Trying to learn more about a new culture can be very daunting. You may not know where to start, you may be concerned about cultural norms and customs if you’re planning on visiting a certain country, or maybe you just want to open your mind a little bit more to what others in the world are understanding and experiencing.
Here are six great ways you can learn more about different cultures around the world:
- Travel More
One of the best ways to learn about a new culture is to actually experience it in person. Travelling to different countries means that you will be able to experience first hand a new culture, new people and their way of doing things.
To fully immerse yourself in a new culture and learn more, be sure to plan a lot of events and experiences for when you’re in the country, which relate to that culture specifically. This could be a museum, a festival or a show.
- Learn the Language
Language is such an important part of cultural identity, especially when it comes to local phrases and the way you use colloquial words. Learning a new language can be an insight into the way other people speak and communicate, even if that country speaks English too. For instance, if you are interested in Italian culture, you can learn Italian with the Intrepid Guide to get a deeper understanding of their way of communication.
But diving into a culture goes beyond just the language. Let’s say you’ve decided to embrace German culture by taking up the language. While a German tutor in Birmingham can help you with verbs and grammar, why not take it a step further? Immerse yourself in German films and music. Feel the rhythms of the language in the beats of their songs. Watch movies to understand the nuances of humor and emotions. By embracing these cultural elements, your journey to understanding goes beyond vocabulary and grammar rules. It’s like uncovering the soul of a culture, piece by piece.
- Read More Books
Books are a fantastic window into a new cultural world, without having to leave your own home. You can learn everything there is to know about a new culture simply from reading about it from a variety of authentic authors and accounts. The best way to immerse yourself in a new culture through books can be through book box subscriptions, as you can then tailor the countries or cultures you would most like to learn about and ensure that you have books delivered by authors from the culture in question.
- Try Cuisine from Different Countries
A lot can be learned from the food of other countries. Not only that, but there are a lot of cultural meanings and customs related to the way food is prepared, served and eaten in various countries. Therefore visiting authentic restaurants of a certain cuisine or eating the local food of the country in question can teach you more about their way of life and their habits.
- Visit a Museum
Learning about a different culture doesn’t just have to mean about the present. So much history and past experiences make up why a culture and particular society is the way it is in modern day, so learning about the past can be very valuable. Visiting a museum dedicated to the history and culture of your chosen country, or various countries, can be a rewarding educational experience.
- Listen to Different Music
You can do this at home, or even expose yourself to a live music performance of a particular country’s music. Certain music originates from certain countries, and it can be a key insight into cultural identity to listen to music which reflects their homeland and the message they want to share through music.
Learning more about different cultures is all about exposing yourself to them, in as many different ways as possible.