CULTURE BUMP
Lesson 1
What Do You Think?
In this module, you will begin to understand that:
Your perceptions are different from other people’s perceptions.
There are common situations underlying differing perceptions.
Hello, Welcome to the Toolkit!
The Toolkit for Culture and Communication comes from the idea that “culture bumps” or cultural differences can be used to help us form better relationships with people who are different from ourselves. In fact, “culture bumps” really help us to learn how to live better in our families, in our neighborhoods, in our schools and even in the world.
As you go through the Toolkit, you will learn how to communicate with anyone - no matter how similar or different they may be to you. In pictures, videos, and audios, you will meet Culture Bump Experts, young men and women from around the world who have studied the Culture Bump Approach to differences. They will share their experience and knowledge with you as they help you developed certain foundational skills that will improve your cross-cultural understanding and communication capabilities.
The four fundamental skills are:
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Being able to identify and describe “culture bumps”
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Being able to describe exactly what you expect others (and yourself) to do in any situation (describing expectations)
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Being able to find universal characteristics in “culture bumps”
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Being able to recognize and manage your emotional responses to “culture bumps”
The Toolkit consists of six modules which are based on the Culture Bump Approach. At the heart of the Culture Bump Approach are eight steps for analyzing cultural differences. Each step plays a critical role in helping you understand yourself and others. If you walk through these steps with each of your culture bumps, you will always find common ground and much, much more. The Toolkit's modules dive into a deeper understanding of each of the eight steps.
Ultimately, you will discover the answer to two questions:
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Why are people different from one another?
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How are people the same to one another?
In discovering the answer to these two questions, you will uncover treasures that will last a lifetime.
How to use the Course:
Short Answers
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Short answers are discovery based. There are no right and wrong answers. The information you learn and discover through answering the questions will build a foundation that can be used to connect to others.
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Once you submit your answers, you will not be able to change them. However, the course will record your answers so that you can return at any time to see what you wrote.
