Blog Post #4

During our chat cafes, we have casually delved into such conversations when I ask my participants where they have gone out to eat or what they like to do for fun. We ended up spending a lot of time discussing the cultural differences between the U.S. and China, where all my participants are from. They have shared the differences in lifestyle and the importance of certain cultural events in China, such as Chinese New Year. Yet, they seem to be adjusting quite well. Some have been in the country longer than others but for the most part, all of them are happy with the opportunities available in the U.S. and are happy with their freedom to growth as individuals, without restricts from their parents or the Chinese government. Hence, they are willing to embrace the culture in order to take advantage of what the U.S. has to offer and what China doesn’t. On the other hand, linguistic differences seem to be an ongoing problem that cannot be easily solved. For instance, when they walk into a restaurant, the waiter or waitress has difficulty understanding them and what they would like to order. This is due to their accents, which I told them, takes time to improve upon. Practice is key in that department. I do think, though, that there is an overlap of linguistic and cultural differences, despite them being treated differently for our purposes. Linguistic barriers can make cultural differences even more pronounced.

Over time, I have come to understand my participants quite well. As Sofia had said, I also have been trying to make the most of my attendance. While I have four interested participants, usually there is a 2-3 persons attendance rate, making it difficult to really have those stimulated conversations. Because of that, they look to me to speak and are unable to mingle and converse amongst themselves, which is the goal of facilitation. I hope to be able to have them talk with each other more and expand upon cultural and linguistic differences in our upcoming chat café.