Blog #5

  Some themes I noticed across my experience working Nepar would be communication barriers and cultural differences. Communication barriers were relevant to my experience because Nepar would be on a roll talking to us, but then she would slip into her native Burmese language. Also when we were trying to explain to her what certain English words meant, she would have no idea what we were trying to say.
   Cultural differences came up when she would offer us something to drink. In her culture the right thing to do is deny her offer, so she asks again. When she ask again then we are supposed to accept whatever she's offering us. That was very different from the American culture because if someone offers us something we either accept it or deny it, and then we move on with our day.
    My experience with Nepar and her family will stay with me forever because so many different cultures make up America, and sooner or later I will have to interact with someone who can't speak English. Since this experience, I will know how to handle these situations, and not get so frustrated when we can't understand each other.

Blog #4

   During our last visit with Nepar, we took her grocery shopping!! First we stopped at a Burmese store which was a very different experience for me. It was definitely cool to see Nepar do her thing, and be so comfortable with her own culture. She bought a lot of vegetables and fish because that's a very common meal in her homeland. After the Burmese store, we took her to Hyvee. For most of the things she was going to buy, she had to ask me what it was. I thought that was a little funny because she was buying stuff even though she wasn't certain of what they were. Once we got to the checkout lane, pointed at a magazine with Prince William and Duchess Kate. Nepar then looked at us and said, "I know who they are! They're from England!" I was excited that she knew that, so then I pointed to another magazine and asked if she knew who the Kardashian sisters were. She said no, so I explained who they are to her. Nepar thought it was funny that they were famous for really nothing, but being rich.
    Seeing Nepar so comfortable in the Burmese store displays attributions. I think attributions fits here because we really got to see the type of person she when she communicates with people from her own culture. She was laughing and just having a great time, and I think that really reflects on her character. Also, when we were talking about the American culture, and the famous Hollywood celebrities is an example of negotiation narratives. I was able to tell Nepar a little bit about our world because our culture is heavily involved in the Hollywood scene.
     After this experience I learned that it's very rewarding to go along with someone, and really get to know how their particular culture acts. When we interact with people from other cultures, it makes us a more well-rounded person. From now on I'll take more time to dive into more cultures, and learn how other people live.

Blog #3

    During one of our visits with Nepar and her family, we were reading a book with Nepar. I noticed as she was reading, she came across a lot of communication barriers. For example, the words she didn't know should would either skip past them or take a long time to figured out what it said. I really liked watching her work hard on trying to know how to say the words she was reading. I also loved the fact that she was so eager to read and write down words she didn't know because it made me feel like we were making a difference in her life. I think the way she was so accepting of the English language (though it was hard), and the way her family dressed so American is an example of acculturation. Her family definitely kept their Burmese culture alive, but they also adapted to the American way of life in a lot of ways.
     Another thing I noticed while working with Nepar is that every time we were there, when her husband came home from work, she would modestly kick us out. Picking up on this, for me, was like noticing a personal construct with her. Although she was very nice and sweet to us, as soon as her husband came home she wanted us gone, so she could spend time with him.
      After this visit with Nepar, I learned that we have to be patient with people who may seem different than us. It doesn't matter who we are, we were all in her place once trying to learn the English language, so we can't get too frustrated.

1st Day

Yesterday, Tuesday the 1st, was our first day with our refugee family. We got to meet a wonderful mom/wife with two adorable little girls. Prior to meeting our family, I assumed that none of the family members would speak any English. When we actually met them, I was so shocked at how much English the husband and wife has already learned, and they've only been here for 4 months! The little three year old girl can say her ABCs and count to 10! It was still hard to understand what she was trying to say, but she at least knows some English. It was fun to talk about our families together, and to see how excited she was to be learning more English. I can't wait to see what next week holds. On our way to the site, I assumed that we would be presented with a family much different than what I'm used to. While their culture may be different, they have adapted really well to American life. They dress in the American style, they watch the same TV shows that I do, and all this makes it easier to have things to talk about. I expected some type of culture shock for us, and for the family. While the family may be a littler overwhelmed, I didn't feel like any of us felt out of our element. They way they have adjusted here is just so similar to what we see on a day to day basis.

Pre-service Thoughts

As it comes closer to going to my World Relief family's house, I'm not sure what to expect. I'm expecting to experience some culture shock, and I'm sure I'll be seeing a totally different way of life. I'm excited to meet my refugee family and form a bond over the course of this semester, and to teach them new things! Maybe even more than that, I'm excited to learn about a different culture with firsthand experience, and to learn new things from them! :)