You will attend and actively participate in 2 events related to your selected cultural group. These events can be things such as church services, Bible/religious studies, community organization meetings, volunteer work at homeless shelters, food kitchens, attendance at support group meetings, fund-raising events, school-related meetings or activities, etc. The key is that these events are sponsored by or provided for your particular cultural group.
I encourage you to pray before you attend these events. This is helpful for all immersion experiences, especially if you are considering attending a religious service outside your faith. You must spend a minimum of 4 hours total engaged in these 2 events or activities (i.e., approximately 2 hours per activity or event). If you attend another cultural group's church service, do not be surprised if the service is longer than you anticipated and if you are invited to a meal afterwards. Anticipate that this might happen. It may insult some groups if you don't eat with them following the service. The entire event (church plus meal) counts as 1 activity.
With any activity, it is important that you interact with members of the cultural group to develop an understanding of the event(s) and the motivations of the individuals in participating in them.
Consider some of these factors:
• Purpose
• Cultural
• Religious
• Social
• Political
• Economic
You will answer the questions below. You may use first person in your answers. While this is not a regular academic paper (since it can answer questions in outline form and first person), you must still use current APA format. The paper must have a correct title page, and you must use a reference page.
Each question is accompanied by an estimated word count. The quality of your answer is more important than the word count. You may expand further, but you do not have to do so. Do not forget to put your name at the top of your answers! Here are the questions that you must answer:
1. What events did you attend? What happened? [at least 250 words]
2. How did your experience of actual cultural events compare with the expectations you had developed from the readings and internet research you did in part 1? [at least 250 words]
3. How did participation in these events impact you emotionally? In other words, what was it like to be a "minority" in this group? [at least 250 words]
4. As you consider your own cultural background, why do you think you responded in these ways? [at least 250 words]
5. What are some key things you have learned about this culture through these experiences? [at least 250 words]
Next, you will share some of your experience in the Cultural Immersion Project Part 2 Forum. Remind your classmates of the culture you are exploring and discuss some of the interesting things you experienced in your activities. Describe any emotional reactions you had and challenges you anticipate for the final part of the project (part 3). Do not attach your paper. Rather, share what you found interesting in your experience. You must respond to at least 2 classmates who explored a different culture.
Your thread (at least 350 words)
*Note that the research you do for Parts 1 and 2 is necessary for the completion of Part 3. Organize all the notes and references you have gathered thus far to enable you to easily accomplish the final part of this project.