The world is made up of many different cultures. These cultures have many differences, some of which have to do with manners. Learning about different cultures I have found that what may be normal to one culture may be considered rude to another culture. What may be offensive in one culture may be completely acceptable in another culture. When we become aware of these culture differences, we can avoid hurt feelings, embarrassment, and even arguments.
Growing up in America, I was taught manners. This is, what good manners are considered to my parents and my culture. If I were to burp at the dinner table, my parents would be upset with me and tell me that was bad manners. However, in In China, Taiwan, and much of the Far East, belching is considered a compliment to the chef and a sign that you have eaten well and enjoyed your meal. As a kid, I watched the movie Shrek. After watching this movie, my brothers tried to convinced my mom that burping was completely acceptable. She did not go for it. Maybe if they were to serve a mission in Asia, a burp would have been welcomed at the dinner table.
Have bad breath? Grab some gum to chew.
I always have a pack of gum that looks like this in my purse. Spearmint is my favorite flavor and Wrigley's Extra is my favorite brand. I have even bought this gum in bulk in the past! While I like chewing gum, I do not like to step in gum, see it on the sidewalk, or stuck under a table somewhere because someone is too lazy to go throw it away. I can understand why in Singapore most types of gum have been illegal since 1992 because residents grew tired of scraping the sticky stuff off their sidewalks. It's disgusting! In other parts of the world, chewing gum is even considered vulgar. I would have to leave my chewing gum behind if I were to visit places like Switzerland, and France.
In the culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, it is common to greet one another at church with a hand shake. I usually see the men give nice, firm handshakes to each other. When they greet the women, they tend to lighten up a bit on the firmness, but it is still a firm handshake. As a women, I tend to give a firm handshake. I don't want to seem week or like they are trying to grip a floppy fish. It feels weird to me to shake another persons hand when they do not have a firm handshake.
In much of the East, particularly the Philippines, a firm handshake is seen as a sign of aggression -- just as if you gave any other part of a person's body a hard squeeze!
Learning about the differences in manners around the world can help us avoid problems when we are traveling. Always pay attention to what others do, especially the locals do, if you'd like to avoid embarrassment. Not only is this a good idea to know the manners of others when traveling around the world, it would also be a good idea to understand these differences within the classroom. These difference can include eating manners, speaking manners, or even hand gestures.
Sources:
13 examples-of-good-and-bad-manners-around-the-world.
I have lived in Utah most of my life. You would think that a handshake would not bother me but it does and I do not know why? I find it to be very awkward. I am Navajo from New Mexico and the women very seldom with shake hands. I wonder if my reasoning stems from my culture? That is so interesting that chewing gum is offensive in Switzerland and France. --Marsha Habel
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