Communication was one of the most important personal lessons I gained from this project.
I come from a culture where people tend to communicate quite directly and openly. For me, being direct is usually a way of making expectations clear and avoiding misunderstandings. During this project, however, I became more aware that direct communication can be interpreted differently depending on a person's background and communication style.
There were several situations where I felt that I had explained something clearly, repeated the information, demonstrated what needed to be done, and even asked classmates to translate information into their native language. I also used several group chats to send reminders. Despite this, some tasks were still not completed or problems were only communicated very close to the deadline.
This was frustrating for me because I felt that I was trying hard to make sure everyone understood what was expected.
However, I also realised that communication is not only about what I intend to say. It is also about how the other person receives the message. My advisor cautioned me that being too direct in a future workplace could affect relationships with colleagues or make people feel defensive.
I understand this feedback and know that I need to work on adjusting my tone depending on the situation. I do not want to lose my ability to communicate clearly, but I want to become better at communicating firmly without allowing frustration to control how I speak.
At the same time, this experience also taught me that cultural understanding needs to work both ways. My directness was not intended to be rude or disrespectful. In a multicultural environment, everyone needs to make an effort to understand different communication styles.
This is especially important for me as a future teacher because I will work with students, parents and colleagues from different cultural backgrounds.