Intercultural Negotionions

Finally stepping off the plane in Israel was both a great relief and very nerve racking.  At last, I was able to stretch my cramped legs, but I also had to quickly figure out how to navigate the train system to get to a bus that would take me to my final destination.  Fortunately, with a bit of help, I made it to the bus where I met some of my fellow class mates.  On the bus ride, I excitedly chatted with some of the students.  There were people from Israel, United States, Germany, Palestine, and Mexico.  I was eager to speak with each of them and learn about them as individuals and their culture.

One of the amazing things about the Arava Institute is that it brings together students from different countries, with varying interests, and at different stages of their life.  Hybels states that, “cultural identity [is] composed of ethnicity, culture, gender, age, life stage, beliefs, values, and assumptions (pg 6).”  I can see all of these parts in my fellow classmates expressed in their own unique way.  One encounter that made me aware of intercultural differences was a discussion I had with American and Israeli students about college.  Within the student body at the Arava Institute, the American students are the youngest at 20 or 21 and in their third year of college.  Most Americans go on to college right after high school, and the third year is typically the year that American students choose to study abroad.  On the other hand, Israelis do not attend college right after high school.  They serve in the Israeli Army for 2 or 3 years, and will then start college, if they choose, at 22, 23, or later.  To my Israeli classmate, it was strange that Americans went right from high school to college without some sort of gap year or work time.  My fellow American classmates and I explained to her that was the way our culture worked.  For us, high school was structured in a way to prepare you for college, and from a young age, it was expected of us to one day go to college.  My Israeli classmate told us that after high school, people might have a few months to travel or work, but then you go into the army.  She said that then after the army people choose to travel, work, or go to school.  This simple change of direction after high school between the two cultures led to differences in age, life stage, beliefs, and values between me and my Israeli classmate.  To me this also illustrated how culture identity was learned.  Hybles states that people learn their cultural identity from their parents, friends, and communities (pg 6).  I learned that college came after high school from these sources while my Israeli classmate learned that the army came after high school and then she could choose what path she wanted to take.

Students from different cultures and backgrounds learning in the Arava Desert, Israel.

I am also glad I am in a place where people feel comfortable asking others about their culture.  Hybels points out that in order to improve intercultural communication people must ask questions, be mindful, and control assumptions (pg 19-20).  In my dealings with various people from other cultures, I have only seen respectful interactions, and no one seems to mind answering questions about their own culture.