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Written by Özlem Atar

Hello! I hope that you are finding all the resources you need within reach as you are making Kingston (a.k.a. the Limestone City) your home.

The second week is full on! I thought I would reflect on my experience of intercultural encounters last week and mention two intercultural events.

Encounter 1: It is 8:10 a.m. You enjoy that last sip of tea. “Walking to the bus stop should take less than three minutes,” you think while putting on your shoes. If only the traffic lights cooperated! The bus is about to leave without you. You plunge forward when the lights turn green—indeed, white! The driver notices you running desperately. You utter a breathless “Thank you” as you fumble for your student ID. They are still smiling. You register their “You`re welcome, darling!”

The encounter made my day. Some may be offended by a stranger calling them “darling.” I wasn’t. The driver`s kindness and our exchange motivated cross-cultural comparison. I thought of commutes during my undergraduate years in Istanbul. I don’t recall a bus driver greeting me as I got on the bus. I was slightly annoyed when my leg or arm was sticking out the half-closed door as the bus was inching forward in heavy traffic. In Kingston, however, the Kingston Transit team welcomes passengers, and you are safely inside before the bus takes off.

Also, my experience that morning encouraged me to reflect on how culture works like a social ecosystem, a `village` of interacting organisms in the physical environment that envelops us. My impression is that the nesting ecosystems in which we exist at Queen`s and in Kingston encourage being considerate and polite. The lessons I took? Arrive at the bus stop on time and acknowledge kindness. “I am part of a caring community,” I thought.

Encounter 2: You meet a colleague for the first time. Your default setting is to shake hands when greeting. You extend your hand, and they hide theirs saying, “I don’t shake hands.”

I must admit I panicked when my colleague refused to shake hands with me. It took me a few seconds to pull myself together, and a silent conversation ensued with the quick-to-judge woman in my head. I reminded her that other members of the Queen`s community might be following different social norms because they have different frames of reference than hers. It was a learning moment!

You, too, are looking to boost your intercultural awareness and communication experience? You are in luck. 

• runs the. The workshops build your understanding of the cultures you are attached to and introduce techniques that will help you to interact across cultures in an empathetic manner. They are popular among international students, so they will also enable you to make friends with participants from other countries. The first two start this week, and there are additional series throughout the year. Check out .
• The City of Kingston invites you to on September 17, 2023! The event takes place in Confederation Basin and Springer Market Square. It features free performances by local and out-of-town cultural ambassadors. Why not sing South American fusion tunes with Tocani or francophone music with Pierre-Hervé Goulet? How about doing Kathak with Parul Gupta? You might even join the Kings Don Taiko drummers. Foodies, whet your appetite for tasty cross-cultural encounters with Indian, Caribbean, Mexican, and Egyptian bites!