Improvement through Involvement!

                                                                                            Learn a second language

                                                                                                 Try ethnic foods

                                                                                            Cross cultural boundaries

                                                                                       Travel if you get the opportunity 

Importance of Intercultural Communication

In our personal and professional lives, we find ourselves a part of intercultural communication.  We can subdivide this into two areas: the international arena and the domestic arena. 

The international arena involves interaction between you and people from different countries in the workplace, on vacation, and in social environments.  There are three developments that have made intercultural contact more commonplace:  1) new technology and information systems, 2) changes in the world's population, and 3) a shift in the world's economic arena. 

The domestic arena involves the less prominent cultures or social communities within the United States that we may not notice or recognize.  Social communities are groups of people who live within a dominant culture yet also are members of another group or groups that are not dominant in a particular society.  These include gender, religion or ethnic based groups. 

As you can see, intercultural communication can be prevalent in all aspects of our lives.  By expanding our knowledge about cultural traditions and people, we can begin to appreciate the immense diversity of people and have a well rounded view of the world.    From affecting your personal relationships, to affecting decisions made by the U.N and other international groups, intercultural communication is essential in today's world and something we all must strive to master. 

 By: Katie Oliver and Anne Delic