What is Culture - Part 3 of 3

Originally Recorded: 08/04/2021

Notes

Welcome to another episode of Trax Cultures, where we delve deep into the intricacies of cultural transitions. In today's episode, the final episode of a three part series on “What is Culture,” we continue our exploration of culture we are joined again by Stephen W. Jones and Jennie Jones, as we dive into the topic of cultural disorientation and its impact on our lives.

In this episode, Stephen and Jennie reflect on their upcoming move to Berlin, Germany, and the disorienting factors they anticipate. Language is a major concern for them, as they look ahead to the challenges of not fully understanding the language and cultural nuances. They also discuss the shift from being tourists to residents and the higher expectations that come with it. From learning apartment living etiquette to navigating parenting in a new cultural context, Stephen and Jennie are preparing for a whole new set of challenges.

As the conversation unfolds, the topic expands to include how differences in culture can sometimes be disorienting. Whether it's encountering unfamiliar customs, religious practices, or even musical worship styles, our default reaction tends to be to judge these differences as inferior or wrong. However, Stephen and Jennie emphasize the importance of approaching cultural differences with kindness and grace, both in our own culture and when immersing ourselves in a new one.

They remind us that we are not the norm or the neutral standard, but rather products of our own cultural perspectives. By recognizing our own contextualized experiences, we can better appreciate and understand the value of different cultural expressions. Stephen also highlights the importance of finding stability and truth in the midst of cultural transitions, even if our understanding of them is shaped by our own cultural lens.

So join us on this enlightening episode as we delve into the complexities of cultural disorientation and explore how we can navigate it with empathy and openness.

Links:

Resources from this episode:

Information on Stephen Jones.

Videos and other traXcultures resources.

Follow Stephen and Jennie on Instagram: @thejonesesinberlin

Visit liminal edges on Instagram: @liminal_edges

Contact Envision Berlin about customizing the Cross-Cultural Transitions Handbook for your cross-cultural ministry organization.

Credits:

Regular Theme music by Mike Picconatto

Unterwegs is recorded and produced by Envision Berlin

This episode was recorded, in part, on the land of the Wahpekute, Anishinabewaki, and the Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux).

Disclaimer

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 Timestamped Overview: 

[00:03:09] Transitioning from adept tourist to culturally incompetent resident.

[00:09:33] Valuing differences and finding cultural stability.

[00:10:52] Discovering different perspectives challenges students' understanding of Christianity.

[00:16:21] Commitment to shared work and family honor.

[00:18:35] Cultural clash - longing for familiar normalcy.

[00:22:05] Disorientation is inevitable in Berlin, expect difficulty.

[00:25:04] Concluding culture series; extra content on Patreon.