TMD Portfolio Assignment 8 Preparing for Study Abroad

Made by: Victor van Soelen & Thijs de Wilde

Part one: Our own interview

Link to the video: https://youtu.be/X9ykm4GIYHM

Part two: Critical Analysis

Critical analysis of our own interview

This written critical analysis is part of a bigger preparatory task which aims to prepare us for
our international adventure which will start in only a few months. Our interviewee, Ms.
Konovalova met the set requirements. Although she is now studying in Belgium, we specifically
put an emphasis on her personal experiences coming to the Netherlands from Russia at the age
of eighteen.

The cultural image is well presented. We talked about characteristics of both nations. Our
interviewee mentioned that people in Russia are more closed and Dutch people are more open-
minded. She also talked about the role of the teacher in Russia.

We did try to dig a little deeper by asking her about negative experiences (if something shocked
her) or life-changing events that may have happened and about practical difficulties you might
encounter in Russia, but she answered these questions with mentioning something positive. We
felt that she was holding back, by trying to stay polite at all times.

Thijs and I both think that there are elements of a essentialist view on culture by the
interviewee. She is stereotyping Dutch and Russian people many times during the interview and
even ends with the statement that Dutch people are more honest, while this was not mentioned
earlier in the interview.
Ms. Konovalova is showing a positive attitude towards diversity. She explained that she has in
fact learned a lot from communicating with Dutch people. She showed willingness to learn and
this process changed her as a person.
Analysis of video from another group

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8a9rYj-

NYg&t=602s&index=3&list=PLl89YnzjzBW_cnZUeQx2T-5bByIWFQThb

The video Victor van Soelen and I reviewed is the video of Hannelore, a Belgian student who
studied in Sao Paolo, Brazil. The video was made by Valentine Schelstraete (2IBM07) and Delia
Mbouala-Bini (2IBM06). Hanelore stated that she actually wanted to go to Canada but wasnt
able to do see because of the many applicants for this country.

The message Hannelore has send is of a society with different rules and norms that we are used
to in Belgium or even in Europe. One of the things she mentioned was the public display of
affection in class between students who were a couple, this would be less appreciated in
Belgium. She said that touching someone (besides your partner) is part of the culture while we
in Europe and in the U.S., like to keep a distance. Furthermore, Hannelore described how people
just walked out of classrooms to take a phone call or grab a lunch, things that are not done here.
The interviewee has send a message of Belgians ass more restricted in the way they
communicate with others. Also after watching the interview several times we found it hard to
really have a clear picture of the culture in Brazil, it seemed like a lot of loose elements that were
mentioned.

Victor and I think that there were elements of an essentialist view on culture by the interviewer.
Questions directed at the abuse of women or crime (while not mentioned by Hannelore herself)
have let us to think that. Hannelores view seemed to be more of a non-essentialist type, she was
not judgemental in any way about the culture, even when experiencing things that we would
consider as being rude.

Hannelore seemed to have a very open attitude towards diversity. Although Portuguese was
problematic for her (even though she took an extra course in it) she could have a lot of social
contacts with locals in Spanish. She seemed very interested in meeting other people.

Self-Assesment

Outcomes after watching the I have learnt I still have to learn

videos and analyzing them because
I have learnt it thanks to

1. Recognise and explain the I have learnt that there is a big I still have a few questions
variety and complexity difference between behavior with regards to the difference
that exist among of individuals in different between tolerance and how
individuals in social cultures. A few surprising
 groups.
3. Describe ways in which
people (re)construct
and/or (re)negotiate their
own and others multiple differs, your own opinion or
identities depending on
experiences, encounters,
contexts, and
interlocutors.
4. Recognize and explain the
problematic nature of
using certain terms (e.g.
ethnicity, race, nation) to
frame identity.
6. Interpret what people say
about their culture as a
personal observation, and
possibly as evidence of
what they wish others to
see about themselves.
7. Recognise when
misunderstandings may
be the result of
stereotyping,
ethnocentrism,
essentialising and
prejudice.
examples were given. I have
learnt about this thanks to the
video about the experience of
Hannelore in Brazil.
When learning
about/experiencing new
cultures and how behavior
of international experiences.
belief can change. You perhaps
become more open-minded
about diversity. I have learnt
this because of the example
Hannelore mentioned about
the public display of affection.
I have learnt it can be very
easy to stereotype based on
culture or race. It makes it
easier to reason about cultural
differences. I have learnt this
because there stereotyping
was used a lot in our interview.
I have learnt that when people
speak of their own culture (like
in my interview) they can be a
bit holding back. Perhaps
because they want to keep it
positive, or at least emphasize
the positive rather than the
negative aspects.
I have learnt that
misunderstandings happen
because of stereotyping and
being prejudiced. I have learnt
this because there were a few
examples, both in my own
interview, as well as in the
interview of Hannelore.
to behave before departing to
Russia (st. Petersburg)
Because of our interviewee
being a little cautious with her
thoughts about this.
I still have to learn more
about multiple identities a
person might create because
It is sometimes hard to spot.
I still have to learn how to
properly describe cultural
behavior without
stereotyping too often. It
looks like I do the same when
I speak about other cultural
aspects.
I still have to learn how to
interfere when I sense that it
might be not true what
people say during an
interview. How to extract
more information, without
pushing.
I still have to learn how to
recognize ethnocentrism and
essentializing, because it is
often a little hard to tell.