Culture Matters

1. Culture Matters Lauren Hultzman

2. Understanding Culture • In chapter one, they explain that culture is different depending on where you are. • “It is important to understand that what people do and say in a particular culture, whether it be yours or that of your host country, are not arbitrary and spontaneous, but are consistent with what people in that culture value and believe in” (Chapter. 1, Pg. 5).

3. Cont. • If you can understand and accept the culture, you can understand and predict what each person is doing. • Thus leading to, a “successful cultural adjustment” (Ch. 1, Pg.1).

4. Cont. • Jan writes in her journal how she doesn’t “see any bad people” (Ch.1, Pg. 7), but I feel like she’s looking for someone who looks very different than the rest of the population, not entirely understanding these bad people can look like everyday people on the street.

5. Cont. • I feel like people often see other cultures vastly different than their own. They make assumptions usually never backed up by any real evidence. It’s not until you are immersed in the culture that you actually understand it’s like any other culture. • They give the example of an iceberg where you can see the obvious things in the culture but don’t really see the different things until you are engaged with them and assume what they are like.

6. Cont. • However, what is accepted in each culture can vary very differently than that of another culture such as schooling and animal cruelty.

7. American Culture • “no one American is quite like any other American, but a handful of core values and beliefs do underlie and permeate the national culture” (ch.2, pg.1). • “New is usually better” (Chapter 2, Pg. 8).

8. Change and Risk-taking • Americans welcome change. They see it as a positive reaction to the changing world. • As for risk taking, americans welcome it with open arms, knowing there will be many more opportunities to come.

9. Misfortune • Many countries look at misfortune as inherited but in America, we view it as your own doing. You have control over your own life and what happens to you.

10. Jamaica • Jamaica has only recently become an independent country in 1962. • However, in 1970, their economic conditions become worse with “violence as rival gangs affiliated with the major political parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering” (Central Intelligence Agency).

11. Cont. • Today, these crimes still pose as a significant problem. • That and the resorts and many rural areas keep Jamaica's economy afloat. • I am very surprised to learn that a large amount of Jamaica's economic dependence is on these crimes of money laundering, drug trade and many others.

12. Geography • Jamaica is no larger than Connecticut. I am very surprised to learn this since there are so many people who inhabit this island. • How would this many people live in a country so immersed in tropical regions and mountainous areas.

13. Geography- Current Issues • Jamaica is experiencing current issues within the country I was unaware about. • They have “heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston from vehicle emissions” (Central Intelligence Agency). • Jamaica seems like a very peaceful, enjoyable island and they are slowly defacing it’s natural beauty.

14. Jamaican Peoples • A large percent of the people inhabiting Jamaica are between the ages 15 and 64 with 24 being the median age. • To me that seems very young. I did not expect to see such a low median age living in Jamaica.

15. Population Growth • They have a very slow rate of growth in Jamaica, .71% making them 139 in the World. • They also only have one major city with the majority of the population living there. • They have 2,889,167 people living in Jamaica.

16. Medical • They have one physician per 1000 people. • Their health care severely lacks the standards compared to that of America and what other country's have. • They have about 2 beds per 1000 people at the hospital as well. • They have a very high rate of people infected with HIV/AIDS in ratio to the amount of people living on the island.

17. School • The average amount of years in school is only 14. • In America, its much higher. • Jamaica seems to lack the needed education for each student. They send the students into the work force at a very young age.

18. Economy • Jamaica depends on services for their income. • They face a very high unemployment ratio.

19. Culture Changing • When looking at the rate of exchange for currency between Jamaica and U.S, the Jamaican dollar has increased in value over the past few years. • They have increase the number of imports by 2 billion dollars in the past year. • They have also increase their export numbers by .3 billion dollars. • However, their debt has increase by almost 1 billion dollars

20. Works cited • "Central Intelligence Agency." CIA. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2012. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/jm.html>. • "Chapter 1: Understanding Culture." Culture Matters: The PeaceCorps Cross-Cultural Workbook. Washington: Peace Corps, n.d. 1-36. Print. • "Chapter 2: Understanding Culture." Culture Matters: The PeaceCorps Cross-Cultural Workbook. Washington: Peace Corps, n.d. 37-63. Print.