For our final project, students had to take a "cultural plunge" by engaging in an activity or event from another culture that we were unfamiliar with as well as interview someone familiar with the culture at the event. Outcomes and impressions of the "cultural plunge" were then shared with the class through a presentation, which you can view above. I chose to attend a meditation exercise at the Keajra Kadampa Buddhist Center and interview the class instructor, in which she gave me insights into how Buddhism intersected with other aspects of her life, and her thoughts on how Buddhism should be accounted for in a counseling context. Through this exercise I found myself developing a better understanding of how one's culture influences their beliefs and values, as my interviewee explained how Buddhism guided her individual principles, as well as supported various aspects of her life without invading them. Her thoughts on how to address someone's Buddhism in a counseling context were especially practical, as she emphasized that Buddhism is a diverse religion with significant differences among sects, thus you cannot make general assumptions regarding Buddhism for an individual. Rather, it is better to directly ask about what role Buddhism plays in someone's life and allow them to speak for themselves. While she made this comment specifically to Buddhism, I can see how it may apply to other cultures as well and is a great takeaway from my experience with the course that I will make sure to keep in mind when working with future clients in my intended profession as a clinical psychologist.