Cultural
awareness is a major element of cultural competence as defined by the National
Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC). It is the first and foundational element
because without it, it is virtually impossible to acquire the attitudes,
skills, and knowledge that are essential to cultural competence.
Defining
Cultural Awareness
There are
varying definitions of cultural awareness. The NCCC defines “cultural awareness”
as being cognizant, observant, and conscious of similarities and differences
among and between cultural groups (Goode, 2001, revised 2006).
According
to Winkelman (2005), awareness of cultural differences and their impact on
behavior is the beginning of intercultural effectiveness. He states that “cultural
self-awareness includes recognition of one’s own cultural influences upon
values, beliefs, and judgments, as well as the influences derived from the
professional’s work culture” (p. 9).
Cultural
awareness can help faculty to:
·
Acknowledge
how culture shapes their own perceptions
·
Be
more responsive to culturally diverse students and colleagues
·
Be
more sensitive and accessible as a mentor or supervisor
·
Be
alert to cultural differences and similarities that will present opportunities
and challenges to working in a multicultural environment
·
Influence
the next generation of public health professionals to be culturally aware as a
prerequisite toward achieving cultural and linguistic competence.
Cultural
awareness includes being conscious of organizational culture and its
implications for policy, practice, teaching, research, and community
engagement.
Cultural
awareness includes:
·
Having
a firm grasp of what culture is and what it is not.
·
Having
insight into intracultural variation.
·
Understanding
how people acquire their cultures and culture’s important role in personal
identities, life ways, and mental and physical health of individuals and
communities;
·
Being
conscious of one’s own culturally shaped values, beliefs, perceptions, and
biases
·
Observing
one’s reactions to people whose cultures differ from one’s own and reflecting
upon these responses
·
Seeking
and participating in meaningful interactions with people of differing cultural
backgrounds.
Areas of Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills
The NCCC
selected the following areas of awareness, knowledge, and skills to highlight
in this curricula enhancement module. This list is not exhaustive. Faculty are
encouraged to adapt and enhance the following characteristics based on the
needs, interests, and areas of focus within their respective disciplines and
training programs.
Awareness
of:
·
Models
of culture
·
One’s
self as a cultural being
·
One’s
biases and stereotypes
·
The
fact that culture impacts health and mental health:
·
Beliefs
and practices
·
Treatment
and care delivery
·
Access
and utilization of care
·
Status
and outcome
·
Outcomes,
including racial, ethnic, and geographic disparities
·
The
need for ongoing self-reflection and learning
·
The
impact of organizational and professional culture on practices and policies
·
Health
and mental health inequities in current systems.
Knowledge
of
·
Techniques
for self-reflection
·
Group-specific
as well as cross-cutting knowledge in applying cultural awareness to practices
and policies.
Skills
in
·
Integrating
cultural awareness into curricula and teaching activities
·
Modeling
cultural awareness across all aspects—teaching, research, and practicum
·
Communicating
and interacting in a multicultural environment
·
Observing
others and reflecting on one’s own thoughts and behaviors
·
Interactions
with peers and other health and mental health professionals
·
Managing
the dynamics of difference across cultural groups
·
Providing
supervision to diverse students in multicultural environments.
10
DON’Ts
Don't carry and/or flash large sums of
cash, nor exchange money at dubious-looking places or with individuals on the
street.
Don’t look like a tourist by dressing
like one, appearing lost or consulting a map in public.
Don’t walk with a bag slung loosely over
one shoulder, and keep your bag on the opposite side of you from the road to
forestall a thief on a bike from snatching it.
Don’t carry a backpack that looks like
luggage.
Don't visit dangerous locations, or walk
in unfamiliar, isolated or dimly lit areas, especially at night.
Don't leave valuable items in public
view; that includes your passport as well as your iPhone.
Don't drive an obvious rental car, the
more nondescript the better; keep maps and travel brochures out of sight in the
glove compartment.
Don't park anywhere but in well lit places,
don't leave valuables in sight (lock them in the trunk), and don’t pick-up hitchhikers.
Don’t keep your vehicle, house or hotel
keys on the same key ring.
Don’t store cash, jewelry, medicine or
other valuables in your luggage, and never leave your luggage unattended, even
for a brief moment.
10 DOs
Do be aware of your surroundings, and
watch out for suspicious people or vehicles.
Do use cash substitutes such as
traveler's checks or credit cards, and only carry as much money as you
immediately need.
Do lock up valuables you are not
taking with you in a safe in your room or use your hotel’s safe-deposit box
services to store them; lock the windows and doors of your hotel room when
going out.
Do make a note of your passport
number; in case it is lost or stolen, knowing the number will speed up getting
a replacement.
Do make a note of your credit-card
numbers and the phone number to call in case you need to report it stolen and
cancel it.
Do dress appropriately for your
surroundings as much as you can; looking more like a local makes you less of a
mark than looking like an obvious tourist.
Do put a band around your luggage as a
safeguard against pilferage while in transit; suitcase locks are no barrier to
a professional thief.
Do travel with companions while
sightseeing or shopping; there is safety in numbers.
Do keep vehicle doors locked and
windows rolled up when driving.
Do be alert for staged distractions,
such as someone bumping into you, spilling a drink on you, dropping something
in front of you or causing a loud commotion; an accomplice can steal your valuables
and walk away while you are momentarily distracted.
When
traveling it is very important to take these tips into consideration:
Packing: Remember to pack only the
necessary clothes not to many, only two pair of pants and some shirts, only one
fancy outfit just in case, a pair of tennis shoes and a comfortable dressy
shoes.
Meet
local people: Try
to talk with strangers who look nice and friendly. English is spoken widely all
over the world, so it’s easier to communicate with them than you might think.
Pack a
scarf: This simple
piece of cotton cloth is one of my most useful travel accessories with many
different practical applications. It’s great for sun protection, a makeshift
towel, carrying stuff around, an eye mask, and much more.
Back
everything up: Keep
both digital and physical copies of your passport, visas, driver’s license,
birth certificate, health insurance card, serial numbers, and important phone
numbers ready to go in case of an emergency.
Keep an open mind: Listen to opinions you
don’t agree with. It’s arrogant to assume your views are correct and other
people are wrong. Practice empathy and put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Embrace
different possibilities, opportunities, people, suggestions and interests. Ask
questions. You don’t have to agree, but you may be surprised what you’ll learn.
Take a
first aid kit: It
is very important to have the necessary medicine (cold, headache, stomachache)
and bandages.
Take
sewing kit: These
can help you just in case you have a problem with your clothes or shoes.
Canada:
Canadians
are extremely polite when it comes to mild physical faux pas such as stepping
on feet or bumping into others. Often both parties will briefly apologize,
including the person who was bumped. Use of the word "sorry" in this
context is equivalent to "excuse me"; it should not be considered a
submissive gesture.
USA:
Not looking
someone directly in the eye when speaking can be seen as evasive; this is in
contrast to much of the rest of the world, where looking someone directly in
the eye may be rude.
Africa
(Ghana):
In Ghana,
asking a person to a social event (e.g. a bar or restaurant) implies that the
person offering the invite will be paying for everything. Inviting a person out
and then expecting them to pay for their own drinks, etc is considered
extremely rude.
Arab
countries:
In most
Arab countries, it is considered polite and a sign of friendship to hold hands when
walking. This does not have the romantic connotations it does in the West.
South
and East Asia: China / Taiwan:
Giving
someone a knife as a gift is a faux pas, indicating that you mean them harm or
you wish to kill them.
Additionally,
the bride gives her parents a fan, symbolizing that she is leaving them for her
husband. (Chinese society is traditionally)
