Extra-Academic Programs

Did you know that business discussions in the Arab World must be preceded by intense social interaction? Did you know that in Thailand too much expressivity can lead to misunderstandings? Questions like the ones above were explored in the Cross-Cultural Communication PBL. Understanding the importance of inter-cultural relations for our life as UWC students and future professionals, Daniel and Barbara Toa-Kwapong organized a two-day journey through the principles of “Cross-Cultural Relation”.

On Monday, the first day of the PBL, the participants explored the principles of the discipline and specifically the “Patterns of Cross-Cultural Business Behaviour” through presentations prepared in small groups. These included notions developed by experts like Geert Hoofstede and referred to ideas such as time-rigid vs. time-fluid, (the way in which cultures perceive time and punctuality) – or deal-focused vs. relationship-focused societies, meaning that some societies require the establishing of a personal relation between two people doing business while others go straight to the point. Each presentation was followed by fruitful conversations in which the participants were able to share personal experiences and perspectives to give account of the ways in which the theory of cross-cultural interaction could be seen in “real-life”.

By the end of the day, participants were able to identify different patterns of behavior in different cultures. For example, it was discussed how the Latin American societies can be labeled as polychronic, relationship-based, time-fluid and formal according to the principles of cross-cultural communication. Being able to classify different cultures according to a set of guidelines was essential to understand case studies in which inter-cultural dialogue had failed and naturally, to develop possible strategies to apply in the future when challenged with a similar situation.

Tuesday was particularly special because it allowed the students to share their own culture in different ways. After discussions that highlighted the importance of cross-cultural communication for the UWC movement and the goal of a “sustainable future”, culture was exchanged not in the classroom but in the kitchen. Every participant engaged in the preparation of several dishes while using the setting to discuss their societies’ lifestyles at home and different traditions connected to cooking. After two hours of “cross-cultural cooking”, the outcome was a true banquet of exotic dishes which went from vegetarian Chinese dumplings to prawns with spicy sauce. The meal was also an excellent opportunity for the participants to present a symbolic object from their cultures and explain their influence in their own lifestyles.

The meal was followed by the screening of the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” which showed the challenges of living in the breach between two cultures with different values and behaviors. After laughing and eating some Danish cake, the participants were able to exchange comments about their own learning experience and naturally, about ways to improve similar initiatives in the future.

One of the things that were clear at the end of the PBL was that activities like this one become quite necessary in an environment like the one we live in. As UWC students, we are expected to deal with the difficulties that come with intercultural dialogue; and therefore we must be equipped with tools to do so.  Beside, the world needs people who are capable of understanding that effective methods for cross-cultural communication are the key not only to business or ambitious deals, but also to peace and international understanding.

Five students and one volunteer were ready for the Backcountry Ski Trip PBL on Sunday morning. One of our aims was to learn about safety while skiing in the mountains. The third rule of the Norwegian Mountain Code (Fjellvettreglene in Norwegian) is to be weather-wise, and stay alert to forecasts of bad weather.  The forecast on Sunday morning promised 6 degrees, a fresh breeze (Beaufort Scale 5) and 87mm of rain with a warning of high risks of frost bite, flooding and avalanches in the mountain. As such the group went for plan B – a trip to Heggnes with Øystein, the Heggnes Incharge, joining the group.

So on Monday morning, we repacked our back packs with food, snack (for two days) and fishing rods. Then we started on the short hike out to Heggnes; slipping and sliding through rain, flooded streams, ice covered tracks and stretches of rotten snow.

The first day at Heggnes was spent gathering and splitting firewood, hiding from the rain, fishing, cocking and enjoying good food. After dark, the living room was steaming of wet clothes. We had a nice evening with card games and more snack. After Mitch and Axel served us Albertan style pancakes – fluffy pancakes with peanut butter and maple syrup, we considered naming the PBL “Unhealthy eating PBL”.

The next morning the clouds had cleared a bit, with glimpses of sun between the hale showers. In spirit of the plan we had, we started to prepare for the next group to visit Heggnes. The unwritten Mountain code is to always leave a place as you want to find it. So the group split some more fire wood, made kindle ready by the fire place and cleaned the house.

Later, we tried fishing again. On Endrit’s first try, a little fish followed 20 cm after the lure, curious as to what this shining metal was doing there.  Adrian ended up with the biggest catch: a nice selection of seaweed…

Xavier spotted a small group of Porpoise, a small toothed whale related to the dolphin. We blamed the Porpoise for our poor luck at fishing, and since it was time to end the PBL, we started on the trip back home.

This PBL was the result of networking in the community. Dale is a small place and we run the risk of missing on people and places because we wrongly think we know it all.

The Vevang school is a state-funded institution that caters to handicapped and mentally-challenged young people. Besides the school proper, they have a factory where they teach the manufacture of wooden objects from chairs to bric-a-brac, so that students can get a job by also benefiting from the “shadow” worker program (someone to oversee the student while at work).

We also discovered that the school runs a kindergarten and has an apartment building where older members can reside for a modest fee. Our role was to do deep cleaning in the school kitchen and then in the adult residence. The bonus was to visit the little ones’ sleeping room, with a huge lava lamp with fish and comfortable futons. Oh, and to enjoy for a (short) while the big tv set in the living room.

We capped Monday by visiting the new Dale café Allmuen led by Henriette and Tove, former chefs in Transplant, the design studio. Henriette had a café in Bergen so her new place is cozy yet stylish, very trendy with a chandelier and banquettes facing the glass windows. And they make terrific brownies too.

Tuesday was a tough one spent in Dalsasen, the art center with beautiful views from high on the mountain. The place is huge and designed in Nordic architecture style. We met several foreign artists in residence there, three of whom spoke Spanish. The one from Mexico asked our students to participate in his latest project by doing some drawings.

Then we met the caretaker to assign the jobs; he was  a familiar face who used to work in Haugland. Oystein surprised everyone with his axe-wielding skills—like the true son of Thor, he chopped wood with precision and verve. Oda and Nyima practised for their tentative summer jobs by vacuum-cleaning the huge halls with industrial machines.

In the afternoon all students played out their child fantasies by actually destroying a building with hammers and maze: the infamous chicken coop had to come down, full of rat poison and chicken poop, a nasty, smelly job that actually they described as a lot of fun.

Exhausted and dirty but glad to have done it—this job also garnered a donation for SAFUGE for which the students are heartily thanked.