Select a day
We
decided to choose this interesting workshop because it challenges us to
deal with such variety of Intercultural differences. This workshop is
specially about creating a really amusing Intercultural online game with
which not only we, but also all the people taking part in it, will learn
how to react and behave in intercultural business situations in everyday
life. In fact, each participant will provide us with some interesting
intercultural experiences. Some of the discussed topics are for example
punctuality and greetings. It is necessarily important that we don't force
stereotypes. We want to give the player of this game some help on how
to manage intercultural situations. Furthermore, the workshop leader,
Vera, is a very professional person and has a rich international background,
with renders this course even more interesting. Besides, we will meet
some very nice people from Ireland gathering a wide intercultural experience,
either by working all over the world or meeting many intercultural people.
Their help will be very useful to reach our final aim. We are enjoying
this wonderful workshop and looking forward to make a big success out
of it.
Sara Díaz Coello(Spanish group) and Angel Valero Nadal (German group)
Culture as the software of the mind
Have
you ever thought how many different cultures there are? When we think
of the world's culture we do not realize its diversity. In fact, every
person has his/her own culture which is given by the nationality they
belong to.
The different models of culture as it has been seen in the lecture could
be reflected in many forms. For example, culture could be seen as different
types of glasses we could wear. It makes us see the same thing in different
ways. Another clear example is to see culture as an iceberg. There is
a part we are aware of but there is another one, bigger, that is under
the water and we would have to dive in to reach a complete knowledge of
it. Other people see it depending on the way you look through a kaleidoscope
or even as an onion with different layers. The more we peel the onion,
the more we know culture, as we could read it, could be the software of
the mind, not only because it is in our heads, but also because every
single person has a particular and distinctive one. It is obvious that
we do not think the same and we do not agree always with everything or
everyone. It is also very clear that there are some times incompatibilities
between people, when we do not have the same way of thinking. But is that
a reason to close our eyes to know other cultures or other ways of seeing
something? Is that a reason to think that a reason to think that our culture
is the best and not even try to understand others? Sharing is giving and
receiving. Borrowing identities is having more than one.
Zaida de la Sierra Marcos
(Spanish group)
Social Manager
What
do you think when you hear "Borrowed Identities?" How can someone
borrow someone else's identity? Does it sound crazy? Well, we have made
this come true as a team. I came to Achill not sure what exactly I was
going to do here as a social manager. I had some ideas and I had them
prepared at home, but could they work with such a multicultural team?
In October 2004, I was nationally certified as a Peer Educator in the
USA. Thanks to that, I have received training in how to instruct others
to apply team work in a working environment. Team work is our motto, but
as Social Manager, I have to also be a leader. Taking the leashes from
such an amazing project it is a big responsibility but it's also fun,
which makes it worth it. The experience I have attained so far cannot
be forgotten but applied to real situations in life. My job is not only
about leading but about learning how to work with others and have patience
to suit someone else's demands. The first day in Dublin, we interacted
very well; from arriving to the hostel to the train to Achill, to the
first dinner in Achill. I started my job with a small, remembering, name
game and a small song with no real words that anyone, not matter which
language they speak, could learn. Our first active day involved a teacher's
idea of introducing a project to the students. The language diversity
manager was also involved in this project; we did an example poster to
tell the students what a multicultural cottage profile is all about. My
third job was to pair up two people, from different nationality and different
cottages, to present each other in dinner time. Monday was a successful
day, the students received very well the presentations; especially the
embarrassing situations. We are barely on our second day in Achill, as
social manager, I will give my 110% to give the best I can and there will
be more surprises to come.
Laura Gonzalez
(Spanish group)
Sara's Surprise Birthday Party
The
festivities began at the restaurant before dinner when one person from
each station wished Sara a happy birthday in their native language before
everyone in the group sang happy birthday. During when Sara had left the
room Laura advised everyone that the birthday card she had made was being
passed around for the people who had not had a chance to sign it and that
the party would start at half past nine.
Sara's surprise birthday party was thrown at the party cottage, number
23. The turn-out was impressive with all the stations represented throughout
the majority of the evening. Jens suggested a banner should be made to
display a message for Sara. Zaida, Anda and Michelle took the time to
make a poster for Sara which displayed a birthday greeting and was hung
on the curtains in the sitting room for all to see. When Sarah arrived
there was another rendition of happy birthday in English before someone
gave a short burst in Spanish.
As the party began to get started and people began to mingle Gigi introduced
a card game entitled Speed Jungle. Everyone was welcome to play with some
braver than others. The game was enjoyed by many with Alex, Casey and
Michelle of the English station getting involved straight away. Within
a couple of games members of the German and Swedish stations also began
to play. Gigi's game drew a variety of stations together which helped
to get people talking, increase the noise level and provide entertainment
for all whilst also showing how the people of different cultural backgrounds
can all enjoy a good card game.
There was a variety of music during the course of the evening which included
German Hip-Hop, English pop and Spanish dance songs to provide the background
noise thanks to the Party Man Jens vast catalogue of tunes together with
CD's supplied by the Spanish guys. As the party progressed some Spanish
music was played and people enjoyed a dance and the occasional sing along
before the last few party animals called it a night in the early hours.
The musical range denotes the appreciation by all for different cultures
music and shows a heightened level of understanding for the need to cater
for the taste of all members of the group.
Vincent Leach
(UK group)
