ARTICLE ENTRY 1 : RAPPORT-TALK AND REPORT-TALK

  COMMUNICATION DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN

Like the differences in their interests and lifestyles between men and women, they are also different in terms of conversational styles. In the article entitled, ‘Rapport-talk and Report-talk’, the writer indicates that men talk for information, whereas women talk for interaction. As a result of this, men do public speaking comfortably, while women feel comfortable doing private speaking. I agree with the writer because either women or men can speak more and comfortably, which changes according to the issue which they talk about and the person who they talk.  

         Firstly, women talk about their feelings much more than men because they are more hypercritical and even pretty details are worth to tell and discuss. On the other hand, men talk to give information or talk about news more than the details or the reasons of the situation because they are result-based instead of hypercritical. Even if a man is emotional, he do not like talk about his life, feelings or problems. For example, think about two people coming from a wedding. One of them is a man and the other one is a woman. When the man is asked how the wedding was, he just says that it was nice and he does not tell the details because just the result is important for him. When the woman is asked the same question, she tells and criticizes any details from bridal dress and groom’s suit to the design of their wedding rings. For another example, when a man read newspaper, he wants to share the news which is about the government and he can discuss it for minutes. In this case, his wife just says that she agrees with his husband. To sum up, both women and men may talk more. It changes according to the subject. In my opinion, the difference in conversation between men and women is the result of their interests and lifestyle.

Secondly, conversational styles of women and men also change with regard to person who they talk in my opinion. Women feel more comfortable and confident doing speaking with her friends and familiar people, while men can talk comfortably and confidently with anybody they do not know. I think its reason is that women need to have shared something with the person they will talk in order to express their feelings and thoughts, but men can talk about current news even if they did not share anything in advance.

In conclusion, not only women but also men can talk more with regard to the topic which they talk about and the people who they will speak with, but in my opinion the important thing is to respect and listen what is talked instead of complaining by saying that he does not speak or she speaks too much.

THE SECOND TERM- REFLECTION JOURNAL 1

THE MAIN REASONS OF THE CULTURE SHOCK

Culture shock is a stressful situation that most people may experience in any part of their lives. I think if the reasons of this problem are determined, it can be overcome. It may be encountered in the cases of going to another city in the same country and abroad. In the first case, the factors which cause culture shock may be food, climate, and unspoken rules. In addition to these elements, there is another factor called language which can lead to the shock in the other case. That is, its main reasons can be categorized under four headings: food, climate, unspoken rules and language.

First of all, food consumption has a really important effect on human’s physical and psychological health. In order to be healthy and happy, balanced nutrition is necessary, so you should be careful about the selection of food. The taste of the food varies from culture to culture, so it may be hard for you to find mouth-pleasing food in abroad especially if you are a discriminating person in terms of food. As a result of cultural differences, food can be one of the main factors of the culture shock.

Secondly, adapting to cold climates is challenging for those growing up in mild climates. For example, they can feel depressive in overcast weather or overdressing can be irritating for them. Some people may think that getting used to climate is easy, but it is as hard as at least adapting different tastes in my opinion.

Another factor of culture shock is about the rules of behavior in the society. Each society has the rules which are not spoken and written but known by those in that society in my opinion. For example, most people walk in the right side of the pavement in order not to collide with each other in Eskişehir. This is not a written rule, but people living there know and obey it.

Language is the last and the most powerful element of the culture shock in my opinion because it is really difficult for a foreign to learn a new language and use it in all areas of his life. Listening and speaking in a foreign language may make you feel tired and alone. 

In conclusion, as I said in the first paragraph, culture shock can be overcome when you are aware of its reasons. You can easily adapt to a new culture by not hesitating to try new tastes, trying winter sports in cold climates, trying to discover the unspoken rules of behavior in the society and making friends through your new language. You should benefit the advantages of discovering a new culture and meeting new people by overcoming culture shock.