Read the passage and answer the following questions.

Week 1: Stepping into a Different Culture

By Hanna

During my semester abroad in Italy, I discovered many similarities and differences between American and Italian cultures. As I engaged in intercultural communication, I experienced various degrees of stress, adaptation, and acceptance of what it meant to be Italian.

From the start, I learned that everyday interactions, like ordering a cappuccino at a local bustling café, were very stressful experiences. When I wandered into Café Michelangelo for the first time one morning, I made the mistake of waiting in line behind a crowd of people.

I quickly learned that in Italy, lines often do not exist. This crowd of people was a swarm of other patrons also attempting to get their morning coffee fix, and there was no systematic way for me to get to the front. This situation gave me severe anxiety. Italians were entering this café and would force their way through the others congregated around the counter. They proceeded to yell what they wanted to the owner, Marco, while hovering nearby, loudly conversing with other patrons while they waited for their daily espresso. In the United States, we wait in lines so regularly that it is something we no longer think about. We like organization, and lines are an integral part of this systematic and predictable process, especially when ordering something to eat.

The disorder at the café caused me confusion and stress. The act of getting coffee, something that was so simple for me to do in America, was proving to be very difficult in Italy. Over time, as I frequented this little café, I adapted my communication strategies to match those used by Italians. If I wanted something to drink or eat, I had to be persistent and sometimes tough—at least from an American standpoint. By the end of my stay in Florence, this unwavering attitude became inherent in my actions and communication; it allowed me to be a competent intercultural communicator.

Source: Neuliep, J. (2021) Intercultural communication: a contextual approach. 8^th edn. Los Angeles: Sage

What cultural concepts or ideas do you think are important and worth holding on to from the essay?

What connections do you draw between the essay and experiences from your own life?

What ideas, positions, or assumptions do you want to challenge in the essay?

What changes in attitudes or thinking can occur from reading the essay?