Celebrating the Cultural Diversity at AIIAS

Since August, 2009, I have been a part of Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies ( AIIAS) community which has representatives or students from more than 50 countries around the world. All of us came here with our own world views to be educated. In fact, in one of my classes that I am taking this semester, there are seven students from seven different countries. Therefore, we sharing our thoughts and ideas from various backgrounds and perspectives which are far from the content areas that we are learning. 

Studying at AIIAS does not only increase the Philippines’s cultural diversity, it also makes the institution a cultural diversity place. Even within the family we can find cultural diversity due to the new born babies while their parents are studying here. Therefore, Kumaravadivelu (2008) highlighted “the cultural gap between member of different generations within the same family [and also stressed that it could cause or make] and dissension between members of a family, between communities in a nation, and between nations in this world” (pp. 8-9) . Therefore, cultural differences can cause misconception among the individuals, communities, and nations.

Even though we all are not the same, we can understand and respect other’s culture, and be flexible because of our Christian integrity. DeCapua and Wintergerst (2004) noted that one’s culture can have similarities and differences with other’s culture. Similarly, AIIAS students come from unlike backgrounds, experiences but united in the loving name of our Jesus Christ who embraces diversities within the world. Therefore, we celebrate cultural diversity here at AIIAS.
References:

DeCapua, A. & Wintergerst, A. (2004). Introduction to culture. Crossing cultures in the 

language classroom(pp. 7-30). Ann Arbor,MI: Michigan University. 
Kumaravadivelu, B. (2008). Cultural globalization and language education. a study of interactional
patterns, pathologies, and paradoxes . USA: YALE University.

My expectation for this course

The aspects of language and culture are interrelated.  One’s culture play important role in their Language learning process. Therefore, I am looking forward to know more about different culture around the world. Besides, I would like to discover how students learn English differently due to their own culture and teachers can teach language in effective ways by knowing different cultures. In my opinion, knowledge of cultural differences can also help me to be open-minded. In addition, knowing the diversity of culture may help me to be more empathetic to Language learners. Consequently, I am hoping that taking this course will build up prior knowledge of cultural aspects that I have.