Saturday, September 27, 2008
Intercultural Conflict
I can still remember the incident vividly…
It was two years ago, when I was studying in junior college. A group of us were chosen to represent the class in an art competition. We were all excited over the fun competition and dashed straight to the library after school to brainstorm on the ideas. S, being the most artistic talented among us, was chosen to sketch out the outline of our art piece. While S was engrossed in her work, one of our Indian classmates (M) happened to be studying nearby came over to see the progress. She was so thrilled by S’s artistic talent and expressed her support and encouragement by tapping on S’s shoulder. Suddenly, S turned stiffed and kept brushing her shoulder with annoyance. M was puzzled by her reaction but was clearly unhappy towards the way S reacted. After that, both of them treated each other with hostility for quite some time.
To many, giving a tap on the shoulder is a way to express encouragement. However, to Chinese (of course there are always exceptions) tapping on the shoulder is disastrous as we believe that good luck will evaporate with a tap thus bringing bad luck.
Through this incident, I have learnt the importance of showing sensitivity to different people especially those who are from different cultures. In another words, be empathetic is important. We should always put ourselves in the others’ shoes so as to communicate with understanding of the others’ situation. In this way, communication will be carried out in a more effective way.
Also, there are a lot more ways of conveying our feelings. Do not use it if you are unsure of. In this case, words of encouragement are definitely the safest and most effective communication channel. :D
