Moises Cueto - Post 1

Group 1 - Intercultural Communication

The group I was assigned to work alongside was Group 1. I am a freshman and this was my first group presentation. Group 1 was responsible for presenting on intercultural communication. This was an interesting and challenging topic. My role was to explore the role of masculinity and femininity in different cultures. I wanted to explore how different cultures emphasize traditional gender roles in different ways. There were several aspects of this group project that made it memorable and learning.

The collaboration everyone showed for this project was key in executing and elaborating on what Chapter 3 touched upon. Each member worked at their own pace, but it all came together and each slide complemented the other wonderfully. The workload was allocated evenly and fair for everyone to finish on time in order to present.

The first thing that stood out to me about our group was the engagement in our project. It was the first time I had ever worked with a group online for an academic project, and I wasn’t really sure what I was going to get out of it. I was pleasantly surprised by how productive our team was while working on each topic. It was clear that everyone was eager to do their best and contribute everything they could to the project. Our team's success was largely due to the open and responsive communication we were able to maintain. We used a variety of platforms to communicate, including group chats and break-out rooms on zoom. The leaders of the group were appointed to make sure our team was running smoothly. They kept us in the loop, facilitated conversations, and made sure everyone had a say in the decisions we made.

I was impressed by how diligently everyone performed. To deliver an exceptional presentation that was concise and brief was our shared objective. We split up the workload so everyone could focus on their own areas of expertise. For example, I was in charge of a segment that looked at how different cultures view traditional gender roles. My group members were really helpful. They were there to help me with any feedback so I could make sure I was accurate and respected the different cultures we were talking about.

Our group's leaders were essential in keeping us engaged and organized, which made it easier for us to keep on task throughout the project. Our leaders were ready to provide aid and support whenever somebody needed it or experienced difficulties. This improved our collaboration and gave us more confidence to take on a challenging subject like intercultural communication.

Our presentation went smoothly, and I was proud of how thoroughly we covered the topic of intercultural communication. In addition to the cultural diversity aspect, our group project taught me the importance of efficient time management and adaptability in a team environment. As a first-year student, I was used to managing my academic workload on my own. Working on this project necessitated the alignment of priorities and the ability to adjust to unexpected contingencies.

We occasionally struggled to get access to particular resources and know how to adjust. Presenting was a chance to share our knowledge and hard work, and it tested how well we could communicate not only to each other but also to our audience. I was pleasantly surprised at how well our presentation went, and the feedback from the professor was reassuring as it made us feel proud of the presentation we were able to complete, despite being online.

My first intercultural communication group presentation in college was a major learning opportunity. It made me aware of the challenges and benefits of teamwork. I was fortunate to collaborate with a group of people who were enthusiastic about the subject at hand in addition to being receptive and focused. Our group's leaders were crucial to our success because they kept open lines of communication and provided advice when it was required. This experience also helped me build a sense of fellowship and collaboration that I will keep with me as I proceed through college.

Regarding my part, the degree to which traditional gender roles are prioritized usually varies among cultures. In highly masculine cultures, women are often held to a higher standard than men when it comes to traditional masculine roles and behaviors. This means that, regardless of gender, there is a general tendency to value performance, drive, confidence, assertiveness, competition, and material success above all else. 

These qualities are typically associated with men in such cultures and are often seen as more valuable socially and economically. I personally found this particularly interesting to talk about because certain places and cultures value different things. Just because women aren't highly valued somewhere does not mean that this is the case everywhere. Typically, women were the ones who cared for and instructed the bright leaders we have in our countries. today. A woman's hard work should not be overlooked, being that they have the same potential a man has. Each is key to maintaining order.

As far as the other groups, their presentations were organized and well-spoken. I had a clear understanding of what was being said and they showed an effort. Each slide had sufficient information to provide clarification on that particular subject. Based on the slides they were presenting, it seems there was great communication with each team member. Overall, groups two and three had exceptional presentations, and the group leaders, Katherine and Alfred, did a great job in introducing and concluding these chapters. 

In all, this group I got to work with was genuinely attentive and someone always had answers for us in the group chat when help was needed. The teacher provided constructive criticism which was needed in order to help better understand what she wants from us as students. Having an expressive teacher like her makes everything so much easier. Even when we're working with Zoom, everyone looks excited and ready to do whatever it takes to get the job done. I anticipate that taking this class will allow me to learn a great deal.