Cultures in other countries

Living abroad does not only require learning a new language, but also adapting to a foreign culture. Each culture have its customs and traditions which can be very different- even shocking- from your own culture.
1. Out that there are many more cultural habits to get used to than just adapting to using chopsticks in China, or burping to express satisfaction after a meal in Arabic countries!
In a country like GERMANY, you will see people knocking on their table rather than clapping to applaud at the end of a master class or a really good meeting.
1. In Beer-land clapping is reserved for theater and concerts! And talking about beer, if you want to respect German customs, don’t forget to clink glasses and say Prost! every single time you start a new beverage.
Have you never noticed how people introduce themselves in SPAIN? Spaniards are well-known for being loud and friendly. If you happen to visit Spain, don’t be surprised if a girl kisses you twice - once on one cheek and once on the other cheek- to introduce herself. It’s the Spanish way of saying “Hello!”
Do you like cheese? If so, when you stay with a French host family make sure to spare some space in your stomach for the dessert. In FRANCE people tend to enjoy a cheese tasting plate accompanied by a good red wine after meals.
1. Oh! And remember: if you are drinking a red wine and want to change to white wine, please don’t pour it in the same glass without cleaning it beforehand, if you don’t want to be the laughingstock of the party.
Italians are very superstitious and for them, nuns and ambulances are associated with death. So if you plan to spend your holidays in ITALY and you bump into one of them, don’t hesitate and bless yourself with the sign of the Cross… Just in case!
Now a little further afield, in RUSSIA you will discover that you receive a light stamp if you accidentally step on someone’s foot. Why? The first thought that will come to your mind is that it’s due to revenge. Far from this, Russians do that to avoid future conflict with this person.
In some ASIAN COUNTRIES such as China, Korea or Japan, a sign of approval and appreciation of someone’s cooking is to slurp the soup loudly - what is considered rude in most western countries.
These are some amazing cultural facts driven by external factors such as religion, idiosyncrasy or even geography, which determine the way people behave. Because…to sum up: we are all human beings, but our lifestyles are exceptionally diverse!
Burping: noisily release air from the stomach through the mouth; belch.
Suffer: experience or be subjected to (something bad or unpleasant).
Laughingstock: a person subjected to general mockery or ridicule.
Hesitate: pause before saying or doing something, especially through uncertainty.
Slurp: eat or drink (something) with a loud sloppy sucking noise.
Foreign: of, from, in, or characteristic of a country or language other than one's own.
Clink: a sharp ringing sound, such as that made when metal or glass are struck.
Themselves: used as the object of a verb or preposition to refer to a group of people or things previously mentioned as the subject of the clause.
superstitious: having or showing a belief in superstitions.
Further: at, to, or by a greater distance (used to indicate the extent to which one thing or person is or becomes distant from another).
In India is usually to see two men walking holding hands. This doesn’t mean that they are in a romantic relationship. This is just a sign of friendship. On the other hand, you will never see a couple expressing their love in public in India.

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Cultures in other countries

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	Creado por Fabian Amed Beleño hace casi 4 años