learning journal #9: body language

Today in class we talked about the different forms of nonverbal communication which include silence, gaze, facial expressions, head movement, fidgeting, body movement, gestures, appearance, posture, and contact.  When observing people, it is easy to observe the obvious, like what they are saying and how they are saying it.  But I think when you observe nonverbal communication, it's on a deeper level and you get more out of the observation.  I decided to observe my siblings at home and noticed a few things.  I noticed how they use their facial expressions and gestures to emphasize their words and feelings.  I imagined how it would be if I had a remote control and pressed mute when they talked, and whether or not I would get the same message just by looking at their body language.  I tried, and for the most part, was pretty accurate.  I think recognizing body language is important because I think actions do speak louder than words for the most part.  Nonverbal communication is important to recognize when communicating with people, especially in countries such as Tonga where English isn't the main language.  Nonverbal communication can help us to communicate better with Tongans there.  Sometimes when my grandparents say something in Tongan and I'm not familiar with the word, they would use their hands to describe it or point to it.  I think when we go to Tonga, it will take time getting people to open up to us (like community members, school teachers, students, and even the host family) and be comfortable talk to us.  So I'm pretty sure because of that, they won't talk as much and we will have to observe their body language and use that as a communication tool.