Skip to main content
Social Sci LibreTexts

1.1: Starting Your Journey with Intercultural Communication

  • Page ID
    313028
  • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

    \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\dsum}{\displaystyle\sum\limits} \)

    \( \newcommand{\dint}{\displaystyle\int\limits} \)

    \( \newcommand{\dlim}{\displaystyle\lim\limits} \)

    \( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

    ( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

    \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

    \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

    \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

    \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

    \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}}      % arrow\)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}}      % arrow\)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

    \(\newcommand{\longvect}{\overrightarrow}\)

    \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

    \(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)

    Introduction and Welcome

    Kim and Angela took on this project as a labor of love. We were fortunate to study with extraordinary faculty during our graduate work at CSU Fullerton, including Stella Ting-Toomey, Bill Gudykunst, Irene Matz, Ruth Guzley, Rich Wiseman, and Jeanine Congalton. These professors instilled in us a deep appreciation for the power of communication in our everyday lives — with family, friends, colleagues, classmates, and even strangers.

    Working closely with Stella Ting-Toomey and Bill Gudykunst remains one of the great highlights of our educational journey. Stella, in particular, shaped our lives as a professor, mentor, thesis adviser, and life‑long friend.

    In a world that is more interconnected than ever — yet where communication and public discourse are too often used to criticize, divide, or instill fear — we approached this book in the spirit our professors and families instilled in us: that our similarities can unite us, and our differences can strengthen us.

    Our hope is that as you read this book, you will learn something meaningful about yourself, your family, your community, and people from around the world. And we hope that your exploration of intercultural communication becomes a pathway for building bridges, deepening understanding, and fostering relationships across cultures.

    Please take a moment to read our first cultural connection, from our professor Dr. Irene Matz.

    Cultural Connection - Ghana, West Africa: 1987

    My son was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana, West Africa in 1987. He had been gone for almost two years in a country where there were little phone services and mail took months for delivery. As a mother, those months and years seemed like an eternity, and I yearned just to hear his voice.

    His brothers and I planned a Christmas vacation there during one of California’s coldest periods in history. We welcomed the time in a warm country where we could once again share a holiday together. Traveling to a “Third World” country was an unusual experience; military personnel with guns were conspicuously stationed throughout the country and border checkpoints were sporadically located through the land. Men and women were separated during these searches and being the only woman in our group of four, I became uncomfortable, often, needlessly frightened. My son knew their regulations and would quickly rescue me from these searches.

    Intercultural communication with another culture is challenging; their symbols, emblems, and proxemics send different messages. One particular experience has been emblazoned in my mind and unforgettable. Our small group was walking through a village when I saw a group of young folks and waved to them. They quickly raced towards us and my son looked at me and said, “what have you done now.” The wave as I saw as a friendly hello gesture, meant come to me. We laughed at another miscommunication. At the end of our two week visit, I’m certain; although my son never said anything, was relieved as he protected and guided us through this amazing country.

    My son had made friends with a family, and they invited us to share Christmas day with them. It is unusual for a Muslim family in Ghana to celebrate a Christmas holiday, yet this was another way the Ghanian people express their friendliness, hospitality, and inclusiveness. We brought a suitcase filled with gifts for the family and now reflecting back, I realize their graciousness in accepting these strange gifts. One particular gift was homemade Christmas cookies, and they had never experienced eating sugar. I hoped that night that they were not ill. The gift giving was an exchange of friendship and affections and an increased appreciation of two cultures. At a time now, decades later in our history when barriers continue to divide people and countries, two families and cultures were joined together in the spirit of friendship and love. This was an unforgettable Christmas – one of our best Christmases ever.

    S. Irene Matz, PhD
    Assoicate Professor
    College of Communication, Cal State Fullerton

    Questions for Reflection:

    1. Have you ever experienced or witnessed a moment where a gesture, word, or behavior was misunderstood across cultures? What happened, and what did you learn from it?

    2. What does this moment teach us about intercultural hospitality and the power of shared traditions? How might this challenge assumptions we hold about cultural or religious boundaries?


    1.1: Starting Your Journey with Intercultural Communication is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Angela Hoppe-Nagao & Kim Yee, Cerritos College..