Cultural anthropology: Becoming a minority of one

• A cultural anthropology course assignment involves students experiencing being a minority in a cross-cultural setting with their reporting to focus on feelings of discomfort and uncertainty.
• Possibilities for the assignment include attending a church where the language is unfamiliar or where the attendees are culturally different from the student.
• The experience should occur during the Cultural Anthropology course and should not just be a visit to a different denomination from the one with which the student is familiar. The objective is to spend time with a group of people whose culture is quite different from that of the student.

Going to church in a different culture -- Feeling like a foreigner

Field trip: Becoming a fish out of water

This assignment is designed to send you on a cross-cultural field trip where you become a minority of one. The worship part is not the central issue. The central objective of this assignment is to find yourself as a minority in a situation where you feel out of place and where you may be uncertain about what is expected of you.

In your one to two-page report, don't tell me how you discovered people can worship in any culture. In fact, don't focus on the worship event itself.

I'm looking for how you felt. I want you to process whatever uncomfortable moments you felt. What took you out of your comfort zone? You may tell me that you did discover that God speaks more than one language.

Do not report on an experience you had months or years ago before this course began. It must be an experience you have had since starting this Cultural Anthropology course.

Possibilities

• Go to a church where the service is in a language you do not speak (Spanish or Korean, for instance).
• Go to a church whose members have a different skin color than you (multi-racial churches do not count).
  • Addresses and phones in Oklahoma City for a Hindu temple, Islamic mosques, Jewish synagogues, and others [ see listing ]
  • Those for whom visiting an all-black church would be a cross-cultural experience can find three to four pages of church advertisements in the print edition of The Black Chronicle, Oklahoma's weekly African-American newspaper.

Note: Going to a church of a different denomination than the one you are used to (such as a Baptist going to a Roman Catholic service or a Lutheran going to a Pentecostal one) will not fulfill the objectives of this assignment. This is not about experiencing different forms of worship. It is about being in the midst of a group of people very different from you culturally and perhaps even linguistically.

Sample student report

• Actual student report

    -- Howard Culbertson,

Surviving a Cross-Cultural Experience

"Surviving" a cross-cultural experience requires an open mind, adaptability, and respect for diversity. Embrace the unfamiliarity with curiosity rather than fear. Take the initiative to learn about the customs, traditions, and values of the culture you're encountering, and be willing to engage with locals on their terms. Listen actively, ask questions, and seek to understand rather than judge. Flexibility is key. Be prepared for unexpected situations. Be willing to adjust your expectations and behaviors accordingly. Lastly, remember that while mistakes are inevitable, humility and a willingness to learn from them can actually deepen your connections to people in the new culture.

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