“My Interpersonal Communication: Hello Cultures.”
Hello mate, welcome back to this weekly series about interpersonal communication. This time, we’re gonna be talking about cultures. With an s, because there’s just so many different cultures all around our world.
So maybe in the start, a little exposition about culture. Just a little, I don’t want to bore all of you out. Culture may be defined as a relatively specialized lifestyle of a group of people or communities that is passed on from one generation to the next, through communication.
That is also why, studying culture and being open minded about different culture will be very helpful on our own interpersonal communication.
Many of us must have been experience meeting someone or getting to know a friend maybe or new acquaintance from another culture. Do you still recall on how it went? Me personally, I still recall some of it. Allow me to share it with you guys.
My mom, she has a friend. Her friend has a boyfriend from Ausie/Australia. And one time they hangout together in our house. It’s my first time meeting him. His name is Mr. Gram. Tall, white, bald, quite big, chill dude, and spoke English in a very quick pace. Even still now, when meeting him, sometimes I miss some of what he said.
So eniwey, during the hangout he bought quite a lot of beers, and some booze. That night, he drinks a lot. Around 5 or 7 bottle that night. I asked him,
“In Ausie do you also drink this much?
“Maybe about 10 until 15 bottle. And still sober.”
He also told me, that when hanging out in Ausie, alcohol is like a mineral water in there. Will always be present during hangout with friends.
We also talk about other stuff from women, coffee, his home in Ausie, and this last one intrique me so much. About his career. He told me, that around 15 he already have his first job as an engineer on taveling ship. Traveling to europe, USA, etc from sea. At fifteen years of age.
When I ask him, “Does your parents just let you go when you have that first job.”
“Yeah, they do. In australia, we are allowed to work after age 15. And that’s when I do. As soon as I turn 15, I find job and experience around the world. Even until now, I still have the similar job, as an cruise ship engineer now. Still travel and travel on different countries. So that’s why, sometimes I can only visit Indonesia around one until three month only.”
Okeyy, I guess that’s where the story ends. And we get into the more technical of the interpersonal points from the story.
Generally, culture is divided into two big types. Surface culture and deep culture. An example of surface culture points fom this story is.
Language.
Mr. Gram language, of course it’s gonna be English. But, if you ever encountered bule from USA/Australia. Their English is quite different. Mr. Gram spoke more quick on the pace and sometimes he dragged a few words that he said. Maybe you guys can watch the different accent from this video hehehe:)
What about the deep culture?
I guess one could say his ambiguity tolerant and his indulgence. Start from fifteen years old, on Indonesia that is usually still the age of high school. But, that’s how the culture from Australia about work. And still what amazes me is, he just jump straight. Saying yes to the job, and sailing of on different countries and different continent. Does not, worried at all about the work situation.
The his indulgence, from fifteen until fifty five now, Mr. Gram. It means, he has been doing the same characteristic job around forty years. WOW.
And he still having fun. He enjoy places like Bali and Lombok in Indonesia. He has traveled to Greenland, Germany, experiencing different culture, and yet he still doesn’t feel pressured at all from the prospect of having family. Because Mr. Gram is fifty five years old and still haven’t had a family. So, he’s just enjoying life, spending time and money to be happy.
And I think, from this story alone. Just reminded me and shows that the more we have experience like this, Meeting someone new, from different culture. Or even becoming friends to them. The more we expose ourselves to new understanding, to new toleration and open mindedness towards another culture.