We know to cover up when visiting certain religious venues, or that a common greeting in certain European countries is a kiss.
We live in a tolerant society, and we are taught to understand different cultures, but less often do we understand the meaning behind others’ traditions.
Even less frequently do young people see the importance of cultural intelligence.
While we are taught basic history of other countries during class, most people do not have knowledge of modern culture.
In countries with a plethora of underdeveloped places, many young people naïvely perceive that every place in that country is not worthy of their attention; so they only care about glamorous cities like Paris or Rome.
Having cultural intelligence enables people to build connections with one another.
If we neglect one another’s heritage and belief system, we lose the opportunity to create these relationships and expand our knowledge.
“Here in America, we only see one point of view, but until you actually go over to another country, you don’t get to see how other people live everyday: going to church, going to the mosque, going to the temple,” junior Cameron Miller said. “If not, you don’t really have a good appreciation for other cultures, and I think it’s important to have that, otherwise we’re [lost].”
French teacher Herve LeGuilloux has experienced a multitude of cultures and has learned so much through the various places he has lived and visited.
“The presence of other cultures in our midst makes it a duty to know foreign cultures, and to understand them,” LeGuilloux said. “By doing this, we see how our cultures are similar, but also aspects of life that we would have not thought of in our own limited environment. It’s important to embrace something beautiful in every culture.”
By accepting different cultures, we become more knowledgeable about ourselves.
The way in which we understand others and develop the appreciation for their ethnic background allows us to also reflect on the role that our culture plays in our everyday lives.
Because our traditions and ideals are subconsciously part of our everyday lives, we tend to neglect their importance in our busy world.
Developing a sense of cultural awareness enables us to value our own beliefs on a much greater scale.
It is not just through travel that we can expand our knowledge of other cultures. Ideally, we’d all try out a new religious temple, but not all teenagers view this as an interesting weekend activity.
But even going to a hole-in-the-wall, culture-infused restaurant can be a nice break from Panera mac and cheese.
Study cultures by listening to people who have lived abroad and appreciate the importance of cultural intelligence.
Through understanding other cultures, we can begin to connect with others on a global level.
By opening ourselves up to new ideas, we are also able to reach a new comprehension of ourselves, allowing us to benefit others of various backgrounds.
