One class I enrolled in as part of my GCSP experience was COM 263: Intercultural Communication. I wasn't sure what to expect coming into this class, as the subject material was distinct from anything else I had taken in an academic format. I also doubted whether I was going to learn much from it, as I had seen myself as already quite open-minded when it came to other cultures and their customs.
However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was much to learn. I had never really thought about how one's culture and language can impact how individuals see the world on a deeper, psychological level. One example would be how differences in the English and Japanese languages, and what things are said implicitly/explicitly, pair directly with the overall mindset people from the respective cultures have regarding notions such as respect.
This class also translates quite well with my career prospects. Cyberspace is a global landscape, one where it wouldn't be uncommon to interact with other nations about data regulations, policies, and procedures. Understanding how cultures can have differing core beliefs about concepts about privacy can enable productive negotiations on how to keep the internet safe, secure, and protected for all.
At the very end of this course, I wrote a reflective summary of the experience, with a particular lens focused on the idea of culture itself. To conclude, I'll share that piece, seen below:
"Before taking this class, I had viewed the mechanisms of culture to be binary, or "black and white". Each culture would have a distinct definition, and you either were part of the culture, or weren't. Through this class, however, I have come to see culture as dialectical; all cultures have an influential force on each other that allows them to constantly grow and change respective to time and space. Even if you do not consider yourself as "part of the culture", your actions (such as learning their language and reading their history) can still have a very real impact on it."