Stefany's Field Experience

     Situation number three in Connecting Across Cultures by Pamela A. Hays gives the example of an older man getting on an elevator at the same time as a woman in a wheelchair. As the woman was trying to enter the elevator, the man offered to help her and reached towards the woman's wheelchair without her consent. The woman reacted towards the man's actions by telling him not to touch her wheelchair. The man believed that the woman was being impolite.      Good intentions do not always translate into multicultural aware choices. The way that the man assumed that the woman in the wheelchair needed help had good intentions behind it but, was not the right decision. The woman took offense to this due to the man believing that because the woman has a disability she needs help. Also, one must remember that the wheelchair belongs to the woman, you would not want someone touching something that is very important to you without your permission.    ...

            My experience so far at the Bridge Teen Center has not been what I expected it to be. I initially thought that I would only be working with the students and staff during After School hours and on Friday nights. I go to the Bridge on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. During the days that I have gotten the opportunity to get to know the students and staff, I have enjoyed it and I look forward to many more of these moments during the upcoming weeks. The staff is absolutely amazing and are easy to talk to and get to know. My supervisor Mandi is someone that I have gotten to know and I have proved that I care be trusted with big projects. One of the Founders, Priscilla, is also one of my favorite people. Her presence in the organization is very positive and she genuinely cares about all of the staff and students on an individual level. Mondays are very weird for me since I am only there for four hours and students do not come in on that day. Durin...