Anthropology En Route Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Anthropology En Route - Essay Example Spaces like the university are therefore designed to accommodate the needs of the local population accordingly. The university appears to be a conglomerate of literally thousands of students from different cultures, religions and countries. I see students discussing things while they are walking through the corridors of the university. The expressions include a multitude of media through which communication takes effect. From the use of hand gestures and body language to the application of modern technologies like cell phones and internet – communication is an ongoing process during any interaction between students and their teachers. The university spaces are of special interest to me. It appears that the floor plan of the university is based on the concept of specialization and specialized areas dedicated to the expected activities that go on in institutions like this are indicative of the fact that much foreseeing has been going on when it was designed. Dedicated areas for teaching, meetings, presentations, dining, libraries, media library, play grounds and examination halls are all reflective of the diverse needs of humans to achieve the objective of education. A very important part of the university is its students. Keeping in view the federal nature of our university it is apparent why it attracts so many foreign students. For me the most interesting phenomenon is the mode of communication that exists between these foreign students. Whenever I see them talking, there is a lot that their body language and gestures express; as compared to their words. Though English is the medium to connect them; yet their level of expertise of the language alters the way they react and reciprocate to each other's messages. Details Of all the objects observed, two objects that appeal to me include; The communication between students who speak different languages; and University as a space of education and its operation Communication is a vital part of our day-to-day interactions. Generally considered to be divided into the verbal and non-verbal forms; there are a number of other attributes which do not follow the normal communicative patterns. Of my interest is the communication between students of different cultures and how they perceive each other's thoughts. It is quite often evident that whenever two student with different languages start to interact, the start often includes gestures which are indicative of greetings. Japanese students on our campus would bend forward during the start of communication, Chinese would shake their head a little while bending a bit, Asians would either shake hand like the Westerners or avoid shaking hands if those who are meeting are of opposite sexes etc. If they happen to be from different countries, the most prominent observation is that linguistic clues are replaced by hand gestures or body movements. The choice of words becomes a challenge to express the concept in its simplest form. It is very common tha t under such circumstances, both the parties start to speak simultaneously, expecting the other to listen or at least understand what is being explained by hand movements. The concept of directions is often expressed by