Aligning Actions & Final Post

I have finally finished Sandstrom's book. I found his work to be very inspiring as it reminded me of some of the things I have experienced through my journey to Canada. Overall, all three of the books I have read have been very insightful, and have helped me gain knowledge on how semiotics is present in every day life. 

Sandstrom et al. discussed a concept that I feel all people living in Canada (whether this is their home country, or if they sought refuge here, like I did) should take into account when living their every day lives. This concept is aligning actions. This idea suggests that people work together and adjust their behaviours to allow for interaction to flow smoothly. Aligning actions involves cooperating and taking others' actions into account, while adjusting our own behaviours to make joint action possible (Sandstrom et al. 2014, 172). Individuals involved must recognize that others are present and are being influenced by the actions they are presenting. In addition, people must construct a set of compatible and interrelated roles that indicate they are a part of the same social situation (Sandstrom et al. 2014, 172). It is clear that given the need for Syrians and Canadians to live peacefully alongside each other, they will need to align their actions to work together to create a peaceful society. 

Canadians will need to exhibit behaviours of accepting and assisting refugees in adapting to their new environments, while Syrians will need to adapt from their home country to their new environment, while learning how they can contribute meaningfully to their new society. If all individuals can work towards the collective goal of interacting smoothly, they will align their actions, and create a supportive environment for all people to live. 

I have noticed that my family has been adapting to Canadian culture, while Canadians have been working to assist us in doing so. We are essentially aligning our actions. 

While my journey to Canada was difficult, it was worth it, and my family is excited for the opportunities we have been given. While we miss Syria, it was an unsafe environment, and we doubted that we would be able to raise our family well there. The 3 authors whose work I read throughout my journey allowed me to discover the relevance of semiotics in not only my own personal life and experiences, but in the world as a whole.