ABSTRACT
My name is Nicole Ye Nie (Bowden). In 2007, I came to Canada from China to study for my master's degree in curriculum studies. It was my first time coming to a foreign country. Like many international students and immigrants, I had certain assumptions about Western culture. Initially, I struggled with culture shock, dealing with the differences between Canadian and Chinese societies. Now, as I continue to explore this new culture, I am gradually changing my cultural perspectives and emerging more fully into a culturally diverse environment. Over time I have become attuned to many different aspects of Canadian culture. I address and understand this culture through specific things that happen in my studies and my personal life. I consciously compare the differences and similarities between the two cultures. I think deeply about how cultural identity influences people in their intercultural communication and interactions.
