Communication Across Different Cultures

I interact daily with families from cultures different from mine.  Some families have come to the United States in recent years and others are born and raised here, but their backgrounds and experiences are different than mine.  When I talk to families or colleagues that are naturally born citizens of the United States I do find myself talking to them differently than I do families that came here from another country.  I tend to find myself listening more to families from other countries, mostly because I find it interesting to learn about their cultures and experiences. 

I believe one of the most effective forms of communication is being aware of the nonverbal cues you display.  Each culture is different in how they perceive certain body cues.  I read a quote recently that was along the lines of we have many different languages across our globe but the one common denominator between all cultures is a smile.