Interaction Analysis - Essay Example

Although it was short, a brief introduction of his cultural background was established. The actual meeting had begun with a brief prayer outside the house, which was interpreted as a religious ritual to welcome a special guest in the house. The Jordan region is mainly inhabited by Muslims with a distinct Arabic origin. A great percentage of the population upholds Islamic values and Mohammed is not an exception. As a Christian, I had to respect this religious and cultural situation and consent to the prayer although my religion does not agree with some aspects of Islam.

This is an example of the behavioral code that is expected when interacting with people from different cultures. The meals session was a great experience and a great opportunity to understand the cultural values by observing the non-verbal codes. Particularly, this was an opportunity to understand the culture by observing the eating habits, type of food, and the overall family involvement during mealtime. Our meal was a reflection of the Arabian-Jordan dining culture. Halloumi, a pita-style bread sandwich was served with grilled meat marinate and fresh vegetables as the main course.

This type of food is an identity of the Jordan community and a lot can be learned about the culture by just looking at the food. According to Mohammed, mealtimes are respected and, therefore, people should not talk during mealtime. However, the best time for verbal communication and interaction came immediately after the meals. We shared a debate and a discussion about different cultural values that Mohammed upholds. Certainly, he values religion and it seems that his culture is deeply entrenched into the Islam.

This is one of the most important sessions since I got a chance to compare and contrast his cultural values and mine. For instance, I observed that religion has a great influence on his morals, since they are founded on Islam. However, this contrasted with my cultural background, whereby, my religion has nothing to do with my cultural background. Indeed, the two are very different. My cultural background does not stem from religion, but rather, encompasses religion as an important aspect of life.

Nevertheless, we still uphold similar family values and beliefs. Although there are very big differences in the societal roles especially for women, the roles within the family remain relatively the same for both cultures. Mohammed does not let his wife go to the Mosque simply because the larger community does not encourage that. However, he feels that the cultural values are changing rapidly and that he may decide to embrace the changes and give her permission to attend prayers and Islamic gatherings.

This was a memorable moment since I was able to differentiate the contrasts in which different cultures accept changes. Whereas, our culture is fast and swift to adapt to changes, some cultures are very conservative and, therefore, very slow and resistive to changes. It is evident from the verbal communication pattern that Mohammed can be classified in the high-context culture group. He comes from a culture that has strong values and most of the life aspects are strongly associated with the culture.

For instance, he would conclude many sentences with the phrase “Inshallah.” I came to realize that this phrase simply means God willing. It is an expression of hope that a premeditated endeavor will be