I’d like to explain a game I played 6 or 7 years ago, because it teach me a lot of things, and I think that it can be interessant to share it: it was in some way a role game. We was a group of young people (between 17 and 30 years old, more or less), and I was with 2 friends of mine. It was supposed to be a game we can teach to children, but I’m sure it was more useful for us than for younger people!
First of all, the head ask for two of us to be the observers, people who only would look, not participate. Then, she gave us a paper with the role we had to play. It was supposed to be a party to know the students from different countries who had joined in this place in a universitary exchange.
-Two of us were the host, and the others came from three countries. The hosts had to get ready the snakes and music, and had to be kind with all of us to make us feel comfortable; they had too to make us meet the other people.
Then, there was the three nationalities (no real countries), and each of nationality had a note with how the country is and how the inhabitants are and why. We only knew about us, not about the other nationalities. The notes said more or less this:
-You are from the isle A: a lot of people live there, but you can live comfy because all of you respect the other one space. You talk wery low, and you find bad manners to speack with people you don’t know. If you are asked, you speak with monosyllabes, and you never will begin the conversation. It’s of good manner to reply with your head and you feel bothered if anyone tries to be too close to you.
-You come from B: where you lives it’s a very cold place, and with very few population. So, you need to feel the nearness of the other people. You use to be very close when talk and, although not very talkative, you like to touch ad show your friendship with hugs and kisses. You feel bothered if the other refuses it. (This was my role).
-You come from C: you are a famous people because you seem to be happy everytime. You like to make funny jokes and singing and clap hands. When you talk, you talk in a loud voice, and you easily talk with everybody. You feel bothered if people don’t follows your jokes. (this is in some way an adaptation of the topic about south of Spain)
After everyone of us knowing which was our role, we began the performance, with the two observers only looking. And the interessant fact was how we really feel as if we were the inhabitants of these countries. As we know about our role but not the others one, we cannot understand their reactions: for instance, I was an inhabintant of B, so I had to touch people and try to talk with them. A friend of mine was in group A… and when I tried to hugh her, she walk one step to the back! I really feel a little bothered for it, and after the performance, I knew she was bothered for me too! When people of B tried to talk with peple of A, both feel uncomfortable with the other reaction. About Group C… While A and B liked to talk low, they was all the time talking loud, making fun and singing without reason… under our point of view. In fact, C people tried to make the party more interessant and tried to make people feel comfortable with them, but the REAL consequence was that ALL us, the hosts and A and B, feel almost actually angry with them.
The head stop the game, and we explained how we felt, and why. We also read the role of the others, and so we can understand why they acted as they acted. The observers speak too, and explained how noone of us knew how to react with the other cultures, and how all of us feel bothered for the others. Finally, the head recognized that she stopped the game because we really get angry against the C inhabitants, who then explained how they was really bothered with our treatment.
CONCLUSION: although it was a role game, although the characteristics were overrated, this was a simulation of reality. All people and all cultures have some way to think and of behaviour, no better or worst, simply different. The problems come when we don’t know them and we react according our stereotipes. If we would have read the role of the others before the game, sure we would have not annoyed for the other nationalities! It was really amazing how absolutely ALL of us quickly felt identified with our role, althoug noone of us were actor or actress.
I wish this can make think a little.
