Customs and Manners; x r: ] a3 N7 q
Do as the Romans do.
/ V+ ]4 M0 P% x% A8 \2 A- ~ Try to follow the custom and you’ll get used to it.
. E) p% [2 _& H+ a. T; X Making yourself clear is a polite thing to do.
) m) |, C0 q: G3 r4 t It’s always a bit difficult to get things started.
7 G" @2 `) E. i Once you get started you’ll find it much easier to do.
9 Y5 R" V+ B6 J6 x& H$ o3 ^. n The safe way to do things is to watch what people do and do the same.
) n4 y! T# o/ e9 ?) n You just have be westernized, but you’ve got to learn to enjoy our things while you’re here.
5 i+ y* H; n9 }/ s3 W r You’ll appreciate our views more when you get to know us better.
+ P ^4 o3 W8 D/ B You’ve got to make friends if you want to get better acquainted with things here.4 u* O$ H. X: \; G: u
Living in a strange land is always hard at the beginning, but you’ll get over it., U7 A* Z! R4 L* O/ g# p
You don’t have to go with it, but what you need to do is to understand it.8 s0 [0 k- J5 L" d2 E
That’s what makes us Americans, r* ]% n7 K3 p; F
By our custom it’s not acceptable.
) R2 Z' N6 ^- x2 A. c* G I think you’ll have to change your habit a little bit.
6 b+ W" P# p3 {$ W# B3 b) c7 c Stick to it ,no matter what people say.( B$ E- E& Q2 Z+ _ A0 y! @
You’ll overcome the culture shock in no time.( G0 o% ]7 m7 N e _, G
It’ll help you broaden your viewpoints that you live with people from different backgrounds.. T+ N U+ ?; \9 J2 @! j- r& {
This is what a lot people thought of us Americans when they first come here.
' |/ w+ n' k% w$ X u) H3 ^$ p, F- L I found people here seem always on the run.
! P2 {( @2 z- X. A" u' [ 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.* r9 k- V, s4 F* U `, l3 ~( N
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.
: Q' M# O r$ D8 g+ t( E3 {1 j It’ll help us to understand the problem better.1 O8 y" e+ _! d% y- j0 ]
We seldom eat our vegetables raw back home.4 ]5 `; n, S! l9 I# X
Is that a Chinese custom?" v$ d6 Z. C& h! y( l* Q3 v
I found your eating habits a bit strange. For example, it amazed me when I first saw you drink milk cold.
' g' t7 |. o) D We still try to keep Chinese customs.7 ?1 }' w; G3 `4 r2 p
We Chinese are friendly, generally speaking.
+ {. R( R4 E8 I( S7 ] It’s too much Americanized, I’m afraid.2 c, N g3 P' r
We eat a lot of fast food nowadays.
# c: l& {& O3 j/ u9 E6 h+ q" Q You don’t have to be very formal when you come to me place.
g* d0 T) n! H You really don’t have to bring gifts every time you got to a friend’s house.
- I T7 @+ j, j+ N. h1 X8 X/ \+ r. h The western people do not ask about the ages and salaries of others.8 X1 ~, l; ^9 W6 F- X: m' o
Ages, salaries and so on are privacy.9 V Q2 R" @8 \) o4 i
If you ask an American about his religion or marriage, usually won’t get an answer.. n, f& l: p$ a7 N6 [5 t
Keep in mind you should be in time when you’re invited to dinner.( c% J# `) A# {' m, P7 m4 m* l) \( Z
You may go with a gift or not.8 E% s# U- c1 o3 }4 [& x+ K
Remember to make an appointment any time you want to call on somebody.! J+ o1 ]) d' W% d c8 |
Don’t try to shake hand with a woman unless she puts out her hand first.
6 I6 s0 C; w! b, J You can talk about weather to anybody at any time.# l" n1 q$ {) y% M
Weather is a good topic to begin a conversation.
5 _4 g$ H$ S: ?, K' s3 f6 J Americans consider it more friendly to invite a person to one’s home than to take him to a restaurant.+ i9 I4 P- a8 D; I2 i: C
You should arrive at the time you were invited for, or within five or ten minutes after that time.
( q# s( r& g0 r8 { 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.
" q8 p, C0 M1 |- j6 C: [ If you’re going to be an overnight or weekend guest, it is customary to bring the hostess a small present.+ x" r7 B5 K$ C$ ` S; |
Men usually open doors for women, and women generally walk ahead of men into a room or restaurant.
, ^2 X7 R0 ?; b2 h. n Usually, if a man asks a woman out to dinner, he will pay for the dinner.' N" m7 ^3 @6 ?, {
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% m4 u1 ~" d2 J4 H6 N8 W
入乡随俗。
1 Z4 R- @0 m( Z4 o1 M$ }, Q 入乡随俗慢慢会习惯的。
6 o3 l q% A4 I& D4 ?6 b 有话直说是礼貌的举动。* h; [9 a' C- H2 \6 Z
万事开头难。" n$ i; z0 G. O, f/ j
什么事一旦开了头,就会比较容易多了。
1 ]: ^: o) ^5 b. u( l 最好的方法是,别人怎么做。您也怎么做。
+ O* O, Z8 F+ J% o6 f 您不必西化,但是在这儿就得学会这儿的生活方式。
! ^3 J! C+ G/ ]! x8 E 等了解我们以后,您就会更加欣赏我们的观点了。
* w1 ^7 `5 W* j& K7 w g- m" g 想要更好的了解这儿的事物,您必须多交朋友。
) F2 |% N6 ]' _5 R# K& l 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。
6 d4 U) {( Y# ^ 有些事情您不必都学,只须理解就可以了。
* }8 }4 }7 @' ]8 f 这正是我们美国人的特色。* v$ m2 g0 a6 m+ N* B
按照我们的习惯,这是不能接受的。" o8 |: J( d1 p3 a( V
我觉得您得改一改您的习惯才行。1 u6 N2 Z4 b7 O' g+ R3 Q
您干您的,甭管别人怎么说您。
0 m/ ~0 e2 y9 i8 x$ I* G; Z2 _ 您会很快克服文化冲击的。 |