Intercultural competence as an aspect of the communicative ...

irritated by the kids’ behaviour and says to Kate “Why are you asking them
so politely to finish something they know they have to do? Just order them,
and that’s it”.
Why is there a misunderstanding between the parents?
Critical incident 9. Veljko is an exchange student of electronics, who is
spending a year in Chicago. He’s doing quite well, but since his test is
coming in two weeks’ time, he wants to check few problems with his micro
engineering teacher. At the beginning of the semester the teacher told the
class that he would be in his office every Tuesday from 1 till 3 p.m. should
they need him. So, Veljko is in front of the office a few minutes before 1 and
he knocks on the closed door and enters. The professor is surprised, and not
very willing to talk to Veljko – why might this be?
Critical incident 14. An American has achieved a managerial position at an
international bank’s office in Serbia. He is asked to be on the selection
committee for a new employee. The bank president is a Serbian citizen, and
one of the job applicants is his nephew. The American does not place much
weight on this fact and, instead, he is impressed by the education and
previous job experience of another candidate. However, everyone else on the
selection committee prefers the boss’s nephew, despite his rather mediocre
career accomplishments to date. Why would the American be surprised?
Critical incident 17. Maryanne, an American, has been in Serbia for two
months, she’s in her 30s and has been working with a local NGO. She met a
lot of people of different ages, occupation and social status. One thing that
she finds strange is when people ask her about her parents and family– how
they’re doing, whether they’re missing her. How would you explain this?
Critical incident 18. Ashley has been in Serbia for a month – she is here to do
conversation classes with the Law students. She’s met a lot of people, her
future colleagues from the Department, and she constantly gets invitations for
dinners and coffees after work. Every time she goes out with her colleague
she tries to pay, but usually the colleagues do not let her. There is always a
conversation that goes like this:
Ashley: Ok, so, let me pay.
Colleague A: Oh, c’mon, no way! This is on me!
Ashley: But it was on you last time as well.
Colleague A: No, no really, and besides, it doesn’t matter – you’ll pay next
time!
Ashley: Can’t we at least split it?
Colleague A: No, no, that’s OK! Let’s go!
This happens every time and Ashley is finding this situation quite irritating.
Why might it be so?
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