Sharing & Experiencing Culture Through English Conversations - Avoid Embarrasments

We enjoyed the engaging conversations during today's session on Cultural Implications and Context within Conversational English. The participants participated actively. Our new friends from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam (Sunny), who teaches English as a Foreign Language to university students and from Mendoza, Argentina (Emanuel) who likes to be a future English professor. Hosted by our American Coach, Jaiyetee, whose expertise of Coaching in the areas of Communications, Business, Linguistics and Leadership.

Our topics evolved from various aspects of conversations, its contextual meanings and cultural implications such as learning the 'Cultural Iceberg' where there are many information that we do not know and aware of when communicating with someone whom we just met, or we work with or we have been introduced. Even when we have worked together for a while, but we did not explore the cultural backgrounds of implicit culture (the things underneath of the physical view). Often times, we are experiencing more the external appearance of the culture (what we are actually seeing). Imagine the view below, looking the physical view or its panorama,but you  are not sure how deep is the water and what exists under the surface of the water. That is how the implicit culture looks like - you cannot know it until you explore and discover more through a personal immersion. In the photo, you need to dive into the water and see what you can immerse yourself to understand what is in there.

We shared our ideas, views, perspectives and talked about;

1. Perceptions versus realities

2. Verbal communications and its implications and correct usage

3. Non-verbal communications and their unknown meanings

4. Meaning of words and phrases in different countries

5. Cultural meanings of greeting someone at a particular country in context

6. Giving gifts to a personal friend, business partner, family friends and acquaintances

7. Cultural Immersion and Experiences

In order to experience the real scenario and learn the cultural contexts of phrases, words, expressions, actions and avoid embarrassments during conversations in English, we need to learn what these mean in other cultures. Cultural Meanings and their relevance to the speaker / recipient of the information is important. We make sure that what we say will not be  offensive. Must demonstrate cultural competence, be articulate, and confident in an engaging conversation to be achieve great experience. 

When interested to participate in any future English Conversations via Skype please send your interest via email: info@ideasnconversations with your skype ID, and we will include you in the future events. You can invite your friends to participate with you to learn together. If you have specific topic that you would like to learn more, just email us with your suggested topic and we will consider for future topic agenda. 

Thank you to all our participants. Until the next session.