Embracing Foreign Culture : An Essential Part Of The Society

Embracing Foreign Culture

Overcoming cultural borders put pressure on me when I first came to America as a ninth grader. Because cultural diversity is an essential part of the society, I want to embrace the difference by keeping the balance between Chinese and American culture. It requires active learning and long-time practice for me to cope with cultural shock and to adapt myself into a new environment. Although the transition can be both exciting and overwhelming, it helps me to have more effective communications because of my exposure to both high context and low context culture.

Raised and grown up in China, I was used to avoid eye contacts and random conversations with strangers. However, the Americans do the opposite. The difference in social behavior shocked me for the first time when I walked into a clothing store four years ago. As I recall, it’s one of the most pleasant customer experiences I ever had from a saleswoman.

Walking down the street, I was enjoying my weekend at the shopping center trying to find some outfits to prepare for the chilly weather in Pennsylvania. I saw two men talked vivaciously outside the coffee shop and a college student passed by me with fast food in his hand. The bus stopped in front of me before I entered the nearest store. Someone, who gestured me to go through, held the door for me as an act of social niceties. As soon as I walked into the store, the sale associate greeted me with a big smile. Learning from bad experiences, I was always on my guard against store employees because it upsets me when they approach me with bland interaction. I was very impressed when the sale associate put great effort into finding the clothes I want and engage me in a friendly and stress free environment...

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.... It’s true that Chinese people tend to express their ideas in an indirect way to avoid potential quarrels. For instance, the educational gap between the students and the professors in China, compared with the one is America, is huge due to the inadequate communication.

Even though the two distinct social structures create a huge cultural gap for newcomers like me, I found that the practice of both communication styles is invaluable. Changing my communication styles for different types of people paves the way for the success of my social activities, and it also helps me to get along with more people. In other words, my experience of living in two countries reshapes my personality and perspectives. In today’s society, blend into other culture in a rewarding experience, which I benefit a lot from because it makes me more well-rounded and more prepared for the future.