Friday, May 24, 2013

Three strategies


Three strategies

By

Anita L. Coles

 
Before I moved to New Mexico I think that I would have to think long and hard about this particular assignment. However, since living in New Mexico I have had to make many adjustments some hard and some not so hard. Because I love meeting people and because I love learning about other cultures, so starting up a conversation with people I don’t know is really part of who I am.

 In fact, my children as they got older would refuse to go to anyway with me such as Wal-Mart because while standing in line if a person smiles or appears to be friendly, or have a baby sitting in their cart I will (if the stranger does not first) strike up a conversation that would many times continue even after our going through checkout.

I have also met many individuals because of my career and or having young children involved in certain activities such as church functions and school sports/activities. I think that I have always assumed that most of the people in which I approach and or came in contact with could see that I am a “nice, friendly, and caring person,” and would they would therefore welcome me with open arms.  however, after reading certain articles such as, “Interpersonal Communication and Diversity Adapting to Others,” (Allyn & Bacon, 2011), I cannot help but to wonder if I could have or should have handle how I have approach a person for the very first time in a different or better manner.

In thinking back on certain situations, and depending on certain individual’s culture I could have come on as being a pushy and or arrogant individual instead of as a friendly individual. The three strategies I could use to help you communicate more effectively with the people or groups:

1.   To begin communication with light talk nothing real serious like politics or religion (Allyn & Bacon, 2011, p. 14).

2.  Instead of trying to find something to talk about in the other person’s culture which I am guilty of and or  trying to avoid talking about my own, culture which I am also guilty of, practice “other oriented  ” (Allyn & Bacon, 2011, p. 15).

3.   Although I believe that it is always a good idea to learn about different cultures I have learn that it is never a smart idea to  assume that what one person practice in a culture that  appears to be the same is the same. That is to say, never assume similarities in fact I think for me it would be much better if I am to assume, to assume that no one person is the same. (Allyn & Bacon, 2011, p. 18).

 

 

Reference

Allyn & Bacon, Inc. (2011). "Interpersonal

     communication and diversity: adapting to others

     85–114. Clearance Center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Nonverbal Communication


Nonverbal Communication

By

Anita L. Coles

The movie that I watched begin with a group of young children, the children look to be between eight to ten years of age. It looks like the children dwell in some type of group home or school.  (I had my daughter to turn to a movie with my eyes closed so that I would not know the title of the movie)

Looking at the picture with the sound completely off it seems as if the children are in the backyard running around as if they have gotten into some type of trouble they look surprised or frightened. Although the children look somewhat disturbed they also look like they are being mischievous. It is hard to tell with the sound down. The children ran to the back door; an adult male figure opened the door.

About seven of the children are standing in front of the door or close to the door. The adult male starts from the end of the row of children and looks to be slapping all of the children at hand.  The children look surprise but not really stunted or hurt more like they did not expect the slaps.  Two boys begin to talk and start walking fast and then begin to run…13 years later the boys are now adult (I am assuming that these boys are the same boys who ran away when they were very young boys). The two men are eating lunch and talking and the other one is listening but seems annoyed at the one who is talking.

The man who is talking has a smile on his face and has picked up a jar of sugar as if he is preparing himself a cup of coffee. The second man reaches for the jar of sugar and while trying to pour sugar in his cup the sugar come undone all the sugar pours into the second man’s cup. The second man looks very annoyed.  The first man continues to talk as if nothing happened out of the ordinary. 

This seems to further annoy the second man.  The first man stands to his feet begins to walk away and with his back to the second man, the first man continues to talk to the second man.  The second man while looking upset begins to talk to the first man. The first man does not turn around but does appear to respond to what the second’s comments.  The men seem to be casing homes and breaking into the homes. The homes look like they belong to very rich individuals.

Although the second man seems to go along with the first he seems very reluctant to do so.

The second man meets a very pretty young woman. The woman appears to be going along with whatever the two men are doing.  

One day both men appear to get into a huge disagreement and part ways.  One day while the second man and the women were walking in what looked like a meadow the man hand what look to be a letter in his hand; after reading the letter the man went down to his knees and the women kneel down in front of the man as if she was trying to console the man.  

 (With the volume on) This movie was about two brothers who were in an orphanage. They were pranksters.  The last prank that they pulled man the housemaster very angry and he (the headmaster) punish all who that was involved by slapping their little faces. This made the brothers angry so the brother ran away.  The youngest brother had the strongest well so he was able to talk the older brother into doing whatever he (the youngest brother) wanted

The youngest brother talked the oldest brother into a life of crime until he (the oldest brother) found a woman. After meeting the women the brother tried to continence his younger brother to give up life of crime but the brother would not. The younger brother and his older brother, along with and his now wife went separate ways, the younger brother continued his life of crime; the older brother started living the straight and narrow.

One day while he and his wife were taking a walk the older brother received a letter informing him that is younger brother had gotten brutally beaten up and as a result had died.  The other brother fell to his knees and his wile knell down on her knees to comfort him…end of story.   

It just goes to show that we really cannot always look at a situation and assume what we see or what we think we see is the truth and or the facts to a situation.

 

 

I though t that the boys were good friends or perhaps brothers. I could tell that the boys/men were close and that they did mostly if not all everything together. I could tell that man of the men was more spontaneous than the other man, However, I was very shock to learn that the one the daring and spontaneous man was the younger and not the older man. I just assume that the one who was always holding back with what appeared to be doubts and concerns was the younger man.

 

 

 

References

The name of the movie is Brothers Bloom:  the movie is considered to be an “Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama and Romance Movie.” The actors are: Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, and Mark Ruffalo.  (Channel 273)

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Modeling behaviors


Modeling behaviors

By

Anita L. Coles

 

I am a very social person and in the course of my socializing I have met so many people that have inspired me along the way. However, if I had to choose one person it would be a tossup between my best friend Janet and my aunt Juanita.  

The reason why Janet and I became such very good friends (we are more like sister now) was because she dared to tell me to my face about something that she felt  I needed to know that others were saying behind my back. She was not rude but she was sincere, she was not judgmental but she knew I could do better and called me on it.

My first reaction was anger; how dare her, she did not know me well enough to dare be that honest… then I stop for a minute and realized the fact that she did not know me that well and yet she was willing to put her neck on the line to help me. I immediately went from feeling anger, to feeling very, blessed I realized that she was a good friend I just needed to see that. I soon came to realize that not only was Janet a loyal friend she was also humorous, very giving and very slow to judge. So when she does you know that she has researched and researched and pondered before taking action is taken.

The other person I actually have tried to model myself after is my aunt Juanita. She is 90 years of age. She is currently studying Hebrew which correlates with her business. She has her own ministry /home teaching studio for young children.  Her staff members needs to be able to speak, write, and teach at least two languages. She loves children and has tons of patience when it comes to children  

What I like most of all about my aunt is ever since I have known my aunt she has always indulged herself in higher education, and although she has many degrees she is very much down to earth . In my opinion my aunt has always been and still is a very wise but humble woman I can talk with my aunt about anything at any time.

 She has always taken the time to listen without any signs of a judging me or trying to give me advice. My aunt is my hero!!