Response Paper 1
Living in the United States, we are exposed to so many cultures. I have thought that I learn a lot about culture in this country. However, when discussing the concept of culture in class, I realize how little I actually know about it. Importantly, I have a similar response to some other students about culture, which is “I don’t have a culture”. Until I have read the first chapter of the book Intercultural Communication: Globalization and Social Justice by Kathryn Sorrell, I began to think more deeply about this concept, about my cultural identity and positionality. My view about culture became broaden when I learned about the definition of culture which is a site of shared meaning, of contested meaning, and a resource. …show more content…

In Vietnam, social relationship between Vietnamese teachers and students is apparently a positional authority relationship. Teachers are at higher position and more powerful in social context than students. I realize that because of being afraid to approach my teachers to ask questions or express opinions have prevented me from being successful in improving my speaking skills and easily understanding the subjects at schools. Being aware of this cultural different, I was able to overcome being fear of close relationships with American teachers.
Differences in communication styles also create many obstacles on my learning process. Vietnamese culture discourages students to speak up and bring questions with professors in the classroom. Those practices would be considered as a sign of disrespect. For this reason, responding to teachers verbally in class is a new experience that I am learning to adapt to.
There are many other differences I have realized when reflecting on myself through my experience as a Vietnamese immigrant living in the U.S. I imagine there are also many immigrant youth who first come to the U.S and encounter similar obstacles as mine. My awareness of my cultural identity cultivate a dream that one day, I will be able to take advantage of the culture role, which is mentioned in the text that is “a greater role today than ever before because of the way it