Cultural Autobiography

This report discusses the concept of cultural autobiography and its importance in understanding self and other cultures. It includes the creation of personal cultural autobiographies and the comparison of two profiles from different cultural backgrounds. The report also analyzes the cultural differences and similarities using Kluckholn and Strodtbeck's dimension of culture and Edward Hall's cultural model.

Cultural Autobiography

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
a. Using 'Cultural Autobiography' questionnaire, creating own cultural autobiographies to
identify major influences in the life.............................................................................................1
b. Using 'Cultural Autobiography' questionnaire, creating cultural autobiography of someone
having different cultural background ..........................................................................................2
c. Comparison and contrast of two profiles through distinct cultural frameworks for explaining
cultural differences along with similarities..................................................................................2
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6
APPENDICES.................................................................................................................................7
Questionnaire on “Cultural Autobiography”...............................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
The term culture refers to way of life to which group of individuals belong. In the world,
there are multiple types of culture. It is seen in music, cooking, thinking, writing, religion and
working of a person. Similarly, cultural autobiography is an exercise for exploring self as well as
understanding about other cultures together with the ways to understand the globe nearby them
(Bersh, 2018). It is narrative addition to interpretation about life from identity culture. Key
purpose of present report is to analyse addition to contrasting autobiographies of two individuals
who belongs to distinct cultures.
The report discusses about creation of self cultural autobiography by identifying key
influences on own life. It also includes creating autobiography of someone having different
cultural background. At last, comparison and contrast of two profiles are made through distinct
cultural frameworks in order to explain differences and similarities in both cultures.
MAIN BODY
a. Using 'Cultural Autobiography' questionnaire, creating own cultural autobiographies to
identify major influences in the life
I am Ion Stănescu who was born on January 23, 1993. I am a Romanian citizen who
have recently shifted to UK for occupation purpose. My family is open and favours me in all my
decisions that I takes for me. My father works in a company that is based on Romania and my
mother is house maker who looks towards all the members. My sister and brother shares all
things related to their day to day matters with me. As per Romanian culture, I have a good habit
of making decision after consulting with all family members that guides me to maintain self
disciple and foster relations. I have keen interest in traditions and folks which fosters my
creativity together with critical thinking. Through following Romanian Culture, I visit historical
places and take greetings from priests and older people that makes me happy. Since my
childhood, I daily visit temples and all of my activities are influenced from regulations,
principles and the religion. Main principles that I follows are hard workings addition to well
organised. I also appreciate the concept of female empowerment as in my culture, I have seen
that females are taken in priority than male. In Romanian culture, decision making are done after
consulting views with others. After settling in UK, I am still connected with my whole family
and I still follows all rituals that are imposed by Romanian culture. I have managed my life in
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discipline and have effective supportive system that directs me to take necessary or significant
steps for future.
b. Using 'Cultural Autobiography' questionnaire, creating cultural autobiography of someone
having different cultural background
My one of colleague, Ana Dsouza who was born on March 20, 1994 have belongings
from United Kingdom since birth. Ana is an intelligent person who works with me in the
occupation at same designation. Along with this, she have attractive features and have sharp
mind that assist her to perform work in best aspects. Ana lives with her mother and father that
are professional people. In her family, each person earns and lives their livings without involving
or restricts to show concerns in what is happening in others life. As per British Culture in which
Ana belongs, all people focuses on goals and wishes to take decision quickly without involving
others or exchanging views on any topic or situation. Despite of living the lives individually,
Ana and her family have strong bonding or linkage that connects them with each other. In the
culture, people are fast forward and tech savvy. Ana also have busy schedule that motivates her
to emphasis more on her career. She always prepares herself prior to any circumstance or
conducts workings effectively.
c. Comparison and contrast of two profiles through distinct cultural frameworks for explaining
cultural differences along with similarities
Comparison between two cultural profiles on the basis of cultural frameworks
Kluckholn and Strodtbeck dimension of culture: It is a cultural framework which was
propounded by Kluckholn as well as Strodtbeck. In the cultural model, key focus of theorist is
towards six dimensions (Wagner-Egelhaaf, 2019). For comparison of two profiles that are Ion
Stănescu and Ana Dsouza who belongs to cultures of Romania and British respectively, the
dimensions of cultural framework are as follows:
 Characteristics of individuals: The British culture primarily focuses on social
importance of individuals which suggests that each member has freedom of decision
making is given to all individuals. This feature allows each member of the British society
or person associating with British cultural values to be their own decision maker. On the
other side the Romanian culture consists of construction which allows each member to be
included in the process of decision making and accounts the opinions of each individual
(Cazacu, 2018Harsanyi, 2018).
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 Relationship of individuals with nature: In case of the British culture the relation
between individual and their environmental surrounding should be balanced to create
concordance between the two spheres of our society. Romanian culture considers need of
members of their society secondary when compared ton natural environment and should
always be kept below the nature.
 Responsibility in regards to public: Romanian culture emphasises the importance of
completing the responsibility towards the public and each individual and it is important
for each individual to successfully finish their obligations to other people. According to
British culture responsibility of individuals in regards to themselves is at a higher
position than responsibility to the fellow members of British culture (Holmes, 2018)
(Beasley, 2020).
 Manner of activities: The main concentration of British culture is associated with
completing activities which help the individuals achieve their set objectives, on the other
hand Romanian culture involves completion of each activity incorrect ways.
 Privacy of location: British culture highly regards the private area of each individual
which gives them plenty of privacy during their lives and interaction with others (Green,
2017). In case of Romanian culture as members reside in large families for longer amount
of time, the secrecy of their spaces is reduced when compared to British culture.
 Temporal inclination: The main emphasis of British culture is on the future aspects of
their lives while Romanian culture emphasises importance of present time.
Edward Hall Cultural Model: Edward T. Hall introduced the concept of the framework
that highlights cultures on the basis of three principles including context, time addition to space.
These dimensions are further applied in the field for understanding cultures as well as
intercultural communications (Tinsley and Min, 2020). The comparison of culture of Romania
and British on the basis of principles of Edward cultural model are as follows:
 Context: In this, high context and low context plays key in analysis of distinct cultural
aspects. In high context, multiple kinds of contextual elements defines culture to
understand the regulations. Whereas, low context emphasis on great explanations and less
chances of misunderstandings. In context to Romanian culture in which Ion Stănescu,
low context is preferred as people do not take regulations of culture for granted.
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However, the culture of Ana that is British Culture, people prefers high context as huge
cultural legislation are taken for granted.
 Space: It involves the space in which relationships are based on. In relevance to
Romanian Culture, people and Ion Stănescu have no spaces or privacy for information as
they shares every thing with each other or with family members (Coman and et.al., 2019).
In contrary, people of Ana Dsouza that belongs to British Culture are more concern about
spaces or personal life as they do not want interference from others. Time: Mono-chronic time and poly-chronic time are two elements of time element of the
cultural framework. People of Romania follows mono-chronic time as they wished to
perform one thing at one duration as they assumes proper scheduling and careful
planning. In contrary, population belongs to British Culture follows poly-chronic time in
which they values material things and have less concerns for completing activities done.
Contrast between two cultural profiles
Despite of differences among cultural profiles of Romanian and Britishers, there are
some similarity among cultures (Wagner-Egelhaaf, 2018), In context to both cultures, similarities
are as discussed:
Punctuality: It is observed that people belonging to the cultures of Romanian and British
shares common thing that is both are inclined towards punctuality (Bennett, 2019). From the
responses, I and Ana values time greatly that is reflected in our workings as both follows
particular routine or practices to time and values those who does the same. In both cultures,
punctuality is symbol of values that is given to others.
Emotional awareness: This is another common things that cultures of Romania and
British shares in commonality as population of these cultures express their emotions properly
and have awareness about when to speak and what to say in which tone. Ana and I are able to
easily relate communications effectively and appropriately (BUNGAU, BORZA and Aurel,
2018).
CONCLUSION
From the discussion and analyses, it is concluded that culture plays essential role in life
of a person as it guides and improves learning, enhances tolerance as well as improves quality of
life of individuals and communities. Cultural autobiography is effective practice that is
associated to identify value system along with beliefs of an individual. All cultures are no same
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as they involves certain differences. Kluckholn and Strodtbeck dimension of culture and Edward
Hall Cultural Model are suitable for analyzing differences among cultures. For a person, it is
important to value addition to respect all types of cultures as they have some humanity within
them that fosters them for this. At same time, there are similarities in cultures that are punctuality
and emotional awareness.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Beasley, R., 2020. Russomania: Russian culture and the creation of British modernism, 1881-
1922. Oxford University Press.
Bennett, J., 2019. God and Progress: Religion and History in British Intellectual Culture, 1845-
1914. Oxford University Press.
Bersh, L. C., 2018. Writing autobiography to develop culturally responsive competency:
Teachers’ intersections of personal histories, cultural backgrounds and
biases. International Journal of Educational Research. 88. pp.31-41.
BUNGAU, C., BORZA, A. and Aurel, C. A. U. S., 2018. COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF
INDICATORS DEFINING ENTREPRENEURSHIP CULTURE IN ROMANIA. ACTA
TECHNICA NAPOCENSIS-Series: APPLIED MATHEMATICS, MECHANICS, and
ENGINEERING. 61(3).
Cazacu, A. N., 2018. Statistical considerations upon the results of a survey regarding the anime
culture in Romania. Journal of Romanian Literary Studies, (13), pp.450-463.
Coman, M. and et.al., 2019, September. Actual tendencies of fruit culture in Romania. In IV
Balkan Symposium on Fruit Growing 1289 (pp. 329-335).
Green, B., 2017. Feminist Periodicals and Daily Life: Women and Modernity in British Culture.
Springer.
Harsanyi, D. P., 2018. Women in Romania (pp. 39-52). Routledge.
Holmes, B., 2018. Speaking to a Global Future: The Increasing Value of Language and Culture
to British Business Post-Brexit. In Languages after Brexit (pp. 61-74). Palgrave
Macmillan, Cham.
Tinsley, T. M. and Min, D., 2020. Four Quarters: A Cultural and Developmental Approach to
Transforming Your Spiritual Autobiography. Dorrance Publishing.
Wagner-Egelhaaf, M. ed., 2019. Handbook of Autobiography/autofiction. Walter de Gruyter
GmbH & Co KG.
Wagner-Egelhaaf, M., 2018. Autobiography/Autofiction. An Interdisciplinary and International
Handbook. 3.
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APPENDICES
Questionnaire on “Cultural Autobiography”
Self questionnaire
1. Can you provide some information about your name, education, belongings and cultural
heritage?
I am Ion Stănescu who was born on January 23, 1993. I belong to a Romanian country
wherein I live with my whole family that includes 5 members which are my father, mother, 1
younger sister, me and 1 elder brother who follows Romanian Culture. I have completed by
studies in Romania and then shifted to UK for better career opportunities. As per Romanian
culture, people respect each other feelings and discusses views prior to reaching at final point
related to any thing.
2. Would you define the nation wherein you grow up as well as something related to its
culture?
Romania is the nation in which people are known as Romanians who share common
Romanian culture, speaks Romanian language, ancestry, etc. The nation have multiple places
that grabs attentions of visitors. Culture of Romania is rich with traditional folk arts such as
wood carving, household decorations, ceramics, dance, weaving and embroidery along with
varied folk music.
3. How many people are in your family, where they resides presently and what role they
play to engage kids in the culture?
There are five members in my family among which four including my father, mother,
sister and brother lives in Romania. My father works in an organisation in the country and my
mother is a housewife. At same time, my brother and sister studies. All support each other and
provides guidance in al kinds of situations wherever requires.
4. What key aspects you have learnt from the culture you belong?
Romanian culture involves multiple number of things that improves learning of an
individual. With the heritage and traditional folks, I have learnt about making career in diverse
number of fields. From Romanian culture, I have learnt to maintain self discipline, family
networks as well as values.
Questionnaire from colleague
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1. Can you provide some information about your name, education, belongings and cultural
heritage?
Ana Dsouza is my name and I have belonging from UK in which British culture is
followed. I have completed my Master in Business Administration in England and here I lives
with my family. The British culture includes customs and traditions that are famous all over the
globe. In British Culture, fundamentals focused are democracy, respect & tolerance, individual
liberty as well as rule of law.
2. Would you define the nation wherein you grow up as well as something related to its
culture?
I have grown up in England, UK wherein British Culture is followed. The nation provides
huge job opportunities to general public at global level. In this, individualism is focused in which
a person makes decision about their life without taking suggestions from others. Moreover,
males dominates female in all fields.
3. How many people are in your family, where they resides presently and what role they
play to engage kids in the culture?
In my family, there are three people including my father, mother and me. My father is a
profession al lawyer, mother is teacher and I work in an organisation. We all earn and make out
livings happy.
4. What key aspects you have learnt from the culture you belong?
From the British Culture, I have learnt to make money and enjoy my life happily. In the
culture, people focuses towards living independently and making career.
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