D-I-E Task

Describe

Last week I went to the gym to keep fit. After a few exercises I was sitting at the machine when I noticed a fellow student came in my direction. I looked in her direction and watched directly in her eyes waiting for responding eye contact for greeting her. As she passed me I turned my head to see whether she turned her head or not. But she didn´t do that. So I continued exercising when I met her again. At another machine she started exercising at the machine next to mine. There, the same. I was looking for eye contact to greet her finally, but it didn´t happen. At my final machine that day I met her again, but I didn´t try to look in her face. I was concentrating on my exercise and keeping up.

Interpret

When I saw her the first time I thought that she probably haven´t seen me. It happens sometimes when you enter a public place and you want to find a place. Then you focus more on to find your desirable place to start what you were aiming. Another possibility why she doesn´t respond my eye contact could be, because I was sitting and she was going, so there was a difference in our height level. Then people tend to see just people who are at their same height level. Therefore, I could think that I had to stand up to meet and greet her at the same level. A further thought I had is that it could also be that she ignore me intentionally. She knows that I´m a German exchange student and maybe she thought that I have to know her better or to treat her in a particular way to get the chance talking to her. From the cultural point of view I know that there are existing differences. Mostly, Finnish people are introverted and reserved. If then a more open-minded person meets such kind of personality the confrontation might be exercised by one site. Furthermore it is maybe the common way of behaving to less known or even unknown people.

Evaluate

After the first confrontation I had mixed feelings. On the one hand I was sure that she didn´t see me. But on the other hand I was committed that she didn´t want to see me and ignored me. Probably, she wanted to show me that she is confident and doesn´t need to meet new people or even dislike foreigners. If I would have been in the same situation I would greet her and try to do a small talk. As well I would try to behave as in my home country even if I would live in Finland. In my eyes, it a way to show general friendliness and kindness.
Unfortunately, I can´t add a picture of that situation.