The Extended Family
an advantage - a reason that one side or one choice is better
to encourage - to help someone continue with an action
an immigrant - someone who moves in from another country
industrial - having a lot of industries, businesses,factories,etc.
an occasion - a speciai time, such as a holiday
a spouse - husband or wife
traditional - the way people in a culture have acted for many years
widespread - can be found over a very wide area, in many places
the extended family is the king of family traditionally found in Asia, Africa, and Europe: mother, father, their children, the husbands and wives of the children, the grandchildren, and so on. It is understood that when the children get married, they will move into a house nearby and continue to see their parents every day. It is very rare for someone in an extendad family to move away to another place. Usually whole families spend their whole lives in one village.
The Nuclear Family
The nuclear family includes only the mother, father, and children. It has become the usual kind of family in North America, parts of Europe and many industrial countries. The idea is that after the children finish school, they will get a jop and move into a house of their own, This doesn't mean that the children and the parents don't love each other.Grown children still continue to see their parents, and talk to them on the telephone, but may not live near them. Sometimes, when they move very far away (for example, to gat a good job in another city,) they might only visit their parents a faw time every year. Christmas is a common occasion to visit one's family.
It is only in the last one hundred yeais that the custom of the nuclear family became widespread. Most of the immigrants to America, such as those from lrelnd and ltaly, also had the custom of the extended family, and when most Americans made their living as farmers, it was easy for the extendad family to stay together. However, since most people in industrial countries now work for sime kind of business,and since it is so common to a new city to get a good job, now people in yhese countries frequently live only with their own spouses and children.
This system has many advantages. Remember that westerners are usually very independent; they like to do thing for themselves. When their children finish school, they are usually ready to move into a house of their owe. This is true for the parents, also; they want their children to begin making decisions about their own lives. Many people in america would think it's strange for a grown son or daughter to live in the same house as the parents; they might say that the children are too lazy to get a house of their own. There are disadvantages to the nuclear family, too. The main problem occurs when the parents get very old; often the children cannot take responsibility for the parents, and might send them to a special hospital for old people.
These hospitals are called nursing homes. Again, this isn't because the children don't love their parents. They simply don't know how to take care of them, and they want them in a place with nurses who do know how.
How do you feel about nursing homes? Discuss this with the class.
Compare on the topic of taking care of parents when they get old: In english-speaking culture..............but in Thai culture.........
It is not true that children in western countries have complete freedom to make their own decisions. While the children are growing up, parents still make the important decisions about the children's lives, such as what school to go to.
If the children want to go to a party some friends, often the parents will give permission, but the children must ask first. Most parents won't let their children watch scary movies, or let them listen to music that contains bad language. Many teenagers often try to do these things anyway, and also drink beer or smoke cigarettes, but if their parents find out, they will be punished.
Perhapa compared to Thai culture, western children have more freedom, but the parents are still responsible for their children until the age of 18.
Compare on the topic of children having freedom: In both english-speaking culture and Thai culture.........
Older and younger
host-person who invites guests to a party
to obey-to follow,to da as one is told
responsibility - being in charge of something ,being expected to manage something
In Thailand,brothers and sisters treat each other differently according to who is older and who is youger. "Ning." This is ture child, who is called "Pee", gets more respect from the younger meet, they must decide which one is younger, even if it's only by a year , and that person gives greater respect to the older in everything they do together
The system is very different in English-speaking countries. In the family,there is no special respert for the oldest child. Sometimes the youngest children have to obey the oldest, because parents uauslly give the oldest child more reponsibilities, but the children all consider themselves equal.
Outside the family, again there is no special respect for people who are only slightly older. If two people meet , and one is forty-two and the other is forrty-seven,they will consider themselves to be about the same age , and the younger will have no special respect for the older.
In fact, they probably won't know who is older; remember from Chapter Two that people from English-speaking countries won't ask each other personal questions like "How old are you?" In general, foreigners only show special respect for people who are much older: twenty or thirty years older,that is.
It is considered very polite to hold a door open for an older person,or to give an older person the last seat on a bus or tain.However ,in recent years many younger people no longer follow this rule.
Compare on topic of show special respect for someone slightly older: In Enlish-speaking culture.......................................................but in Thai culture................. .......................
Make Yourself at home
Remember from Chapter One that people from English-speaking countries are very independent --they like to do things for themselves. Whenever foreigners are invited to a Thai house, there is sometimes a problem because it is Thai culture for the host to everything for the guests, and it is the foreigners' culture to do everything for themselves The guest might be unhappy that the host is doing everything for them, and the host might think that the guests are not being friendly, because they won't let the host serve them.
Because foreigners like to do everything for themselves, they have a special phrase for people who come to visit in their. The phrase. The phrase is "Make yourself at home." The host who says this is inviting the guests to behave as if they are in their own house.
It is a very friendly thing to say, because it means that the guests can have anything in the house that they want...... as long as they get it themselves. This way the host is happy -- he is being a good host -- and the guests are happy -- no one is treating them like babies, and they can "Help themselves."
Compare on the topic ct a host taking care of his guests: In English-speaking culture.................but in Thai culture............
Dating
The customs of dating, which is men and women spending time together before marriage, are different in every country, but some customs of dating are similar in many to the major English-speaking countries. For many years it has been the custom thet the man invites the woman, but today very often the woman will invite the man usually over the phone, they will agree on a day and time they are both free, and decide to go somewhere they both find interesting movies are very popular places to go for a date, as well as dinner in a restaurant or dancing in a club.
In general, boys and girls dating around the age of fifteen, but insome places they begin even younger than that. they must have their parents' permission, some parents might decide their children are too young to start dating.
After dating for six months to a year. two people may decide to get married, although sometimes they decide after only a few days or weeks. on the other hand, many people have decided that marriage is not important for them. these people might decide not to get married, even they have been dating years.
compare on the topic of dating. In english-speaking culture................................................but in thai culture..............................................
Relationship between Males and Females
ln the western culure, ladies first is widely practiced. ln some situations, because of the changing socias, some women prefer to be treated equally as men. However, if you happen to be a male in the company of a female always practice chivalry, and do not feel offended if a woman tells you she help herself.
when in the company of a lady, always open the door forher and allow her to enter first
when dining with a single female conpanion. pull the chair slightly out from under table allowing her enough spacc to sit Only after she is properly seated should you proceed to sit in your own chair when dining with several female companions stand by your chair and be sented aftcr the females.
when a lady excuses herself from a table ( probably go to the toilet ) and then retuns, or in the case where a female companion is joining you late, syand until the lady has seated herself.
it is always polite to stand when being introduced to someone.
in a bus/train it is always polite to offer your seat to a standing female as well as to elders.
hold a lady's hand to offer assistance if she is to any kind of steep climbing or descending. For example, walking over a very narrow bridge or climbing a trail.
In the English custom, when you first meet a lady, and only if she offers you her hand, usually the right hand (p