ePortfolio Reflective Letter Assignment
During the initial stages of this course I had been somewhat lost as to how the class would meet. I had a feeling that it would be an online course due to there not being a designated timeslot added to my course schedule. After having the first scheduled face-to-face meeting, meeting the other students in the class, and gaining extra materials for the course as well as the trip I was eager to get started.
Having just started taking classes Human Services classes and adding in Human Services as a second minor to complete my degree I did not fully know what to expect. The Psychology environment is not the same as the Human Service perspective and coursework. During my time before the trip I have learned a great deal of important techniques and skills that can be used in my life personally and professionally. In addition, this class has allowed me to increasing my cultural competency. The textbook for the course as well as the Think Smart!: Jamaica textbook was an essential tool for my personal and professional growth. There were modules with every week that had a quiz based on the text lecture as well as assigned readings and discussion board posts.
Many of these post questions required critical thinking and self-reflecting. They pushed me to learn and think about topics and issues that I was not aware about before such as the fashion trend of Skin Bleaching currently in Jamaica. This topic gave me context that I had not been exposed to prior to watching the video’s on skin bleaching. If you would like to read more about my post to this topic read more here. Along with the discussion board post mentioned there are two other topics that gave me perspective on my own culture. What can also be read are my posts about The importance of cultural competency as well as Pregnant Teenagers in Jamaica. Using the Jamaica book as a guide I was adequately prepared for the trip to another culture.
My group members and I each had a part to complete for our self-esteem presentation. Meeting the girls at the Women’s Centre as well as having the opportunity to be their role models and teach them about self-esteem was rewarding for me. My part of the presentation was on social influences on self-esteem which you can view the transcript of each slide. After reading the Jamaica book and watching the video from the Women’s Centre, showed me how Jamaica’s society deals with young teen mothers. This presentation allowed me to improve my skills in presenting as well as provide information to the younger population of Jamaica.
After spending time with the girls I wanted to fit Jamaica into my career goals and plans. I interviewed a staff member of the University of the West Indies (UWI) for a cultural immersion paper in a different class. The staff member had going to UWI as a student and told me that giving opportunities to other students to improve their country and community touched me. I can not help but reflect on my own individualistic culture after interviewing them. Increasing my own cultural competence can benefit not only myself but everyone that I come in contact with. I can carry that with me as I move forward and continue to grow it. Cultural competence gives me more understanding of myself as well as my own culture and other cultures which makes me grateful for this opportunity to learn.