Learning culture-specific information can be a useful starting point in intercultural communication; knowledge of general interaction patterns common for a particular group can increase your awareness of other ways of communicating. It can also prepare you to adapt—or not adapt—as you consider the many factors influencing an intercultural interaction.

But how do you go about learning about another culture or co-culture and its members’ communication preferences? Is it okay to ask group members questions or to seek clarification? Do you have to visit a foreign country to learn about that nation’s culture? Do you need a close friend within a given co-culture to understand aspects of that co-culture’s communication? We encourage you to ask respectful and earnest questions and to experience other cultures in whatever way you are able—whether that means trying foods outside of your own culture, studying the scriptures of another faith, or deciding to study abroad.

In fact, with all the technology available to you today, you can make contact through online communities and social networking groups, even if you can’t personally travel around the world. For example, some students have taken to posting videos of themselves practicing a foreign language in order to elicit feedback from native speakers on the quality of their speech and accent. Such attempts to learn more about another culture’s language or way of speaking can also be seen in YouTube videos in which American and British children attempt to swap accents and rate each other on how accurate they are.