It’s been interesting to read about how you’ve been experiencing the culture, communication and technology class at SIIC (being in the same class myself).
I really found the World Prism exercise to be quite interesting as well as helpful in trying to understand a variety of cultures and how those factors would affect communication when using virtual technology.

What I found to be particularly interesting was the differences depicted between French Canadian and English Canadian cultures. Being from English Canada, I’ve always recognized the fact that there are differences between the two cultures. But to see those differences identified and to discuss them was truly interesting. Also, looking at the connections (and differences) of these Canadian cultures to the current cultural tendencies in France and England was fascinating. It certainly provided a deeper sense of context (and history). Interesting to see your personal historical connection to this as well. Amazing how such things are internalized and passed down.

I do think many people idealize working globally. Clearly there are people who are cut out for it, and those who are not. Good to get a sense of that before you find yourself immersed in it.

I wonder if the issue was using the wrong technology for the task? If you were on a real virtual team, you would have most likely done a conference call (for any real-time discussion you needed to have), maybe taking notes in a wiki or Google doc. Then you could have had people add to the minutes and go off and do what needed to be done on the project, adding to your shared document as they found their pieces of information. I guess my point is I wonder if your experience is pointing out the need to be clear about which technologies work best for which kinds of circumstances. I would have seen a phone replacing chat and a google doc or wiki replacing the emails. Very interesting to see this in action. . .

Another comment I wanted to make had to do with your understanding of “US” culture. When I worked in Costa Rica, I was the only American from the East Coast (the rest were from the West Coast and the Mid West) and the only Roman Catholic. I learned how different our values were when doing cross-cultural training, especially when we were preparing a group of high school students to go throughout the US. As the majority of the students were Roman Catholic, I was shocked at the things some of my colleagues were saying about being Roman Catholic in the US. Interestingly enough, one of the best trainers we had, who was well versed in being Roman Catholic and its potential impact in the US was a woman who had been a missionary in Panama for the Morman church.

I am interested: are the Americans all from the same part of the US? Did you see differences in “culture” from those from different regions? I have lived in Colorado, South Carolina, and have family in the midwest (Wisconsin, Illinois, Wisconsin), the South, the Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest. While there is an “American” culture, I also believe that regionally there are very strong cultures based on deep seeded differences in values.