<p>After hearing that I was going to America at a family gathering today, an uncle of mine told me many things about the cultural shock that he encountered when he first arrived in America himself. I think it would be extremely helpful if we, especially those of us who have already arrived in America, could share with one another some pointers on cultural differences to expect.</p>
<p>For example, in my country we don't normally clear our trays at fast-food restaurants, but my uncle was chided when he didn't do so in America. Americans consider it gracious and considerate to do so, while we in my country think that well, we paid good money - why do the work for the restaurant?</p>
<p>Then there was another thing about toilet seat covers. I should not go into detail about my uncle's experience, but in my country people lift the seat cover up - a covered toilet seat is pretty ominous and suggests that someone left a pretty big and smelly mess in the toilet. In America, toilet seats should always be covered. :)</p>
<p>America is not as socially conservative as most parts of Asia. Couples can be seen holding hands and occasionally kissing in public. Especially in the cities, homosexuality is partially accepted. Americans are more friendly and open to strangers than Asians, but much less than Latin Americans and southern Europeans. Sports are big, but unlike in most other countries, soccer is not dominant. (American) football is. The student-teacher relationship is different. Here in America, the teacher is not the big boss who all students must bow down to. She or he is more of a guide in learning who can show a bit of camaraderie with the students. Punishments by teachers and parents are not as harsh as in Asia, corporal punishment is not as accepted here. Bathrooms don’t have bidets like some parts of Europe. When you go to a restaurant it is expected for you to give at least 15-20% in tips, and up to 25% if the service is really good. Except in New York City and the downtowns of older U.S. cities, most people drive to work/school, or to buy groceries. Few people walk or bike, and the public transit system in most cities is poor. There is only a limited service passenger train system except in the Northeast of the U.S. Unlike in Europe, the poor people generally live in the inner-city, and the rich people live outside the city.</p>
<p>Tipping etiquette is a really big deal because in a few occupations people work exclusively for tips. Tip waiters, taxi drivers, hair dressers, food deliverers, bellhops, room service and maids. Appropriate are 15-20% of the bill (before taxes), $1-$2 per bag for the bellperson, $3-$5 per night for the maid.</p>
<p>When you get here, please, please, please, take advantage of every single kind of orientation offered by the international student office! Even if the administrators in that office turn out to be useless, the contacts that you make with other international students can be very useful in helping you weather the constant blows of culture shock. Ask the international student office personnel if they have any handbooks on US culture for you to read. Many of them do.</p>
<p>My personal favorite, although it is written more for the US resident going abroad, is: The Art of Crossing Cultures, by Craig Storti. </p>
<p>Wishing you, one and all, a successful sojourn in the US.</p>
<p>As an American who’s always lived in America, I may not be the best person to point out differences. Nevertheless, here are some things that strike me as – if not unique – at least different. Of course, coming from France (very Western) would be very different than coming from China (not all that Western). </p>
<p>Sarcasm in conversation – it’s usually meant to be funny, not mean.</p>
<p>Showing interest in a particular person of the opposite sex (or of the same sex, if that’s your thing) – standard, routine, allowed.</p>
<p>Having members of the opposite sex as friends is absolutely routine.</p>
<p>Living in the dorm with members of the opposite sex on the same floor and being totally casual with it – to the point of walking to the bathroom just wrapped in a towel – is pretty standard.</p>
<p>Life is all about being flexible and adapting to different situations. As a macalester student put it, “There’s no better path to self-discovery than escaping your comfort zone. And the best way to truly know something is to experience it for yourself.” Yes, there’ll be some umpleasant times due to difference in culture. But, it is a part of the packet called “US Education”. </p>
<p>Studying abroad also means learning about new cultuire and new way of living. I am geared up for my US experience.</p>
<p>In almost all US colleges and universities, the professors want you to think for yourself and offer differing opinions. You are not supposed to swallow everything they saw and regurgitate it back on a final, but you should think for yourself.</p>
<p>This may be an odd question but I wanted to ask this for a long time and this thread seems to be the perfect place.
In Switzerland, it’s common to give each other three kisses on the cheek (left-right-left) to say hello (i.e if it’s woman-woman or man-woman; man-man is usually just a handshake). This is no sign of sexual attraction at all, it’s just the way to say hello and when I get introduced to a woman she would probably feel pretty weird if I just gave her my hand.</p>
<p>How does this work in America? Is it just a handshake even if you meet each other on a very casual occasion (date, party, etc.)?</p>
<p>if you hv known the girl or she’s your friend,well,little cheek kiss is fine,
but dont do that to someone that you just meet..
ive a teacher from albania,he said he did that 3 kisses too there,even with guys, but since he came here,he learnt that he shouldn’t do that,(people started to think he’s gay,)</p>
<p>When you are introduced to new people, you just say “nice to meet you”. There is usually no physical contact of any sort - no kisses, no hugs, no handshake (unless you are at a business meeting).</p>
<p>There is a “handshake” which friends sometimes use to greet each other, somewhere in between a “European handshake” and a “high 5”. (I hope you can picture it because I have no idea how it’s called.) If you have not met someone in a while you can hug them, guys and girls alike. Don’t try to kiss someone on the cheek unless you know she would be comfortable with it - a kiss can be interpreted as sexual assault.</p>
<p>screwitlah wrote: ^ not necessarily. TV shows don’t focus a lot on the very small and unexciting but still important details in American life.</p>
<p>When you get here, you are going to be surprised at what the TV shows and movies got right, what they got wrong, and what they didn’t cover at all that is absolutely necessary for your survival. Back in the '80s when my not-yet-husband arrived at Cornell in the dead of winter (from a tropical country no less) to start his graduate program, he was amazed by the COLD, the unpronounceable spellings (how would you pronounce Schuyler?), and the fact that many of the cute girls in his dorm got up early on Sundays to go to church. It did not remotely resemble “Animal House”, “Roller Boogie”, or “Dallas”. He’s still getting over the shock all these years later…</p>
<p>Many Americans feel uncomfortable discussing politics or religion with new aquaintances, while in some countries these topics are used to get to know new people.</p>