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Multi-Cultural Paper Essay Introduction Finding a â€Å"multicultural† experience that brings me out of my comfort zone is something I found difficult. I moved to the city but am a small town girl at heart. I grew up riding a dirt bike, partying in fields, listening to country music, and hosting birthday parties that my friends and I built tree forts at. My first vehicle was a rear-wheel drive manual Chevrolet pick-up truck that I had to put weight in during the winter so I would not slide across the road. I lived on 140 acres of land, and the closest town was 15 minutes away. Since then, I have moved to the city and began, enjoying the convenience of everything like, bringing clothes to the dry cleaners, riding my bike to work, and preferring to lounge by the pool on a summer day, rather than explore like I used to. In college, I studied abroad in Scotland for a semester and had the opportunity to travel around Europe to England, Switzerland, Spain, and France. This experience exposed me to a number of different cultures, currencies, and experiences. It was the highlight of my college experience, but I became extremely homesick after a month and a half and, since then, have had no desire to visit anywhere abroad for longer than a couple of weeks. In addition to being familiar with both the small town and city lifestyles,not many things turn me off or make me uncomfortable. On the other hand, because I come from a small town, there are a few things I am unfamiliar with. I am not as familiar with different races or cultures, the wealth and fashion that comes with living near city suburbs, or the religion of anyone who isn’t Catholic. This is excluding the Europe experience, when I spent most my time in English speaking Scotland. Because of this, I chose three events that would expose me to new things in each one of those categories. Event #1: A Brazilian Carnival The first event took place at the Fine Line Music Cafà © in downtown Minneapolis. Classmate, Sarah Holman and I went to a Brazilian Carnival. I was interested in this sort of event because, in college, I worked at Afton Alps Ski and Snowboard, where they had a Brazilian exchange program and brought a number of Brazilians up for the winter to work. They became the best part of working there most years because they were so much fun and lived life to the fullest during their time in the United States. The event was fun, colorful, active, and something I had never been to before. There were dancers, drummers, people dressed up in costumes, and a band. After the introduction of drummers and dancers, a band began to play. Since we chose to attend on a Sunday afternoon, it was more of a family function but, if we had decided to attend on the Friday or Saturday evening before, I imagine the setting would have become a little wild after a few drinks because the music was so much fun. Instead, kids, parents, and couples were out on the dance floor dancing away innocently. When looking at what I know personally about Brazilians and comparing it to the event, it is clear that they typically like to have a good time. Their music is good, the people are often good looking, and they are extremely passionate about where they come from and their culture. My behaviors will not change in the workplace because of this event but the carnival did confirm the impression I had of Brazilian culture. Event #2: Omaha Fashion Week The second event took place in Omaha, Nebraska, where my youngest sister now lives. Once we found out that she would be walking in two of the shows, on both Friday and Saturday night, my mom, sister, her husband, and my boyfriend and I began planning our trip right away. When planning for the shows, I had no idea what to expect. I have never been to a fashion show, know nothing about fashion and, most importantly, I had no idea what to wear! Going into the first night we had been traveling all day, were hungry, and the guys weren’t around yet to stay at the hotel and babysit so we had to bring my two-year old nephew. One of the things that I am most insecure about is not knowing what to do and, worse, looking like I do not know what to do, in any given situation. To explain, I am always tentative to try new restaurants because I know that each one has a different culture that I may not fit in with. The way they do things, like the way one orders, dresses, and acts, are always altered. This doesn’t mean I avoid the experience but, when deciding to go somewhere new, I always get a nervous feeling with some immediate regret, wishing I had chosen to go somewhere familiar. This is something I am working on because, every time the experience is done, I’m glad it happened and always want to try something else new as soon as possible. This is how I felt going into Omaha Fashion Week. This time, I was more excited to see my sister but, since I was with my mom, sister and a two-year old at an adult event, and since they also had no clue what was going on, I was mortified. The first night felt like a warm-up, and I began to understand the scenery, people, what was happening, and everything else that was going on. There were individuals who were much more casual looking than me, but there also many who were more dressed up. By the end of the night I felt like I could pick out the more important faces by just looking around the crowd. My method probably wasn’t very accurate, but it led to some excellent people watching. The second night was a girl’s night, consisting of my mom, sister, and me. We were able to leave the boys and nephew at the hotel for the evening. Learning from the first night, we showed up right when the event was supposed to begin, which means that we only had to wait half an hour for the show to start, instead of an hour, like the night before. We made sure to get some pictures on the red carpet and relax while enjoying a couple drinks in advance. The challenge for me going into this event was having to go somewhere new, where I had no idea what the culture was going to be like. When looking at the event in a professional context, I was intimidated, going in, by those whom I thought were â€Å"better† than me. Meaning, those who know fashion, have money, status, and the wealthy (not so nice) personalities you see on teenage television shows. I did not encounter any of these stereotypes when at the event. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and not judging, as I would have thought. This makes me think of those who are more successful and intimidating than I in a professional environment. As I have always been taught, treat others as you would like to be treated. This is something I will remember in the workplace for future reference. If I go in treating someone with the respect I would like to get in return, chances are they will treat me with the same respect. I feel that going to this fashion show cemented this lesson for me. I need to not concentrate on my insecurities as much, and, instead focus on treating everyone the same. This event did not confirm the stereotypes I had imagined like everyone being snobby, rich, and over the top. Looking back on the weekend, I think of it as one of the best times I’ve had yet for year 2013, all because I stepped out of my comfort zone. Interview #1 In attempt to deepen the Omaha Fashion Week experience, I interviewed a friend’s sister, Michelle Olson, who is an extremely successful plus size model, living in New York City. Michelle has experienced a much different lifestyle that is very foreign to me; one that I can relate to class and to the multi-cultural experience above. I was able to ask the questions and get the answers below: Michelle Olson Interviewee #1 Michelle Olson Interviewee #1 Q: In class we talked a lot about one’s personal brand. As a model, I assume your personal brand is extremely important and somewhat determines your reputation in the industry. Is this true? Do you have any examples of this you can expand on? A: Personal brand is important in modeling because we have to show our personality somehow with only a few minutes. So its important to just be yourself and wear what you like. A lot of clients are particular about a models personality because they want to show their brand a certain way and target a certain customer. We also cant be too eccentric or too trendy because some clients are just looking for a blank canvas and one that they know their clothes will look good on without being too distracted by the person and their own style. Q: In the business environment one usually has to work hard to advance or know someone to get ahead. Is this true in modeling as well? How do you climb in your industry? A: Eventually a model can [achieve this ] by booking big clients and then having them like you enough to re-book you again. People and clients also tend to take notice, usually if a model books editorials in big magazines. Q: Is it difficult to keep your values in this industry? Is it difficult while keeping a positive image for yourself amongst peers? A: I have been lucky so far in my career in that I have only had good experiences as far as boundaries and my personal values go. Everyone I have worked for have been very respectful and professional. Its important to have an agent that cares about you and will only send you out to legit, professional companies. Q: We also discussed virtual groups/communication in class. Is this a common form of communication in this industry or is it usually easier to do things in person? A: Email is a very important communication tool in my industry. Most of my communication with my agents is by email. All my job details are always emailed to me before the job. When I am in New York, I usually have to actually go in and see and talk to the agents in person at least once a week, sometimes more. Castings however are always in person. They are usually just quick little interview type things where you go and meet the client, have them look at your portfolio, and sometimes maybe take a couple pictures and try on some clothes. If you are unable to see them in person then our agents usually just send our portfolio for them to look at. Q: With the perspective of models being stick thin, does this pressure you to be this way? A: Working as a plus size model is another world than working as a straight size (0-6) model. Plus size is usually like a size 12, so we still have to stay around that size. We still eat very healthy and exercise so that we have good skin and feel good, etc. However, most of us are at our natural size, and therefore theres a lot less stress about size. Its great! Q: Are there â€Å"leaders† in your industry? Or are they always changing because your jobs are always changing? What is that like? A: Our agents are like our bosses. They get us our job so its important to have good relationships with them. We have three of them, and they are all cool and friendly so its quite nice! Obtaining this information from Michelle has provided me with interesting insight on a completely different business environment, than of the corporate life I am used to. Event #3: Scientology Church Tour My third event was a tour and question and answer period at the Saint Paul Church of Scientology. I went to this with three classmates, Sarah, Cody, and Andrea. As mentioned at the beginning of this paper, I am not familiar with many different kinds of religion, beside Catholicism. Through Tom Cruise, I have heard a lot of wonderful things about Scientology. I have also heard the opposite about the religion from his ex-wives. From what I was told, saw, and learned, the experience had a positive impact that made me curious and left me wanting to learn more about the religion. The interesting part about the church is that it focuses on the here and now, versus the Christian religion where their beliefs are based on the Bible, which is many centuries old. The self-guided tour consisted of watching videos to obtain information about the religion. There were different categories, so we could watch the topics we were most interested in. After watching a couple of videos, we felt it would be most beneficial to speak to the tour guide and ask questions about her experiences. From her answers, I gathered that Scientologists like to help people. If you are having troubles in your marriage or need help finding where to go in life, you can join counseling groups. If there is a natural disaster in the world, Scientologists will travel to the location and help out where they can. The part that interested me most is their passion to help individuals with any issues that individual might be having. In a book recommended by Andrea that provided an opposite perspective of Scientology, Jenna Miscavige Hill writes about her â€Å"secret life inside scientology and her harrowing escape† (Beyond Belief, Cover). This is something I wish I would have known about before going into the tour because I would have asked questions in regards to this book. In the book, Jenna explains about her life as a member of the Sea Org, the church’s most devoted core group of Scientology. She describes how she was sent away as a child to receive an education in Scientology, the manual labor she was forced to perform, and the coercion she faced from officials. Nothing about children being sent away to Scientology school was brought up or asked about throughout our time at the Church. After reading the 10 Juiciest Bits about Scientology from Jenna’s book, it made me think twice about what I found out while at the church. Hearing both the positive and negative sides of Scientology will not change the way I act in a professional environment because, knowing both sides of the religion will not diminish the respect I have for other’s personal religious choices. I think the main challenge for the Church of Scientology is the extreme difference in viewpoints you can have on the religion. Those who are Scientologist think it’s the most wonderful thing, but those who know about it and have gotten out have nothing good to say about it. Interview #2 The second interview I conducted did not relate to any of my multicultural experiences, but was instead with a coworker, Violet. Violet is from Uganda, Africa, and came to the United States in January 2000 to attend school at the University of Minnesota. Violet’s experience relates to the â€Å"Chimamanda Adichie: The Danger of a Single Story† video watched in class. Violet Interviewee #2 Violet Interviewee #2 Since this was an in person interview, not many structured questions were asked. Instead, there was a lot of back and forth conversation, unlike the interview with Michelle. When explaining her experiences growing up, Violet made a point on how the way she was raised and lived is only one view, and not everyone was able to live the way she did. Violet comes from a very successful family. She explained how she lived a very privileged life, in Uganda, and does not know what poverty is when asked about it. When her family came to Minnesota, they brought their maid with them, which is not common for many when traveling to the States. Violet came on a student visa. Due to the fact that she was from out of the country, she had to pay almost three times more per semester than most students attending the university. This is something her father paid for so, unlike me and many others, she graduated with no student loans. I asked Violet about the manifestation of personal brand of Africa and she explained that it is very different. One in Africa is unable to choose their personal brand. When interviewing for positions, the question is always, â€Å"Whose son or daughter is that?† not â€Å"How smart or qualified are they?† In Uganda, there is a strong British influence, so class and tribal system is what makes you who are you. It is all about whom you know or who you are related to. Violet never professionally worked in Africa, but states that one’s choices are limited regarding what they can decide to grow up to be. You either plan to be a doctor, lawyer, dentist, or anything else with a designate d path. There are few opportunities and many talents are wasted. Marketing or human resource careers aren’t options or even thought about in Africa when choosing an education path. When Violet came to Minnesota to begin school, she had it in her mind that she was going to become a lawyer. Not until she was almost done with her Bachelor’s degree did she begin to realize that becoming a lawyer was maybe something she didn’t actually want to do. She went on to complete her MBA, with the mind set of beginning to work toward a law degree. She is now a Senior Human Resources Recruiter, and sometimes wishes she had received her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or Communications, instead of Business, realizing that she was still living in the African career mentality when choosing her education. While people in the US think that an 8% unemployment rate is high, Africa has over 50% unemployment. This is partially because there are not enough businesses to employ everyone. Unlike in the US, there are no government services to help the poor. There is also not as much access to goods like in the US. Not everyone has the convenience to go to stores like Target or Wal-Mart. Lastly, when asked if people treat her different based on what the average American knows about Africans – that they are poor – she admitted that people sometimes do. Some are surprised to learn that she speaks English very well, others reject her when they realize that she is not a suffering African, and the black community does not always accept her as black. She has wondered if she had come over as an African refuge; how things might be different in the way people treat her. The interview with Violet was a further look into what I don’t know about Africa. It gave me knowledge and taught me never to judge based what I see on television or read in books. As Violet made clear at the beginning of our interview, she has only one view point regarding Africa, and not everyone was raised like her. This reminds me to never judge when only hearing one side of the story. This is a lesson that can be brought into the workplace every single day. The two interviews and three multi-cultural experiences opened my eyes to things I would never have known about. I learned about what it was like to attend a fashion show, a different culture, and religion. These experiences changed the way I look at life and the way I approach professional environments. Due to this project, I will search for new experiences that will bring be out of my comfort zone, just like the activities above. References Adichie, Chimamanda, perf. Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story. 2009. Film. March 2013. http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html. Fallon, Kevin. 10 Juiciest Bits From Ex-Scientologist’s Tell-All ‘Beyond Belief’. (2013): n. page. Web. 22 Apr. 2013. Miscavige Hill, Jenna. Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape. 1. 1. Harpercollins, 2013. 404. Print. Nassalo , Violet. Personal Interview. 9 Apr 2013. Olson, Michelle. E-mail Interview. 4 Apr 2013.