Last year, I had formed the experience of studying abroad by using a student exchange program and my destination was The Holland. Vietnam – a Southeast Asian region with long record being under the heavy influence of Chinese suppliers, can be described as a collectivist world, while The Holland, a Traditional western Europe nation, is more individualist. Thus, after having a few days starting my session in The Holland, I quickly noticed that, I actually and my own Dutch classmates behaved in a different way, especially in the class room. When pupils in my web host university confidently raised their hands asking questions, I didn’t. Once my peers were much more than comfortable to share their suggestions and opinions in front of school, I had not been. There were various situations through which they actually disputed with the teacher in subject-related matters – the action I rarely found back in my personal home university or college. Only once i got back to Vietnam and learned about individuality and collectivism from the study course Intercultural Conversation did I’ve the chance to reveal my encounter. I have understood both of my own and my Dutch classmates’ behaviors a whole lot better and now, all the “weird” things occurred in the Netherland started to be crystal clear to me.
Individualistic communities tend to concentrate more on themselves and this is evidently shown through personal rights and required students for making the programs. In my sponsor university, it really is students’ tasks to decide which usually courses they would take and i also, as an exchange college student, had to do all of the checking by myself, to get my own sakes, ranging from researching the course contents, researching types of assessment upon university websites to consulting with the study consultant and joining. According to my Dutch study advisor, only students understand the best, consequently , by enabling the student make a decision the classes, the university can encourage the identity and help to make students be responsible and even more engaged for their programs. The idea of encouraging personality at first was exotic in my experience because from the time I i am a university student, my home faculty is definitely the one at the rear of my timetable. The teachers decides every one of the courses due to its students and unless it truly is in wonderful conflicts with other activities, we all students should certainly avoid producing any modification in order to remain in the class, also there are classes in which do not find interested or helpful. After learning about Individualism and Collectivism, I realized that the take action of my own home faculty represent a characteristic of collectivism which can be goal of a group is usually above that of its people and persons are expected to stick to the settings and rules of the group.
Every person in collectivist society contains a certain responsibility to bear pertaining to the good of their group and this applies well to a tiny scope just like university class room. In my residence university, We am put into a class with fixed users that will choose me throughout four years. Out of more than thirty people, some particular individuals are designated with the required leaders. There may be usually a class monitor, a vice monitor, a admin, who play the tasks of conversing channels between faculty and students and also organizing your class. Everyone in my class needs to accept the management of leaders. We all also recognize that the position of the entire class is far more important than the individual, therefore all the information should be published amongst its associates and the benefits of some individuals need to be sacrificed if possible. Unlikely, the Dutch seek out independence, giving prominence to individual benefits rather than group advantages. Therefore , there is not this kind of a thing known as fixed class or class monitor in Dutch school, not to mention various other positions. In the event any problems raised, I can easily connect directly with my educators, faculty staff through the on the net portal. Therefore, privacy on the information was well preserved and the need to depend on various other students was also eliminated.
Just before moving for the Netherlands, I actually prepared pertaining to myself information on how classes in Western university could look like. Usually the advices would be the courses happen to be demanding therefore students must self-study a lots, they have to interact with lecturers and become active. By my point of view, students in the collectivist societies like Vietnam, including me, are often quiet, sometimes quiet and respectful in class. Not necessarily because we do not have our very own opinions but because our company is educated to accept more than to dispute. I thought “Fine, not too bad, I will soon adapt”. However , points turned out to be diverse. Since the idea of individualism will not believe that judgment of majority can cover that of the minority, every person has the right to raise their voices. Therefore , it was certainly not strange the moment my Digital Communication educator wanted to listen to the thought of a student about a interaction style and others to query his or her thoughts and opinions before starting the lecture. But at that time, the idea of speaking away and arguing in front of the complete class terrified me. That is the fault I, a 20-year-old born and raised up in a collectivist environment, most of the time identified myself understanding to other students’ suggestions, even the reverse ones.
Once during my Literature category, a discussion broke out among a group of pupils with the teacher when each of our class was reflecting a detail in a poem. When the teacher explained his viewpoint, students whom did not think satisfied with the response raised their hands, interrupting the educator and revealing their rejection by making queries, asking for logic and presenting their own tips. The discussion was complete severe to the stage I might explain it as a fierce have difficulty. At that time, I could not believe to my eyes, “Who do you consider you should be question the teacher. inch I thought inside my head, “It is Books, there is no correct or incorrect, what are all those students thinking and why the educator allows this kind of to happen”. But now after having found that individualism and collectivism in order to distinct cultures, I understand that I misunderstood these people. Collectivistic ethnicities tend to instruct the whole group and allow learners to learn 1 from the other, whereas individualistic societies are likely to teach by simply focusing on the consumer. The Netherlands is definitely an individualist society and are also its people. Compared to Vietnamese focus on the harmony within a group, Dutch individuals never need to have the same suggestions, and dissimilarities within a group are more than accepted and endeavors to stand out will be rewarded.
After studying about the between individuality and collectivism, I commence to understand my Dutch peers’ behaviors more and have a deeper seem on cultural communication. The lesson i gain intended for myself is that too collectivist or individualist is not really the best lifestyle style within an international framework. People have to combine both individuality and collectivism cleverly and stay open-minded to take new social patterns to be able to adapt better.
