I have felt welcomed during the entire time I have spent in Cagli. It is a wonderful small city to visit. While sightseeing and visiting the various shops, the store owners joked with me when they saw how I was struggling with their language. They always smiled and made me feel comfortable even though it was difficult for us to understand each other.
I know I’m someone who takes a little while to warm up to people, and I’m realizing I might have taken too long to get comfortable enough to try to have longer conversations with the locals. Anytime I smiled at them they would return it with an even larger smile.
I remember the first day I arrived, trying to open the front door of my apartment, and having a difficult time with it. An Italian gentleman put his hand up and pointed to the keys and gestured that he would help. I handed him the keys and he showed me how to open the door and smiled at me while walking away. This was the start of my intercultural communication experience in Cagli. I found that my non-verbal communication skills have gotten me further than I expected when supplemented with bits and pieces of Italian. I struggled to speak in Italian rather than using English.
This has been a wonderful experience that I will not forget as I get back to the US. I have learned patience is necessary when communicating with people from different cultures and trying to figure out the many different ways to communicate. I work in a place where I see visitors from all over the world that need help with directions and advice on what they should see. My experience in Cagli will enrich the skills I am working to develop so that I can better communicate with these visitors. Everyone deserves the time and effort to help them have an amazing experience.
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