9: Experiencing Processes of Culture Construction and Culture Contact Through the Textual Culture Puzzle

Due to manifold linguistic and cultural flows, the complexity and unpredictability of cultural encounters increase continuously. Strategies for managing intercultural interactions are therefore indispensable and should form a crucial part of foreign language teaching. In that respect, experiential learning through simulations may prepare learners for real‑life interactions and help them contextualize past experiences through reflection. One such activity is the textual culture puzzle. Even though only a few simple materials (paper, glue) are required, the activity can deeply engage learners in cognitive, affective, and interactional ways. The present study analyzed data from 50 participants, based on a corpus of 125 pictures, nine student documentation forms, and four lecturer field notes. The data showed that interactional aspects predominated (n = 94 out of 216 codings), notably when the participants tried to integrate members from different cultures into their own culture (n = 23). The affective category ranked second highest (n = 69), which became most evident upon the return of the cultural travelers into their home cultures (n = 13). Through closer inspection, a rich spectrum of affective responses and interactional strategies was identified. The results provide valuable insights into the processes of culture construction and (re)negotiation in intra- and inter‑cultural communication.