Here is an example of an experience that allowed me to see cultural similarities and led me to identifying a value I shared with my host family from a trip I took to Colombia:

Growing up, my family made time on Sunday evening to prepare and eat a special meal together. After, we would watch a movie, sing songs, or play a card game.  This is a tradition that is commonplace in many family households in Colombia.  When I spent a summer there recently as a guest in a friend’s family home, I was delighted to learn that they hosted a weekly family gathering on Sunday afternoons. Every week, a large and varied group of extended family and friends would arrive from all over the city to eat, talk, play dominoes, sing, dance, and/or watch a soccer game together.  In addition to enjoying the company of their guests, (I have an extroverted nature and delight in the opportunity to meet and talk to new people,) the weekly event brought back fond memories of warm family moments from my childhood.  I was thus able to identify and articulate a value that I shared with the host family: the refreshing and enjoyable nature of setting aside time every Sunday afternoon/ evening to relax, eat a special meal, and converse with others before returning to work the following week.