During my five-month study abroad in England, I swam breathlessly through the different stages of culture shock. From the six cups of tea a day, to the bewildering northern-English accent, to the cars driving on the left side, the struggle to fit in was disorienting.
However, my life across the pond soon lead me to question my acceptance of American culture. So I posted a question online asking what culture differences people experienced when coming to America.
The responses were more than enlightening in that they caused me to question the normalcy of my country's way of life.
Luke Wildman, a missionary kid from Nigeria, grew up reading, watching, and hearing things about the U.S., yet as an adult when he came to the U.S. his secondhand sources seemed to be falsified.
Daily habits of life, such as grocery shopping or getting fast food, were frightening. The fast-paced atmosphere was both overwhelming and distasteful.
He also commented on the difference of respect. “In Nigeria, you don't use adults' first names. You call them Auntie or Uncle. You don't look people in the eyes, which sometimes appears rude to Americans." Wildman said he had to learn eye-contact edict to seem friendly.
Similar differences regarding respect appeared in the life of Yuna Seo, who grew up in Japan. “Gestures in the U.S. are a non-verbal communication that I found different from my culture. For example, the Okay sign in the U.S. implies the meaning of money (In Japan). I am still frightened sometimes when my American friends make Okay signs, because it seems that they are in need of money or asking money from me.”
Seo also mentioned the odd use of silence in American culture. “Speech is more valued than silence in the U.S., but not in Japan. It is deemed selfish behavior to say answers or opinions before other students finish their works, and a rude action against teachers. Sometimes, keeping silent makes one to seem wise and considerate.”
Christen Hansel, a former missionary to Bahrain, explained that Americans are too busy to come together and share a meal or have spontaneous conversations outside of organized events. For Hansel it was difficult to feel a sense of community in American culture.
“Our first year back, our daughter, who had never lived in America, had a number of significant adjustments,” Hansel said “Clothing differences (coming from the Middle East!), Public Displays of Affection, and things like putting your feet up in public. She also made a comment after she had been getting to know some American kids: ‘Americans don't listen, and they don't keep secrets.’"
Elizabeth Syson, who grew up in Panama, noted the difference in expressions of greeting. “‘How are you’ is a statement here, not a conversation starter, and everything in business settings is very brusque and impersonal. Also people care if you're late to stuff.”
These responses are mere soundbites of the elements in American culture that shock foreigners. Yet, do these remarks not cause us to question the culture we know so well? Do they not challenge us to rethink what we deem the “right way of living”?
During my time in England, I talked to the locals and it gave them a chance to explain some of the confusing differences, but also gave me a chance to express my frustrations.
Much of what people said in response to my question about American culture relates to our individualistic mindset: Time, Respect, and Busyness. It seems that ever since the industrial revolution, the U.S. has been racing at a nonstop pace to become today's superpower.
Though we as the people of the United States are proud of our heritage, it may be beneficial to reflect on the voices of new immigrants and people who have spent a significant amount of time overseas. Let us analyze, discover, and question our cultural differences with foreigners, rethinking our way of life and learning to judge it more subjectively.
