Being Polite from Culture and Culture
Most people want to be polite and behave well around other.Being polite means using knowung how to greet and talk to people. It means using good manners when eating. It knowing how to give receive gift appropriately. Polite bahavior in one country, however, maybe impolite in another part of the world. Travelers need to understand the cultural differences in politeness so that they don't cause embarassment.
For instance, when people meet, they often shake hands. How long should a handshake be? Should you hold the other person's hand gently or firmly? In the United States, people prefer to shake hands firmly for a few seconds. In some Middle Eastern countries, people hold the person's hand gently for a longer time Handshaking varies around the world.
What aboute eye contact? In some countries you show respect when you look someone directly in the eye. In other parts of the world, to look at someone directly is rude. To be respectful, a person lokks down at the ground.
There are also cultural differences in the way people use personal space. When two people are talking, should they stand close together or far apart? Exactly how close should they stand? In North America, for instance, people usually stand about an arm's length aprt during a conversation. However. in some countries in the Middle East and Latin America,people stand closer. It can be awkward if one person likes to stand close and the farther apart.
Three authors wrote a boook Kiss,Bow, or Shake Hands about cultural differences. In their book, they discuss greetings, gift-giving, and time. Around the world cultures have different ideas about giving gift. In the United States, if someone gives you a gift, you should open it while they are with you. that way they can see how happy yo are to receive it. In China, you should open a gift after the person is gone.
Another cultural differences is time. if someone onvites you to dinner at their house at 6 p.m., what time should you get there? Should you arrive early, late, or exactly on time? In Germany, it is important to arrive on time? In Argentin, polite dinner guests usually come 30 to 60 minutes after the time of the invitation. When traveling, remember that each country has a different definition of being on time.
A final area to be careful about is body language, including gestures. Is it acceptable to touch a person on the shoulder? How do you wave goodbye or hello? How do you gesture to someone to "come here"? All of these can be different from one culture to another. In Thailand, it is rude to touch someone on the head with the palm of the hand. The gesture for "come heere" in the U.S. is only used for calling animals in some other countries.
If you are going to live, work, or study in another country, it is important to learn the language. But it is also important to learn about cultural differences. This way, you can be polite and make a good impression. People around you will feel comfortable and respected. Politeness and good mannerse can be good for making friend, good for traveling, and good for business, too