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Studying in another country where people speak a different language was a great learning opportunity for being aware of the significance of nonverbal communication.When I started living in the US, I couldn’t understand what others said in English. That forced me to watch what was going on and to catch tiny hints from the context to understand what others wanted. If one person was looking around when talking on the phone, I picked up a pencil and a notepad to hand to him or her.My words were limited, so I also tried to express what I meant by not only word but also other ways to communicate. I was consistently thinking about what I could do for people to understand me. When I had to give a presentation, I put my effort into choosing simple and clear words, as well as making my slides easy to follow with good visual aids.These communication skills were the most significant things I learned in the US, and that helped my clinical experience in many ways. Both to understand others and to express myself, I learned how to read and use nonverbal communication signs. It was a big step toward being a reliable observer and instructor with broad views. If I didn’t study in another country, I might have depended on words too much to communicate. Maybe I could have not caught signs a client sends or have used complicated words to explain.Studying abroad makes you observe people around you and encourages you to look at the world from their viewpoint, and that is one of the most desired skills in working with people with needs. Go outside your comfort. It will be good training to be a better clinician.Kumi Sato, MS, SUNY-New PaltzWFMT Student Delegate for the Western Pacific Region
