becoming more culturally flexible.

If, however, you wish to practice your repertoire of behavioural responses that fit your study abroad destinations, please make good use of the research you have done in the section on Cultural Knowledge.

Non-verbal

A New Way of Greeting

Look specifically for cultural behaviours that feel different to what you are accustomed. Dive into all the differences you have found, try to pinpoint what the ‘new’ behaviours look like, and practice them. For example, if it is ‘normal’ in your own culture to greet your friends with a hug and your research shows that in your host country it is considered more ‘normal’ to greet them with a kiss on the cheek, see if you can find ways to practice this new behaviour.

The first step might be to practice with your friends. If you are comfortable with a more challenging situation, seek out an event in your home country where you can find people of your host country, and see if there is an opportunity to practice your ‘new’ way of greeting.

Remember the Body Language exercise? What did you discover when you had to observe dress code, greetings and gestures from a YouTube video? Did you see anything that you found ‘odd’, something you have never done before? In order to feel more confident in your new environment, it is essential that you feel comfortable with the new behaviour. And as with all behaviours, the more you practice, the better you become and the more normal it will feel. So, seek out an opportunity and try out some of these non-verbal behaviours.

Verbal

Choose your words carefully

There are more than 6,000 languages in the world, and language barriers can cause frustration and inconvenience. To make the most of your study abroad experience learning the local language is essential. Start with a couple of essential words and phrases and take it from there. You will discover that a lot of the culture remains difficult to grasp without speaking the language.

Adapting to a new environment could also mean that you have to change your wording, be more formal or informal in your choice of language, or when asking a question using words that will make your message more direct or indirect.

You will put this newly acquired acknowledge into action in Module 6: Culture Shock.

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