Developing International Understanding with Tenacity
Authored by: Kritee Mahato and Somphors Tann from Aiglon, Chesières-Villars, Switzerland
Summary
Tenacity is defined as the ability to persevere when confronted with challenge and learn from mistakes. Students with tenacity develop and demonstrate discipline, determination and resilience, pushing themselves beyond their perceived limits. The strong spirit to face hardships, limitations and impediments, and bounce back from difficulties is an essential aspect of tenacity which is developed.
This paper focuses on the essential role of tenacity in an international community, such as Aiglon College. It highlights the challenges faced by individuals when initially joining a diverse community and explores the methods to overcome these challenges, thus, presenting the role of tenacity
Introduction
We hope, through this paper, to emphasize the importance of tenacity in an international environment; our hypothesis being that there are several different methods through which tenacity can be demonstrated such as learning a new language, making friends from different cultures or adapting to a different cuisine or weather conditions. All this helps to understand cultures better and being open-minded towards the beliefs and thoughts of others.
Context
This research was conducted at Aiglon a private English-style boarding school in Switzerland, registered as a not-for-profit charitable institution, with an international student intake.
Analysis
Joining a new community always poses challenges; but coming into a very diverse community, such as Aiglon, there are even more differences encountered by students in terms of culture, weather, food and communication. At Aiglon, over 50 nationalities are represented which doesn’t make it any easier for a new student to immediately adapt to all the cultural differences.
Aiglon is located in the Swiss Alps where we experience all the four seasons and winter can get very cold, below -10 degrees Celsius. A student from Nigeria says, “It is not even winter yet and it is already this cold, how am I going to survive the real winter?” For those coming from a tropical environment where there is no snowfall, coming to Aiglon can be physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging.
Firstly, the challenges posed by the difference in weather is something that people quickly adapt to. Being immersed in a group of students who are well prepared for this kind of weather, facilitates the adaptation to the same. Especially in the winter term, participating in skiing and other snow activities, adapting to this weather is easily helped by having access to appropriate clothing.
Food is a big part of one’s identity and culture, which varies to a large degree between countries. An example includes the difference in cuisine of Asia and Europe. For a Chinese student, pasta or fondue are not dishes they are use to, while a European student, may not be as familiar with rice or noodles. Having to adapt to not one, but various cuisines representing different countries provided by the school can be difficult.
Overcoming the drastic change in cuisine from most people’s homes is achieved in several ways. The school menus incorporate dishes from all around the world, making it easier for students to adapt. Also, bringing snacks from home and sharing them with your friends is a small, yet impactful way in which people learn new cultural cuisines. Though many students may find adapting to new cuisines extremely difficult, and may never fully accept some tastes, gradual acceptance of these different foods makes new students more integrated into the community, as well as helping them to become more open minded and culturally aware. The school culture of eating dinner together at communal meal-times also provides support to those who are struggling to adapt.
Communication is one of the most essential, yet challenging, elements in an international community. As an international, English medium school, many individuals find it harder to adapt as English may not be their first language. One student from China says “My English was very poor when I first came to Aiglon, so I just stayed quiet”. The use of slang and jokes embedded in everyday conversations vary in each culture or dialect. Different greetings for example may seem normal to some and very uncomfortable for others. The wide use of phrases such as “break the ice” or “it’s lit”, is initially confusing to students who did not grow up in the same cultural context.
Arguably, one of the most challenging aspects to overcome in a diverse community is communication barriers, encompassing not only language but also expressions and behaviour. The challenges, described above, require persistence and understanding to overcome. Using English as the base language, for students who do not know the language proficiently, understanding casual conversations with expressions specific to a certain dialect require explanations and time to grow used to. Living and constantly talking to your friends in English, in addition to studying it, makes it easier for them to learn the language and colloquialisms. Simultaneously, hoping not to forget one’s own language, or feeling more comfortable in it, encourages some to limit themselves to speaking to friends with their mother tongue. It is in this case where determination and tenacity plays an essential role in transforming the sphere of discomfort to confidence. In addition, interpreting body language and norms in different cultures, at the least requires an open mind towards other cultures while respecting and sharing the same across the different surrounding cultures. It is this patience and perseverance that, in the long term, enables individuals to understand several different cultures, making them feel more comfortable in an international community whilst helping new students to learn to do the same.
An integral aspect in this globalised and international world is to have the tenacity to overcome these challenges and adapt. The ways in which one chooses to do so may be unique to them, yet, patterns in the same can be found, especially when individuals are forced to adapt by being submerged in an international community.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the role of tenacity in adapting in an international community is extremely important. This is because overcoming the challenges faced by understanding different cultures requires acceptance and open mindedness, each requiring a certain extent of determination. However, this tenacity, in the long term ensures greater integration, acceptance and respect of all cultures worldwide, specifically in an increasingly globalised world.