Get to know Finland 6.6.-20.6.2024
Click here to submit the final essay: Cross-cultural journal
Cross-cultural journal
to help in analyzing your reactions in a new culture
You have two options:
A. Write an essay about the things you have learned about Finnish lifestyle, culture, history, society, communication etc.
Consider your own experiences and things that we covered during the course. You can focus on the aspect(s) of the Finnish culture/society that you find the most interesting. You can also compare your current knowledge to the knowledge you had before coming to Finland. How have your feelings, ideas or thoughts about Finland changed so far? Write 250-300 words.
B. Write a description and analysis on some event/situation you saw or experienced in Finland.
First describe
what you saw or experienced (anything that strikes you as different, funny,
weird, sad, good, etc.). Then describe your thoughts, feelings, opinions etc.
about the event. Try to analyze why
you feel/think this way. How do you think your own cultural background affects on
how you feel? Also try to figure out why Finns behaved the way they did in the
situation you described: how would you analyze the situation based on your
cultural competence. Write 250-300 words.
The essay is due Sunday, October 25.
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Observation/ Description
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Opinion / Analysis
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Describe what you saw - anything that strikes you as different, funny, weird, sad, good, etc. Feelings, emotions, judgments should not be expressed here. Just stick to the facts.
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Describe your thoughts, feelings etc. about the event. Then try to analyze why you feel this way. What in your cultural make-up may be affecting how you feel? How is it different from whatever values of assumptions may be at work in the new culture?
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Sample from a Chinese international student in the States:
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Sample: Observation / Description |
Sample: Opinion / Analysis |
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Some American students prop their feet on the chairs or desks and eat and drink when they are in class. |
I'm uncomfortable to see American students' liberal behavior in class.... They are less controlled.... Coming from China, I was amazed to see what American students do. In China every student tries to sit still, keep feet on the floor, no food or drink while in class.... Our teachers and fathers taught us to behave...
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Write about 200-300 words.