I am an Asian-American who emigrated to the United States. As you already know, Asia is about Eastern cultures while America and Europe are about Western cultures, and these two have a hugely different point of view when it comes to things such as social problems, behaviors, or consciousness. So when I first came here, it was like a saltwater fish was being transferred to freshwater, and there is only one word needed to describe all of my feelings: “SHOCK.”
School is where I can easily learn new cultures, therefore in my first week of school, many strange and weird and unbelievable things “hit” my eyes. I couldn’t understand how can two people in an opposite sex can hug each other so easily, which is one thing that rarely happened between friends in Vietnam unless they are a couple. Or I couldn’t understand why the teachers let it be when they see two students who are lovers kissing each other at the door of the classroom or in the hallway in front of many other students. That thing probably will not be allowed and be seen in the school area in Vietnam, and students do not even have the courage to do that. Therefore, for the first several weeks of school, I was in the state of exploring, learning, understanding, and accepting. As time passed by, I gradually got familiar with this type of culture. My cognition came to understand that the culture in my country and the culture in this nation are two different things. Everyone has the right to do it publicly; it is one of the normal things and it is their culture. By learning in class and talking to friends, my knowledge about cultures expanded, my perspective changed, and I even started hugging or kissing on the cheek when I met my friends.
Edgar Schein, a Professor Emeritus at the MIT Sloan School of Management, said this: “One of my most important lessons about life has come from recognizing how others from a different culture view things.” I completely agree with him. From learning about different cultures, we are not only exploring and respecting the value of that culture, but also expanding and improving our knowledge and changing the way we view the world. Moreover, this perception will become one of the most important tools that help you deal with racial discrimination in the workplace. One more interesting thing is, when you know one different culture, you are more likely to want to be more receptive to new amazing cultures on this beautiful planet. Furthermore, being exposed to other cultures can enhance your verbal fluency, intelligence, and awareness. Hence, the more you interact with people from different cultures, the more you value and respect them. Some fun and amusing things about cultures that I learned from a website are, for example, avoiding bringing wine to a dinner in France. France was the home of authentic wine, so if you are bringing wine to a party or a dinner, you are implying that the wine they offer is not good enough. Another example, and this is my favorite one, is do not fill your own glass when drinking with a group of people. This is considered disrespectful, narcissistic, greedy, and even anti-social in Japan. Instead, you have to pour the drink on other people’s glasses first. After that, others who are seated close to you will refill your glass from their bottle. You can only drink after your entire group received their drinks and offered a “kanpai”, which is “cheers”. Interested, right?!
In conclusion, there are more than 3,800 different cultures in this world, and all of those make up a great cultural diversity that has been preserved and developed from generation to generation. Every single culture that exists has something interesting for us to learn about. Each of them has their own values, beliefs, and traditions. So, keep an open mind and a respectful manner when exposed to one other culture. Finally, try to ask yourself: “Do I really understand my own culture?”, “What do I notice when hearing and learning a new culture?”, and “Did my perspective change to a more positive or negative way when opening my mind to a new culture?”
I’m really interested in exploring and learning about cultures, their diversity and the histories behind that. Every nation has their own significant cultures that give me a valuable and respectful sense; and knowing the myths and histories behind it catch my whole attention as well. Therefore, choosing and writing about this amazing topic gave me a chance to do some research and expand my knowledge. Through this essay, I want to give the readers a positive perspective when we are exposed to new cultures. Some people might think “Oh, this is weird!” or “ How ridiculous this culture is!” and many more negative opinions keep coming up in their mind. I did. That’s how I thought when I first came to the United States. But after a period of time, my cognition has changed and now I am even eager to talk more about cultures with my friends. Thus, I just want every single reader who reads this article to know that: You have your own cultures and others have their own cultures, too. You respect and value your cultures, so others do. Hence, think positive and keep an open mind to the world when you uncover new cultures or living in a new country with different cultures. Then, you will view the world with a more beautiful eye.