Summary Of Cultural Learning

This is my reaction to the reading of Chapter 5, Learning as a Way of Being, by Peter Vaill and the Unit 5 lecture, Walking on egg shells: Fear of talking about differences in the workplace, by Barbara Deane and Donna Stringer. In this reaction paper I will evaluate the authors’ descriptions of Cultural Unlearning as it relates to my past experiences and situations involving people of another culture and my preconceived notions. I will do so by identifying the cultural modes of these folks and how institutional learning has predetermined focusing on how they appear "out of the norm" rather than attempting to accept and understand the differences between our cultures.

As we delve into Chapter 5, Vaill describes how Cultural learning requires

I have to admit that I did have some foreshadowing of how my experience may go and predisposed notions how I would be accepted in their cultures, prior to arriving to some foreign countries such as: Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and France. I was pleasantly surprised with my experiences in these cultures and how most of my misconceptions and rumors were dispelled as I explored Cultural Unlearning first

Using rugby as a cultural key has opened several doors for me in the past and will continue do so in the future; as I encounter those with the same common bond both personally and professionally. The cultural modes inherent in rugby has not only helped break the ice at meetings, but has also benefited me in white water situations both domestically and abroad. I agree with Vaill’s description of Institutional Learning and this example proves that sometimes it’s not what you know, but who you know through experiences and Cultural