Lindsey Hickman
Ashford University
COM 360 Advanced Communications in Society
Instructor: Jessica Guire
June 23, 2014
The United States has traditionally been referred to as a "melting pot," welcoming people from many different countries, races, and religions, all hoping to find freedom, new opportunities, and a better way of life (Millet, 2013). Because of this, Americans are often oblivious to the cultural challenges immigrants face while adapting to life in the U.S. In this new, technological world, good cross-cultural communication is a must; therefore, studying the way biases and life experience affect message interpretation is imperative to maintaining successful culturally-diverse communication. The 2009 Census Bureau survey reported the U.S. immigrant population was 12.5 percent of the total U.S. population (Batalova, 2010), and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics project that globalized IT jobs will increase 22 percent by the year 2020 (Thibodeau, 2012); by embracing and learning from the cultural experiences of those willing to share, cross-culture communication can be greatly improved. In a recent interview, immigrant Ian Arnold shared his experience with cultural differences, feelings, and challenges he faced on his journey from Scotland to American at age 13, in order to support the development of cultural awareness.
In the 1970’s, Scotland faced a nearly 13% unemployment rate (Lee, 2011 pg. 66), during which the United States was viewed as a land of abundance with work, land and opportunity.
“Culturally, when you start out in Scotland unemployed, it is very difficult to move up,” Arnold explained, “Therefore, when my dad lost his job, my parents knew they would have to make a change.” Arnold explained that his aunt had married an American soldier, and upon his military retirement, had opened a business where he could employ his mother and father. Arnold said the Visa application process took approximately one-year before they were able to make their big move, so when neighboring Scots caught wind that they were migrating, they were often met with jealousy and hostility.
“The U.S. was seen as a place that you could come and be able to work, a place for a new start,” he recalled, “So when people found out we were heading for that opportunity, they were jealous that they weren’t able to.”
“Culturally, when you start out in Scotland unemployed, it is very difficult to move up,” Arnold explained, “Therefore, when my dad lost his job, my parents knew they would have to make a change.” Arnold explained that his aunt had married an American soldier, and upon his military retirement, had opened a business where he could employ his mother and father. Arnold said the Visa application process took approximately one-year before they were able to make their big move, so when neighboring Scots caught wind that they were migrating, they were often met with jealousy and hostility.
“The U.S. was seen as a place that you could come and be able to work, a place for a new start,” he recalled, “So when people found out we were heading for that opportunity, they were jealous that they weren’t able to.”
Alienation of newcomers is common, but it is not always recognized nor understood. It is challenging for immigrants to become accustomed to a new place and adjust to the novelty of everything around them, from language to social mores. Others need to make them feel welcome by applying empathy and compassion, and imagining themselves in the shoes of the new arrival (KQED, 2014); this is not how Ian Arnold was met when he arrived in Suisun, California, Dec. 23, 1977. Jumping into eighth grade mid-year, after Christmas vacation, he immediately noticed a vast array of cultural differences. “I arrived to school in my typical attire, button up shirt, slacks, shined shoes, and vest,” he reminisced,
“When I walked in, the classroom full of students wearing jeans, t-shirts and sneakers who all laughed at my very dressy clothes.” He continued to recall the great variety of clothing that American stores had to offer, “In a store in Scotland, there would be, maybe, three styles of shoes to choose from, here there were entire stores devoted to them.” And although he admits there was definitely an overwhelming feeling of abundance, it did not translate to greed or seem gluttonous in his opinion.
“When I walked in, the classroom full of students wearing jeans, t-shirts and sneakers who all laughed at my very dressy clothes.” He continued to recall the great variety of clothing that American stores had to offer, “In a store in Scotland, there would be, maybe, three styles of shoes to choose from, here there were entire stores devoted to them.” And although he admits there was definitely an overwhelming feeling of abundance, it did not translate to greed or seem gluttonous in his opinion.
Arnold explained that perhaps one of the most shocking cultural differences in the classroom was the way students were permitted to speak to teachers and authority figures, “In Scotland, we showed respect by saying Sir or Miss, and acting up in class was just not something students did.” He explained that in order to mask his intense accent and better fit in, he would watch television and learned to mimic the tone so that he could fit in better.
Arnold reports that neighborhoods and schools in Scotland are segregated into religious subcultures, mostly Protestant and Catholics. “Looking around at my American campus, I was in school with Black, White, Hispanic and Asian students, and I though it was so weird how everyone was so different but got along. In Scotland, we looked the same [nearly all white people] and yet we still found things to fight about. As Catholics, we knew if we went to the Protestant neighborhood there would be an all out brawling fight.”
The way of communicating will not be the same as other countries and it is important to know some values of other cultures and so of other ways of communicating for, first of all, avoiding some misunderstandings and then knowing better some aspects of different cultures (Stanford Blog, 2014).
“Unlike Americans, Scots don’t talk to people they don’t know. There is no hello or nod in passing; no how are you today when you check out at the grocery store; and they certainly don’t touch strangers,” Arnold said one of the hardest things for him to get used to in the U.S. was the touchy-feely culture, “As a young lad, complete strangers would pat my head, ask me about school and things that would have been invasive to ask in passing back home. It’s the little things that seem so natural to people born and raised here that take some getting used to for transplants.”
“Unlike Americans, Scots don’t talk to people they don’t know. There is no hello or nod in passing; no how are you today when you check out at the grocery store; and they certainly don’t touch strangers,” Arnold said one of the hardest things for him to get used to in the U.S. was the touchy-feely culture, “As a young lad, complete strangers would pat my head, ask me about school and things that would have been invasive to ask in passing back home. It’s the little things that seem so natural to people born and raised here that take some getting used to for transplants.”
In Scotland, public transit is the normal way of daily travel, in fact, Arnold recalled knowing very few people who owned their own car. “When I was eight-years old in Scotland, I could get a bus pass and go about the city alone; when I was 10, I could buy my own Lemon Shandy or Lager and Lime, and at family diners and events it wasn’t uncommon to have a small glass of Scotch, at 16-years old, we could buy any hard alcohol we wanted to from the store,” he insists, “In the US we don’t teach kids to be independent or to drink responsibly.”
Following child alcohol dabbling, cussing was another Scottish norm viewed as taboo to Americans. He explained that, aside from blasphemy, there is no foul language stigma, and it is certainly not gender based faux pas.
He laughed, “Fuck may as well be an adjective, and I’ll never forget the gasps, followed by silence when my grandma called my cousin a little cunt, just as someone would call a child a brat. Needless to say, it took awhile to learn what was acceptable to say.”
He laughed, “Fuck may as well be an adjective, and I’ll never forget the gasps, followed by silence when my grandma called my cousin a little cunt, just as someone would call a child a brat. Needless to say, it took awhile to learn what was acceptable to say.”
The hustle and bustle of the American culture took some getting used to as well. School didn’t begin in Scotland before 9 a.m.; businesses did not open until at least 10 a.m. and were never opened later than 5 p.m., “Everything was more laid back, less rushed. You didn’t have a lunch hour, you enjoyed your lunch or tea, and went back to work when your conversation and meal was finished.
A culture’s ideals of physical appearance are dynamic, yet can be heavily idealized by cross-cultural interactions (Frazier, 2014). The American culture has influenced the Scottish perception of beauty and attractiveness through movies and television shows, as most of them are American.
“Scottish people I would have perceived as very attractive before living in the U.S. would now be “average," Arnold explained, “I don't want to overthink it, but some of the reason for that may be the way Americans carry ourselves. There's an outward confidence and happiness that's innately attractive, and in Scotland, people are more withdrawn and don't smile much in public.”
“Scottish people I would have perceived as very attractive before living in the U.S. would now be “average," Arnold explained, “I don't want to overthink it, but some of the reason for that may be the way Americans carry ourselves. There's an outward confidence and happiness that's innately attractive, and in Scotland, people are more withdrawn and don't smile much in public.”
“I have noticed that Scottish people general look kinda beat up… tired,” he said, “They tend to be a little stooped, and they don’t say say much to people they don’t know, so when I have gone back to visit, I am looked at as an American, not as a Scot. When I visit Scotland it is like visiting a piece of my history, not like visiting my home; America is my home.” In fact, Arnold says that he is stereotyped as a “rich American” on trips back to Scotland, explaining that merchants will up the price for an American, “I tell people I was born here and they don’t believe me.”
Arnold says that he has not encountered any negative stereotypes as a Scottish-American, and is typically asked about his kilt, haggis, and the beautiful green terrain of Scotland. He laughs and says yes, he wears his kilt to the Scottish Cultural Games every year, that haggis is illegal to cook here because lamb liver, heart and lungs are not permitted for sale, though it is a delicious dish, and that Scotland is beautiful because it rains relentlessly, and even in the dead of summer, you must wear a coat.
However, he did notice some major differences in the college and job market as an immigrant with a Visa, verses after becoming an American citizen. Many immigrants view the United States as the land of opportunity because it presents them with life options they may not have had in their countries. Employment that could lead to economic stability is a big draw that foreign-born Americans pursue diligently. However, language, educational and cultural factors can impede immigrants' success, even for those with professional credentials earned in their homelands (KQED, 2014).
“I scored very well on my SATs, an although I was actively recruited by several California Universities, I couldn’t afford it because I was disqualified from any scholarships or grants because I was not a citizen; so my next step was to join the military. The Coast Guard wouldn’t take me, but the Air Force did. Because I was not a citizen, I was ineligible for jobs that required security clearance, limiting options to 85 positions that included a clerk or driver.”
“I scored very well on my SATs, an although I was actively recruited by several California Universities, I couldn’t afford it because I was disqualified from any scholarships or grants because I was not a citizen; so my next step was to join the military. The Coast Guard wouldn’t take me, but the Air Force did. Because I was not a citizen, I was ineligible for jobs that required security clearance, limiting options to 85 positions that included a clerk or driver.”
Immigrants soldiers in the United States military have deep historical roots. Non citizens have fought in and with the U. S. Armed forces since the Revolutionary War. According to One America, nationally, each year around 8,000 non-citizens enlist in the military, with more than 65,000 non-citizens reportedly enlisted in 2010 (Powers, 2014). During his 10-year Air Force career, Arnold earned his U.S. citizenship and has since worked as a social worker, become a union representative, as well as, campaigned for a seat on the local City Council. Although he was not successful in being voted in, Arnold says that the american political system is one of the best. “This is the only place in the world where the average person can get on the ballot. All other countries have steep stipulations and high dues in order to run; here politics are personal.”
Immigrants bring with them vast cultural riches, many of which become embedded in American culture. This occurs over time, as immigrants assimilate and acculturate, and as Americans adopt and modify new cultural elements (KQED, 2014). It is essential that people understand the potential problems of cross-cultural communication, and make a conscious effort to overcome these problems (UOC, 2014); therefore, cross-cultural communication is an essential exercise to practice. A person who comes from a certain country does not necessarily get the same ideas about time, death, identity, as an other one from a different country because each person has its own identity. Activities, opinions about issues or life experiences can modified or influence how cross-cultural communication is interpreted (Stanford Blog, 2014). The key to effective cross-cultural communication is knowledge and empathy. If problems develop, one should always assume the significant possibility that cultural differences are causing communication problems, and be willing to be patient and forgiving, rather than hostile and aggressive (UOC, 2014). By striving cultural awareness, recognizing and empathizing with hardships, cultural differences, biases, and stereotypes that immigrants like Ian Arnold and other subcultures have endured, achieving efficient and effective cross-cultural communication is a reward.
Reference
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Frazier, Christopher. (2014) Dynamic Beauty: Cultural Influences and Changing Perceptions - Becoming Prettier or Erasing One’s Own Culture? Retrieved from http://hilo.hawaii.edu/ academics/hohonu/documents/Vol04x02DynamicBeauty.pdf
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Millet, Joyce (2014). Understanding American Culture. Retrieved from http://www.culturalsavvy. com/understanding_american_culture.htm
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Thibodeau, Patrick. IT jobs will grow 22% through 2020, says U.S. (March 29, 2012). Retrieved from http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9225673/IT_jobs_will_ grow_22_through_2020_says_U.S.
UOC (2014). Cross-Cultural Communication Strategies. Retrieved from http://www.colorado.e du/conflict/peace/treatment/xcolcomm.htm
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