Account of a Personal Experience: Rocio

Chapter 5: Verbal Issues in Intercultural Communication-Communicating Across Differences

While I was abroad in Valencia, Spain, I got the opportunity to volunteer and teach English at the local high school called Colegio Pio. The class was of about 20 fifth graders, with a wonderful teacher named Paloma. The point of the class was to get the students accustomed to English and trying to have them speak it the entire class period. We would do exercises that were on cassette tape, matching games, partner activities, and sometimes I would simply just read to them so they could listen to my voice. However, I soon saw that I needed to change the way I was trying to communicate. On various occasions the teacher told me I should probably slow down when I talked, so that the kids could better understand and follow me. I realized that just as I am trying to learn Spanish while here and I think it's difficult when Spanish people speak so quickly to me, that it must certainly be hard for these fifth grade students to comprehend what I'm saying. From that point on when I was in small groups with the kids, I definitely used something along the lines of an "improvised performance" with the group, so that we could work through the language barrier to simply understand the point of the game, or the message in the story I was teaching. One little girl and I connected one day due to this use of improvised performance while speaking. Her name was Rocio and I was trying to get to know her better before class started for the day. She and I were alternating back and forth between Spanish and English, and both of us trying to use less slang and speak clearer to each other. I finally understood her story, and I was so surprised at what she had told me. For Valencia's giant festival, Las Fallas, in March, she was the princess for the entire occasion. She told me how often she would be on television and in the news so that I could look for her. I am so glad I decided to sit and have conversation with Rocio that day before class, because I made a connection cross culturally I never thought would happen. I felt more connected to the festival and Valencia as well. I would see her in the news and in the central plaza in front of large crowds, but also every Thursday in English class.