November 2024 Intensive Class Reflections

 

During November 2024, two intensive classes were held at EAST – “Intercultural Communications” course by Dr Alvin Tey and “Exposition of Hebrews” course by Dr Gilbert Soo Hoo.

Below are two reflections by students who attended the “Intercultural Communications” class. The first reflection is by Mr Tan Jing Fei, a Singaporean final year Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies student whose undergraduate degree is in law. The second reflection is from another final year MA in Intercultural Studies student who hails from Mongolia. Ms Nurjanar Shampan or “Nuugii” as she is commonly known shares her insightful reflection on her culture.

1. Humility in Communication – Tan Jing Fei

Over the past weeks, I had the opportunity to take a class on intercultural communication in EAST. It was a course that challenged me to think deeply about how we interact with people across cultures and what it means to communicate well in a way that honours both God and others.

One of the first things I learned was just how intricate communication really is. We often think of communication as simply exchanging words, but it is so much more than that. Non-verbal elements—like gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice—carry a significant part of the message. I became more aware of how easily these subtle cues can vary between cultures, and how a gesture that seems natural to me might mean something entirely different to someone else. It reminded me how important it is to approach communication with care and humility.

Another part of the class involved examining our own cultural backgrounds. This was a humbling experience for me. I had to think critically about the values and assumptions I have grown up with—what they have taught me to prioritise, what I might take for granted, and even where I might have blind spots. Understanding my own culture better has given me a clearer perspective on how I approach others, and it has made me more mindful of how I view and interpret the world around me.

One of the most meaningful lessons was gaining a deeper appreciation for the richness of different cultures. The diversity of customs, traditions, and ways of life across the globe is incredible. Each culture reflects something unique about God’s creativity and character. Learning about these differences gave me a renewed sense of wonder for how intentionally God has designed humanity.

What I have taken away from this class is not just about improving communication— it is about learning to value people and their stories. Whether in missions or in everyday life, building meaningful relationships requires effort, patience, and a willingness to learn from one another. This process is not always easy, but it is worth it.

As I reflect on these lessons, I find myself thinking more intentionally about how I engage with people from different backgrounds. I am grateful for this learning experience and hopeful that it will continue to shape the way I interact with others in the future.

2. Individualism and Communication – Nurjanar Shampan

As an “Intercultural Studies” program student, intercultural communication is one of my emphasis courses. In this class, we covered various communication styles, such as language, verbal and nonverbal communication, and issues we face in communication, including stereotyping, culture shock, culture conflict, and cultural models. Understanding all this helps us communicate effectively with the host culture and prepares us for our future ministry. It was not only for the future but also helped me understand more about my schoolmates and housemates.

Our classmates come from four different countries, and through class discussions, I appreciated each culture and its uniqueness. One significant moment was when everyone introduced their intercultural communication experiences. I analyzed my own culture using one of the cultural models, specifically the Hofstede Cultural Dimensions. I want to emphasize one of these dimensions: Individualism vs. Collectivism.

Mongolians have an individualistic culture, which means we prioritise personal goals and individual achievements. Our nomadic lifestyle has encouraged personal independence, especially in herding and caring for livestock. Mongolian herders move 4-5 times yearly to care for their livestock. This individualist culture is also seen in our main sports: wrestling, horse riding, and archery. All of these are individual sports focused on individual winners rather than a team. It focused on personal achievement and goals.

It reminds me that by observing the host culture more closely, we can find applicable ways to communicate with people in that culture. Thank you.

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We rejoice with both Jing Fei and Nuugii in how they have gleaned different yet practical lessons from the same class. Jing Fei talks about the intricacy of communication which involves more than words to including non-verbal elements, and how we need to approach communication with care and humility. Nuugii shares insights into the Mongolian way of life and communication. She observes that her own culture is more individualistic in nature and she appreciates that in relating to other cultures, she would have to engage them on their terms as well.

May we use what we learn from the course to be better communicators of the Gospel. Each person we meet is unique and has to be engaged with care, humility and on their own terms. Praise God!