Studying abroad is an incredible opportunity that some are very fortunate to have. When studying abroad, you get to see a whole new country and environment. You also have the opportunity to start a mini life in this new place with new friends, family and experiences. Still, like all things in life, studying abroad is not without its own challenges and downsides. For me, the most difficult challenge has been adjusting to a new culture with its own norms and perspectives. For this journal about recognizing different perspectives, I’d like to share a few cultural differences I’ve observed that here in Colombia. Of course, every individual is different and has their own perspectives, so these are just some general cultural differences I’ve noticed!
Collective vs. Individualistic: You may have learned in Social Studies about the difference between collective and individual societies. This is the concept that in some cultures, people do more things together in groups (collectively) and in other cultures people do more things alone (individually). For example, depending on your culture, it may be more common to eat dinner as a family or to live with extended family members. The collective culture of Colombia became most apparent to me at lunch!
