Norms

There are numerous norms that people follow in their everyday lives. Many of them are learned rules that no one ever talks about yet are recognized by everyone. These norms support the general means of communication and how you should go about it.

For example, when sitting and talking in a group of people, some events or activities may arise while communicating with each other. If one of your friends offers to the others standing around you to do something later, but doesn't ask you, you should not invite yourself to go along. Although it's rude that they planned this event in front of you and excluded you, inviting yourself could often make it a very awkward situation. This happens all the time to people. If you ask the person who initially invited people if you may also attend, they may also deny your request. The general rule or norm when put in this position is to just not invite yourself and find other things to do.
       Another norm is to have open body language and friendly facial expressions when meeting new people in order to try and make a good impression. Being a college student, I see and meet tons of new people each and every day. When you first meet someone, you do not want to act rude. It's often awkward seeing someone you just met in public because you don't know what exactly to say or do yet. However, it would be disrespectful to act like you don't know who they are. The general rule in this situation is to wave and say hello and offer a friendly handshake. Depending on the circumstance, you may also promote further communication. Ignoring that person or just walking past them would be a sign of disrespect and many people take offense to it. Be friendly and acknowledge your peers and hope they would do the same to you!

Russian Vodka

Hello again fellow bloggers!

My sudden interest in the topic is due to a cultural background related to my family. My aunt had adopted two children from Russia about 11 years ago. One night, not too long ago, I sat down and talked to them about what drinks were popular in their culture compared to the U.S. Turned out that Vodka was the Russian alcoholic beverage of choice. If you ever travel to Russia, you may be stunned by the many varieties of Russian vodka available. From what I understand about their culture, is that most Russians always have some sort of alcoholic beverage in their homes. As a guest, you could feel compelled to drink vodka in a Russian home.

I learned that Vodka is a Russian cultural phenomenon and has been for many years. You see it as it appears in jokes, songs, and literature. Russians traditionally drink vodka for any significant occasion, like a wedding, the birth of a child, or a new job. The appearance of the drink is not dangerous by any means. Sometimes, it actually looks similar to liquors and drinks found in the United States. For the most part, my cousin explained how most of their Russian liquors look like simple water ( in Russian the word vodka means "little water" ) and some people do not think about hazard. Vodka, like any alcohol, can be very addictive, and if abused can lead to illness. 

Before this discussion, I had no idea how much Russians enjoyed drinking. My cousin also explained the numerous places in which you could buy liquor or drink. Before he  moved to America, he said all he could see were places you could go to drink or purchase alcohol. He also explained how liquor here has some similar qualities as back home, but for the most part, it is really just the culture and people who treat it differently. 

Listening is Powerful Medicine

        Active listening is used in a wide variety of everyday situations. It is often used in community organizing, tutoring, between doctors and patients, helping special needs patients, management, counseling and many more. This type of listening may also be used in casual conversation or small talk to build understanding. The proper use of active listening results in getting people to open up, avoiding misunderstandings, resolving conflict, and building trust. A prime example would be in a medical context. Benefits from this may include increased patient satisfaction, improved cross-cultural communication, as well as an increase in patient outcomes.

       The picture above shows important aspects in listening and what it means. Active listening is a communication technique that requires the listener to give undivided attention and efficient feedback.  The listener does this by repeating or paraphrasing what the speaker has just said in their own words to ensure comprehension of both parties. This minimizes the chances of misunderstandings. Not everyone can do this, meaning not everyone you talk to is a good listener.

      From a medical stand point, it's hard to ensure every medical personnel is a good listener. With years of schooling and medical courses, it's nice to have a doctor who can actually diagnose your symptoms by listening closely to what you have to say. Some doctors are overly concerned, and just by listening to the patient and their family, they are able to help them in whatever way they can. The patient usually has a stronger will to survive and a better sense of their problem or symptoms when the caregiver is willing to listen and understand.

         In conclusion, active listening is the best way to get an understanding of a person's situation. Even when someone is not sick or at the doctors, they may just need someone to listen to what they have to say. Being a good listener is always a helpful trait to have. I feel that much of the time, the people who listen the most are the people who end up being the most helpful in the long run.