Giovani Heron- Reflection #1

 

    Public speaking isn’t the most exciting thing to do for most people. Anxiety, shame, nervousness and fear are some of the expected feelings you get when speaking in front of an audience full of people for the first time, but for others, excitement, adrenaline and power are qualities also on the table. Lucky them! As for me, I’m excited until I have to speak. It’s like finally getting a job knowing you’re getting money but realizing you’ll actually have to work in order to get it. That’s how I feel about public speaking. I have all of these things that I want to get across and say but freeze when It’s time to pay up. That’s why I think this class is important for people like me. It’s a great way to learn how to use your voice in order to convey information, learn, and also have a fun time doing so.

    One of the greatest mysteries to me is people. Why people are the way that they are, why they do this instead of that. Why, why why! But do I necessarily care to find out why? Not really. It’s one of those things that you wonder but never actually care to figure out unless there’s an advantage to knowing it. Group 1’s presentation on Intercultural communication gave me quite a bit of insight and a closer and clearer view of people as a whole. I can finally put a name to certain observations of people from different cultures. For example, Daniel Valladares speaking about ‘Indulgence’. Most of us know the U.S. is one of the more ‘funner’ countries to live in compared to others like, I don’t know, North Korea where the cultures are almost the complete opposite. What’s acceptable here in the U.S. not so much in North Korea. It’s important for me to be able to convey information in a way that not only others can understand but also gets the point across quicker. And by doing that, is by knowing key terms such as indulgent and restrained when speaking specifically about cultures. And this presentation does just that.

    In addition, another part of Group 1’s presentation that stuck out to me were the potential barriers to effective intercultural communication. And yes, I’m talking about anxiety. The dumbest thing to have ever existed. That beef will be forever. More importantly, Claribel Garcia’s interpretation of ethnocentrism was spot on especially during this uncomfortable time in our country. Debates surrounding the dehumanization of immigrants revives the idea of ethnocentrism by fellow American’s as well as government appointed officers such as I.C.E through their judgement of others through their own cultural and political ideologies. It’s truly sad to witness, but nonetheless not surprising.

    Shifting our attention to Group 2’s presentation which takes a deeper dive and expands into the topic of people. Groups. Different kinds of groups and what they consist of and what they mean to us as people. The thing I loved the most about our presentation was that it was informational but visual. I’m a visual individual; I love to see things. Learning for me becomes easier when I can visually see what I’m trying to understand. I think we had an advantage with our assigned chapter, and I say this because our subtopics applied to our dynamic. Being a team (group) with healthy communication, synergy and accountability. We were a real life example of our topic. A wise, young, intelligent and handsome guy with an insane bod said that heterogeneous groups work better than homogeneous groups and I have to agree in this case. Our group consisted of different individuals, with different ideas, thoughts and processes. And with healthy and effective communication it made this presentation seamless. Despite all of us being nervous about our presentation, we still pulled through!

What would the world be leaderless?

Leaders are individuals that guide groups of people toward a shared goal. President Obama, Martin Luther King, Malcom X to name a few. Group 3 did a great job of highlighting the importance of excellent leadership through necessary practices and procedures in order to execute effective work. Breaking down what it means to be a leader and what it takes in to be victorious.

    Problem solving is probably the most essential thing on this planet. We wouldn’t be here if we couldn’t solve problems with answers needed for evolution. I wouldn’t even be able to write this blog post or write at all… actually. Many people face problems in their everyday life that they don’t know how to fix. With the help of Roberto Suarez giving us a breakdown/ criteria and solutions list on how to tackle problem solving is the spine of their presentation. The brain if you will. I, myself, as well as others are able to identify our own problems by understanding how to approach them in the first place.

 

IT'S MY OPINION

    Overall, not too bad if I must say. I think we all did a good job. The point of doing work like this is to learn something and apply it to our own lives with the hopes of using it to help others in return. As for public speaking, our class definitely presented with cogency and confidence. Despite others in my group feeling anxious they proved to themselves that they’re capable of performing at high levels, irrespective of their own self doubt. Judging by the slides, you can tell effort and strategy were two key elements of everyone’s presentation. From the information to the additives (photos and videos) it appeared intentional and direct.

    What’s that? Oh… that’s the sound of the peace treaty expiring. The voices in my head just got publishing rights. The gloves are off, and I have opinions. 

    While very informational… very informational, it’s boring. Short plain and sour. What can I say? I like to be entertained even when I’m learning. More pictures, less words. As the days go by fast, so does my attention span. There could have been a use of more colors to liven up the mood. Given the slides personality. Something to hold my focus. Everything seemed monotone and dull. Individuality is an essential part of who we are, and it should be reflected in our work, art, life etc. Regardless of others’ opinions

Well readers that’s all I have for now. Til next time.