Customs and Manners
; b2 q* I: ]: @5 }" `0 d Do as the Romans do.
( F/ T; f/ N9 O" C7 D& R Try to follow the custom and you’ll get used to it.+ y6 _7 r2 }+ i2 s' _' U
Making yourself clear is a polite thing to do.
# X1 N k. i- Z It’s always a bit difficult to get things started.% s, |" D; y! f$ g# ?0 j4 ]
Once you get started you’ll find it much easier to do.
8 o( i) ^: k" [; |$ O O( K The safe way to do things is to watch what people do and do the same./ v. M4 ?+ n! x6 t0 m0 B
You just have be westernized, but you’ve got to learn to enjoy our things while you’re here.* i! H. C! f3 _* G4 T
You’ll appreciate our views more when you get to know us better.
% F" V5 M' O* c/ W% l- y& |8 Q You’ve got to make friends if you want to get better acquainted with things here.
# y7 e: E. C b4 s5 F' M( o! r Living in a strange land is always hard at the beginning, but you’ll get over it.
/ ?/ P Q4 s, o+ g4 F You don’t have to go with it, but what you need to do is to understand it.% a- X \ f* k/ f8 g
That’s what makes us Americans
" G' B0 ?* I1 U By our custom it’s not acceptable.
1 I; `; z- z- T. h I think you’ll have to change your habit a little bit.
5 z6 f; h, N/ G+ {! Y- F( N/ N2 y Stick to it ,no matter what people say.
3 m4 S# J/ V) c, Q6 Z4 \1 b1 a# \ You’ll overcome the culture shock in no time.. K% B$ T4 ?4 O/ e7 Q/ K% S
It’ll help you broaden your viewpoints that you live with people from different backgrounds.
: ^! Q# q1 s8 R! J This is what a lot people thought of us Americans when they first come here.* k+ `, N3 [5 t% P$ M
I found people here seem always on the run.
3 T9 S# |, }- Y/ B People have always mistakenly thought we Chinese people lack a sense of time and are slow in response to the outside world. But it’s just not true any more.
# N- Z% |' [5 J6 Y1 E: S: Y Although they’ve tried in every way to make friends with me, it still doesn’t work. I think part of the problem is the language, and part of it the cultural differences.% \1 P5 R1 X, y$ s, M& D |
It’ll help us to understand the problem better.; [' h& Q9 Y" ]1 L/ g6 T9 z
We seldom eat our vegetables raw back home.4 u$ I- B6 } O) F
Is that a Chinese custom?
2 g+ ?& n# i4 ]8 K) F I found your eating habits a bit strange. For example, it amazed me when I first saw you drink milk cold.# r6 K4 D- W9 I5 F' O+ u. t
We still try to keep Chinese customs.
2 m% a$ N5 O; c4 h" R" t We Chinese are friendly, generally speaking.9 x4 M6 h ]6 ~; _9 L
It’s too much Americanized, I’m afraid.# b1 l$ x$ c2 V8 [$ b
We eat a lot of fast food nowadays.
/ E) b' U# O% T" d s5 l8 j. t You don’t have to be very formal when you come to me place.
r7 F& E7 ~8 ^0 O2 O You really don’t have to bring gifts every time you got to a friend’s house. {, H" t! U* u# Y0 W9 ?
The western people do not ask about the ages and salaries of others.
4 P) M. `3 e( ?) r3 V% ^ Ages, salaries and so on are privacy.
6 _" ]8 |. s) z% ~8 q If you ask an American about his religion or marriage, usually won’t get an answer.) o/ q% b2 P! |6 s
Keep in mind you should be in time when you’re invited to dinner.
l/ c r' _9 ?* Z; L You may go with a gift or not.
W; q1 ?$ ]2 u7 @/ k8 q3 V Remember to make an appointment any time you want to call on somebody.
7 d5 y8 ~/ P' `! ] Don’t try to shake hand with a woman unless she puts out her hand first.
; a2 k" v# d# g6 A% z. C You can talk about weather to anybody at any time.; L' t- l0 Z8 J- `5 `, @ P
Weather is a good topic to begin a conversation.# n; X {& ?6 E0 y* A% O g4 F+ h
Americans consider it more friendly to invite a person to one’s home than to take him to a restaurant.# j |2 ^% J, V3 M5 ^
You should arrive at the time you were invited for, or within five or ten minutes after that time.
/ r# J) r! a H* E [ If you are unable to thank the hostess before you leave, it’s a good idea to write her a note of thanks or telephone her the next day.
% ?) K J9 }6 y; ?5 V( j If you’re going to be an overnight or weekend guest, it is customary to bring the hostess a small present.
3 B) Z# c5 g5 ~ k0 f Men usually open doors for women, and women generally walk ahead of men into a room or restaurant.# j# G+ L2 A) f+ \& ^
Usually, if a man asks a woman out to dinner, he will pay for the dinner.- M: m. W: E9 F- ?
Although there is much informality in the United States, it is important not to create a false impression regarding your feelings for another person. 风俗习惯与礼节
9 G/ F0 t" {/ c 入乡随俗。4 P! b1 F& H, P- `
入乡随俗慢慢会习惯的。; K- s# q$ B7 v9 D8 ]' B9 }
有话直说是礼貌的举动。2 D( g8 Z! ~' m6 }1 @
万事开头难。
. m; d' A3 v; G% a 什么事一旦开了头,就会比较容易多了。, h% t7 u+ O6 P- ~: T
最好的方法是,别人怎么做。您也怎么做。
% w5 i5 V: x. @( F- E. S* h8 q 您不必西化,但是在这儿就得学会这儿的生活方式。" X8 W. t" I: w1 g4 p' X4 R
等了解我们以后,您就会更加欣赏我们的观点了。9 X! D* l4 B- O3 F9 i2 F
想要更好的了解这儿的事物,您必须多交朋友。0 U: L+ A! \/ X$ R1 F
在一个陌生的环境里,开始时免不了会不习惯,慢慢就会适应的。( e9 v: Y5 Y* r, w6 ]0 z& N9 K" H
有些事情您不必都学,只须理解就可以了。
1 ^- x5 B0 u2 v! H7 L 这正是我们美国人的特色。
% k# i+ B$ W+ p$ t+ ?% [ k 按照我们的习惯,这是不能接受的。9 z6 b: |0 ]4 K) m" B8 p6 y1 T. B; W
我觉得您得改一改您的习惯才行。
- ?4 Z0 q* N5 c 您干您的,甭管别人怎么说您。5 ?% k7 C/ o3 |3 a: h
您会很快克服文化冲击的。 |