In the recent years, the African continent had continued to increase their economic growth; “the declaration in Africa’s growth since 2010 has been concentrated in two groups of economies – oil exporters and northern countries still rebuilding after the political convulsions of the Arab Spring”(1). However, in big parts of the continent there is still a big gap between people with vast resources and other people with nothing at all. It slightly seems as in the problem would convey a political and economic stress as part of a lifetime of war and despair; although, in some respect, the poverty problem is most definitely a consequence of multiple years of political conflict, the recent problem points more towards a leadership issue that has grown from multiple years of foul social learning in the population.

According to an article posted in the African Exponent website there are 7 reason which depict Africa as the poorest continent in the world. Amongst those reason, we can find issues like the terrorism problem still being faced in most African countries and the political corruption that involves it. Nevertheless, many people deviate from the social learning focus that has been instilled in the population from many years of depression and misery. Terrorism is one of the many roots that influences the population to acquire a negative type of social knowledge which increases the leadership and social problem.

So, what is social learning and how is this going to solve the poverty problem? To be direct, social learning is the power to influence a respective population via social interactions. Many young populations in Africa grow up learning from society and the terrorist agenda is not helping much. Many kids grow up losing their parents to terrorism acts and/or to political corruption and some of them are directly involved with these types of social problems from very young ages; this is what continues to add to the domino effect of troubled political and, ultimately, economic growth in the continent.

It is important to notice that the poverty problem is not going to get solved solely based on better social influence; however, it can play a major role in the economic rebuild of future generations. Despite the clear poverty issue, Africa has many markets in which the economic growth can rely on, such as oil output and diamond mining; nevertheless, corruption and political issues such as child labor limits their possibility for other world economies to invest in such economic initiatives with the fear of damaging their company reputation. At the same time, world economies would be more prone to enter the African markets and provide massive amounts of jobs for the population if they knew that political problems and terrorism would not interfere with their growing plans and reputation of their very respected businesses.

Resources

(1) Leke, A., Barton, D., M., & McKinsey. (2016, May 05). What’s the future of economic growth in Africa? Retrieved April 21, 2018, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/05/what-s-the-future-of-economic-growth-in-africa/

Murori, K. (2016, October 06). 7 Top Reasons Why Africa Is Still Poor, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2018, from https://www.africanexponent.com/post/billions-lost-in-profits-by-foreign-companies-tax-evasion-1953

Paszek, J. (2015, November 17). Why The Starving Kids In Africa Excuse Is Bullshit. Retrieved April 21, 2018, from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/starving-kids-africa-excuse-bullshit

Being stationed for 3 years in Okinawa, Japan was a real adventure. My wife and I were able to see many cultural sites, such as Japanese shrines and castles, that depicted, traditionally, some of the most amazing cultural ancestries of such mysterious country. Nevertheless, despite the obvious cultural dissimilarities that underline Japan to a more western civilization, we were able to successfully experience the next level of cultural disparity that the Japanese culture had to offer without room for ethnocentrism. Even though, some experiences, might have been perceived in a strange manner, at first, we were able to get accustomed and adapt to that new way of living due to our ability and willingness to keep an open mind from the very beginning of our journey. In this blog, I would like to share some of the most valuable cultural occurrences that socked our cultural beliefs, and that marked the way we undertake life forever.

The very most shocking noticeable difference that someone experiences when traveling to Japan is the fact that people drive on the other side of the road, meaning the left side. In western culture it is completely strange to see cars traveling on the left side on roads and streets, while in Japan this is completely normal. This might seem an obvious difference; however, once you start driving in Japan on a daily basis, you start to notice many other differences that are not easily noticeable by a tourist naked eye. One of them really caught my attention; most drivers are very polite when behind the wheel. “Japanese society is often, but not always, quite mannered, so it would make sense that the motorways are, too. For example, cars often heed the right of way to faster vehicles as not to get into their way. But the most common way drivers in Japan communicate is through what’s called the “thank you hazard”(Ashcraft, para. 3, 2018) Most of the times, drivers flash their hazard lights, whenever you let them pass in front of you; or perhaps, if a driver made a sudden change of lane without seeing your vehicle, they would also flash their lights as a mode of apology. This was so common in Japan that when I returned to the United States at the end of my tour, it was very unappealing to me that a driver would not return the same Japanese gesture in such driving circumstances; however, my understanding of diversity and culture allowed me to comprehend the reason behind the lack of formality. Social learning has thought American drivers to only use hazard lights as a mode of emergency whereas social learning has thought the Japanese population to use them, also, as a way to communicate respect to other drivers. In fact, in America this could mean a sign of disrespect if the driver behind you could, mistakenly, think that you are playing behind the wheel and not following public transportation rules.

 

Another very important difference worth noting was remarked when seating down to eat at a restaurant. Most traditional restaurants in Japan are

well known for their Ramen noodles soups and the only eating utensils available are two chopsticks and the traditional Asiatic soup spoon. Although most Asian restaurants in the United States do serve the same type of customary setting at the table; my wife and I could not help to notice the evident sound of slurping of noodles. We, both, come from traditionally Hispanic cultures in which this gesture is considered disrespectful, especially when eating in public; nevertheless, our willingness to keep an open mind was able to get us passed the ethnocentric interpretation and it was very soon that we found ourselves undertaking the same doing. Now a days, we continue to be proud noodle slurping creatures; however, we have learned to understand our surroundings and know in which culture this might be accepted and might not; this way, we can always be sure to keep a professional look and not ruin our good reputation.

The point of this blog, besides listing these two cultural-shock differences, is to create some awareness of culture, especially for people soon to tour the marvelous country of Japan. It could be very easy to travel there and come back with the wrong perception of the Japanese culture; however, by keeping an open mind and respecting other cultures; one can enjoy life a lot more. At the same time, we must understand the differences within the same culture; just as in the case of the polite drivers, some drives might not show the same kind of respect as others, but it does not mean they are not polite; perhaps they noticed the driver behind them were Americans; and their cultural knowledge lead them to opt-out of this gesture in order eliminate conflict.

Resources

Ahn, K. (2014, July 25). Slurping’s Mandatory: Why Getting Messy with Ramen Makes It Taste Better. Retrieved April 02, 2018, from https://food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/how-to/slurpings-mandatory-why-getting-messy-with-ramen-makes-taste-better-0156512/

Ashcraft, B. (2018, February 16). One Way Japanese Drivers Are Polite. Retrieved April 02, 2018, from https://kotaku.com/one-way-japanese-drivers-are-polite-1823063203

For someone not very familiar with the Hispanic culture, it might be difficult to distinguish the differences that characterize each of the 12 countries mapped in the southern part of the American continent. Most often, in the United States, Hispanic characteristics are automatically presumed when encountering an individual belonging to this cultural group; and, in most cases, is very difficult to avoid stereotyping. In this particular situation, it is relevant to note that certain stereotypical characteristics do define most Hispanic individuals; however, it is always critical to take a closer look in order to avoid prejudice. When looking at the predominant language of the South American continent, for example, Spanish seems to be the principal idiom of the region, however, by researching a little deeper, we can see that Portuguese (although official language of only one country) has the largest number of speakers in the entire continent, making it the predominant language of the southern American hemisphere; this is due to the massive numbers of habitants in the country of Brazil which is also the largest country in the South American continent.  This example is one of the many different physiognomies that set each of the South American countries apart from each other; however, it is the most fundamental, as communication plays a very important role in life. In this blog I will attempt to describe a few of the differences found in the communication process between these countries and how it is easy to miscommunicate even in a very similar cultural setting.

One of the biggest differences that individuals from Latin America notice whenever they encounter people or travel to another Latin American country is their dialect. It sounds as if I was referring to two different languages other than Spanish; however, different Spanish-speaking countries tend to use words differently or have different meanings for the same Spanish word spoken. As an example, I can illustrate the word “Torta”. For an English-speaking person the direct translation to this word is “cake”; nevertheless, in Mexico, the word “Torta” refers to “sandwich” rather than “cake”, and in Argentina this word is also used as a way to refer to punching someone in the face (“tortazo en la cara” means “punch in the face”). Another example could be the word “bicho”, the most direct English translation is “insect”; however, in other Latin American countries this is also referred to a “penis”. Although the second example might sound a little inappropriate, it perfectly describes the importance of Cross-Cultural communication awareness. Even in two different countries belonging to the same cultural group, there are differences within that cannot be taken lightly.

Now, let’s take a closer look at the language misconception found on the Latin American countries. As I mentioned in the entrance paragraph, Portuguese is the number 1 speaking language in South America followed by Spanish; however, most people do not realize this datum. In fact, the language misconception does not stop there. “The linguistic diversity and multiplicity of South America probably is unmatched anywhere else in the world. Thousands of languages and dialects have been cataloged, including all those that have developed since the European conquest”.(Ramos, et al para.1)  In this case, I am referring to additional different tongues, other than Spanish and Portuguese, spoken in the region. Dutch and French are also languages spoken in South America ( Dutch is the official language of Surinam and French is the official language of French Guiana) but many indigenous languages still exist and are the primary languages of many indigenous groups that still exist in various corners of the continent “The largest surviving indigenous language groups are Quechuan, Aymaran, Tupí-Guaraní, and Mapuche. Quechuan languages are in use primarily in the Andean highlands (southern Colombia to Bolivia) but also in large areas of the Amazon basin and in northwestern Argentina. Quechuan, [is] collectively the third largest language group in South America after Spanish and Portuguese [.] Aymaran languages are spoken in northwestern Bolivia, southeastern Peru, and small areas of northwestern Argentina and northern Chile. Mapuche speakers, who constitute the largest Indian population in Chile, are restricted to the south-central part of the country, with smaller groups found in Argentina, especially in Neuquén province.”(Ramos et al para. 3)

As you can see, the South American continent is a very diverse part of the world that grasps many different languages; however, is very easy to create a stereotypical conclusion of the area. In my opinion, it is very important to become familiar with other cultural settings and/or countries before making any false suppositions; this is a very important step to minimize any type of miscommunication that could lead to conflict. As you can also see, it is very easy to misinterpret words, even when two people (from different countries) are speaking the same language. Supposing what someone is trying to say might not result in the same outcome and assuming that your intended message is going to have the same meaning at the receiving end might not have the desired result you intend to have. In most cases, we must learn to communicate before communicating; asking question before assuming can help eliminate miscommunications that will create stronger relationships overall.

Resources

Staff, L. (2015, April 18). Same Word, Different Meanings! 7 Spanish Terms to Use Wisely. Retrieved March 04, 2018, from http://www.latina.com/lifestyle/our-issues/spanish-words-different-meanings

Lopez, M. (2015, April 28). What are the 5 official languages of South America? Retrieved March 04, 2018, from https://e2f.com/4751/

Ramos, V. A., Griffin, E. C., Avila, H. F., Germani, G., Minkel, C. W., Dorst, J. P., . . . Knapp, G. W. (2018, February 01). South America. Retrieved March 04, 2018, from https://www.britannica.com/place/South-America/Linguistic-patterns

 

 

 

 

 

The catastrophic events observed in the United States on September 11, 2001 marked the start of a new war that still continues to be the polemic center of discussion in the world today. Many economic, business and political methods were changed drastically as a consequence of such massive terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center. New legislations such as the Patriot Act were passed in order to secure the American borders, and the war on terror brought the economic wealth to the floor. Nevertheless, the economic and political agenda was not the only matter that distorted in the United States. A radical change was also observed in the way that American citizens referred to as immigrants, especially those coming from the middle east, and a drastic change of cultural values and beliefs seem to be separating all the different cultures already existing in the United States.

According to an article posted in the NBC news website “Anti-Muslims hate crimes have increased approximately five times more frequent than they were before 2001” (Frumin & Sakuma, 2016, para. 1) It was already witnessed that many Muslim-Americans have been somewhat discriminated before this year; therefore, it is certain that the terrorist attacks would give Muslims a bad taste of reality. Nevertheless, the United States has permitted the entry of multiple middle-eastern countries’ population, throughout the years, following the terror incidents. Many Islamic populations have been granted entry with political asylum statutes and the H-1B work visas program has given the opportunity for big companies such as Microsoft and Amazon to find talent from that side of the world. But, why should the United States continue to allow entry to immigrants from those countries, despite all the most recent critics and protests given by the American population? In the past recent years, citizens of the United States have continued to rally against the rapid growth of Muslim immigration as the country continues to experience a strong cultural separation between them. At the same time, the new presidency continues to make it harder for individuals from those parts of the world to enter the United States. It is evident to notice that this makes it harder for technology companies to fulfill the rapid growth in technology workforce demand while the economic growth of the nation suffers.

Despite all the terrorist events occurring in the United States, I think it’s important to notice a couple of key-points that might help understand the significance of having a cultural diverse American population. The most relevant one, is that the American economic growth is linked to immigration since many immigrants are known to be founders of huge technology giants such as Google and Yahoo; immigrants have different skillsets and diverse cultural principles that “complement the United States Labor force” (Furchtgott-Roth, 2013, para. 18).. Another key point worth noting is the fast-emerging era of globalization. Companies from all around the world are seeking to globally expand and develop partnerships in global markets increasing the economic growth of their nations and ultimately the entire world. With this increase in workforce demand, huge technology companies need to accommodate requisitions that might be hard to find in a slow growing population that, perhaps, might not even have the required skillset needed to increase productivity which, in turn, would eventually increase economic progress. At the same time, a more diverse workforce can enable companies to understand other cultural-different markets facilitating business relationships around the world.

This blog is not meant to take away from the issues of over immigration and illegal immigration being experienced in the United States today; the matters of a needed immigration reform can be discussed entirely in another blog and are most likely needed in order to regulate and improve cultural problems. However, this blog is meant to provide awareness of the importance of having a diverse workforce in today’s world as well as to increase the cognizance of Ethnocentrism, especially against the Muslim-American culture. We must understand that terrorism is going to occur all over the world but the act of some does not account for the prejudice of many. If we see the other face of the coin we can, perhaps, gain a more diverse experience in life that can help us create better business relationships among other cultures which will ultimately improve the economic growth of the world. If we learn to respect and value different points of view and create strong synergy amongst diverse teams, we will create a strong cultural foundation for future generations to follow. It is always important to keep an open mind, free of false prejudice and ethnocentric interpretations, this will help us gain a more geocentric mindset in a globalized world.

Resources

Furchtgott-Roth, D. (2013, February 18). THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF IMMIGRATION [PDF]. Manhattan Institute . Retrieved from https://www.manhattan-institute.org/pdf/ib_18.pdf

Frumin, A., A., & Sakuma, A. (2016, September 11). Hope and Despair: Being Muslim in America After 9/11. Retrieved February 25, 2018, from https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/9-11-anniversary/hope-despair-being-muslim-america-after-9-11-n645451

Lichtblau, E. (2016, September 17). Hate Crimes Against American Muslims Most Since Post-9/11 Era. Retrieved February 25, 2018, from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/18/us/politics/hate-crimes-american-muslims-rise.html

My Name is Robert and I currently live in Northern Virginia. After 8 successful years with the United States Marine Corps, I decided to transition out and enhance my Information Technology career. I got lucky enough to get a job with Amazon Web Services, in Herndon, right away; so I am definitely living the life! My goal is to grow within this amazing company and obtain all the technical knowledge necessary to be able to create my own web application one day and hopefully make a lot of money with it. I have lots of leadership experience, which I obtained while being a Sergeant of Marines. As a Sergeant of Marines, I was entrusted with the life, moral and discipline of more than 20 Marines whom were directly under my charge. I have been in multiple leadership classes that have helped me throughout the length of my career, but I can always say that I have much to learn. In my opinion, leadership is definitely a subject that we can always continue to learn and improve. I think my favorite leadership quote is “Leadership by Example”. There have been multiple times in which I have encountered leaders preaching about standards they couldn’t held themselves. In my opinion, a good leader is the one that leads from the front and sets the example for everyone else to follow. Now, I have a 3 year old son and I definitely want to set the example for him to follow; which is why, everyday, I work hard to always improve myself and my career. I know one day he will appreciate all the things I obtained with hard work andhe will want to do the same for his family. Nice to meet you all and good luck this semester!