This paper explored intercultural communication competence (ICC) development with special regard to cross-cultural communication pattern contrasts. A qualitative method comprising 40 interviews with Americans living in Sweden and Swedes living in the US was used in order to obtain a nuanced, in-depth, and contextual concept of how immigrants and expatriates undergo the process. Various contrasts in verbal and nonverbal communication patterns between the two cultures appeared. The findings offer insights into how ICC is otherwise elaborated across cultures, and show how the cognitive, affective, and behavioral ICC elements are interconnected and affected by culture-particular aspects.