Training Session: Calling All Team Members!

On Saturday, April 25, from 9 AM to noon, there will be a cross-cultural sensitivity training workshop for UM Volunteers-In-Mission team members going to Uganda. The training will be presented by Dr. Lucia (Shan) McSpadden and Katie Choy-Wong. Shan stated the following about the training experience:

The cross-cultural training for the VIM team going to Uganda is intended to guide us in understanding the dynamics of working and living in a cultural context very different than the context in which we have grown up and now live. We will explore the way culture confusions and clashes happen, how to understand them and "step back" and enjoy these experiences. Weaving in case studies from Uganda, we will explore ways of gaining increased intercultural competence. Although aimed at this particular international experience, the tools should be useful for our day-to-day living in the multi-cultural/multi-racial Bay Area.

All members of the Mission Team are expected to attend this orientation. As you can see, all of us can benefit from this training and hope that many of you will take advantage of this time to come and learn together.

The latter part of the day will include completion of the team application forms and discussion of other pertinent information.