Milena Vergara
Milena Vergara on Alternative Thinking
I believe that my journey with alternative thinking largely stems from my unique cross-cultural upbringing as well as my open-minded, adaptive and reflective reaction to these experiences. My cultural exposure has been largely developed by having lived in Stockholm, Dubai, Istanbul, Moscow, Berlin, Bucharest and then The Hague and Milan in my adult years. I am continuously learning how to communicate with people with different mindsets and navigating through different cultural shocks and gaps. Having moved to eight countries, I have become an adaptable and resilient individual, mastering both cultural awareness and more importantly, cultural competence. Qualities that are much more than knowing the history and traditions of a country; they are more concerned with creating a synergy between both cultures, be it working with groups, pitching an idea or a basic informal interaction. For instance, Germans might prefer professional presentations that use deductive reasoning while the American presenting styles may focus on inductive argumentation instead; understanding this culture clash based on a country’s values is one of the benefits of being polycultural.
My heritage has mainly been a mix of eight different nationalities, some different from the places I have lived in; from Chile to New Zealand my family has always been a colourful mix. This in turn has led me to create a hybrid culture of my own, combining values, traditions and perspectives from different corners of the world. Being able to shift between different national identities has allowed me to experience the same situation in many different ways all depending on my cultural standpoint. For example, on the same occasion I have felt both honoured and offended , which has allowed me to analyse the relativity of interactions.
My academic background comes from the range of curriculums I have attended including British, American, Dutch, Spanish, Romanian and Swedish systems that have all laid different learning foundations and is one of the reasons I like to approach subjects through different teaching styles, comparing what, how and why something is being taught; An exercise I believe extends further than the classroom. The cross-cultural mindset has also been a tool to introduce dialogue and cooperation rather than division. Where some people might find clashing arguments or personalities I have frequently stepped in as a mediator because I understand the cultural motives, upbringing and values which shape people’s stance on certain discussions. Through these exercises I find similarities between cultures that seem to be unrelated but in fact have more similarities than one would assume; for example, how Emiratis and Ecuadorians view the extended family and the hierarchy within it.
By being a polyglot from a young age, speaking five languages and being surrounded by nine languages, I believe one can uncover a culture’s true intention. Being able to understand the original linguistic meaning is important to learn how to think in different languages. Just as a book or a poem is properly understood in the author’s language of origin, as are concepts and perspectives best understood when approached from a local cultural lens. This quality has been vital in my debating career success in order to introduce out-of-the-box arguments, see how all stakeholders are impacted and question concepts that are perceived as ‘normal’. Having the cognitive flexibility and cultural fluidity is always a reminder that problems, concepts and basic values always have an alternative interpretation.
Moving abroad is more than a geographical relocation, which is why I always immerse myself with the local culture and traditions. Non-verbal cultural cues are apparent in the small details of daily living and by having a large bank of cultural interpretations one is able to analyse different societies. For example, unlike many other countries Romania’s bank notes do not feature politicians but rather artists, historians, poets, authors, musicians and inventors. Although culture is an intangible concept that may be overlooked, being constantly alert can make you realise it is apparent in all areas of life and will tell you much about a person, country or organisation. By living in different realities, I made note of how different countries interpret concepts such as ‘power’, ‘trust’, ‘time’ in unique ways; values that may seem universal from a mono-cultural perspective, but in reality are multifaceted. Through these realisations it became clear that one’s experiences are neither historically or culturally universal- only one of many alternatives.
