Describe the activity they chose and why?

I went to San Diego with a security company call APX for a summer program to sell security systems.

What type of place did you choose to experience and why?

Going to San Diego to sell for the summer was my choice but going to Calexico was the manager’s choice. Involuntarily, I went to Calexico to sell security systems but not knowing that everyone in that city spoke Spanish; that was the hardest part because I only speak English.

What did you observe?

I found out my manager spoke English and Spanish fluently and also out of ten people in the group of door to door salesman only two knew Spanish.

What did you find surprising or unexpected?

It was surprising how a lot of the home owners in Calexico would just let me in there house without even understanding me completely. APX, also sent me to these Spanish speaking people with English contracts expecting them to sign a three year agreement.

Did you feel comfortable or uncomfortable? Why?

I had a piece of paper that had some Spanish to English translation but the language barrier was uncomfortable on both sides of the table. Most of them were very friendly to me but when it came down to an English contract and the main language they spoke was Spanish they felt like the couldn’t trust me and I felt the same about just having the contract.

Did this experience change your views about the people whom you observed? If so, how?

In this experience, I could now put myself in anyone’s shoes who has to face a language barrier and by doing so I can respect someone not knowing my language who is trying to communicate with me and have more patients than ever before.

What did you learn from this experience?

Speaking isn’t always the only language you have to use when you communicate sometimes it’s body language and attitude of compromising.

How could your workplace benefit because you had this type of an experience?

I didn’t necessarily learn Spanish, so I couldn’t benefit my work place with bilingual attributes but I do have more patients with language blocks and I feel like my communication skill were more developed overall.

Why do you feel that employers would seek and value employees with this diverse experience?

The whole world is diverse and bigger companies are worldwide, also smaller companies have dreams of being worldwide. Understanding the concept of worldwide means diversity is a necessity to create success in all counties.

Identify at least two reasons why organizations benefit from having a diversity-conscious culture.

Expansion and success of organizations always have and always will rely on having diverse-conscious cultures because if you’re not speaking their language they will not buy. All of the languages including: visual, culture, reading, and body language. The only way an organization can have a diversity-conscious culture is if they study all the cultures and learn all of their languages.

Prior to this experience did you have a stereotype of the people you observed in this activity?

I did stereotype when I was younger, because I thought everyone should just no English in the United States. I learned that most people grow up speaking a native language but don’t always stay in their native area. With this experience I could step on my old thoughts because I was that person in someone else’s land not speaking their native language.