Culture Shock

This is a page where I will be sharing with you all of my new discoveries as well as my cultural or social faux pas; those which I am bound to make while I am living and learning in this new culture.  I know that during my stay in Switzerland and during my subsequent travels I will be encountering many aspects of different cultures that are going to be very new to me.  I will be learning so much but I also know I may make unintentional mistakes and so this is a page where I will record these experiences.  So hopefully you will be able to learn and grow with me through it all.  I hope you enjoy these stories and experiences, that they bring a smile to your face, and that they help give you a bigger picture of the fascinating world which God has created.   




#4 -India:
·         Most marriages are arranged
·         People eat with hands (Right hand only! Using the left is offensive)
·         Right hand is used for most everything; Indians avoid using the left hand in relation to people or food in any way. 
·          Drive on the left side of the road
o   I don’t know if I should say they drive on the left exactly.  The driving patterns here are more like a mob of cars driving with an aggressive freestyle approach. 
·         Women dress modestly to the point of being covered, as much as possible, head to toe - even in extreme heat.
·         Men can be seen walking with their arms over each other’s shoulders or even holding hands, women with women as well.  Here it is a sign of friendship; there is nothing questionable about it in any way.
·         Air conditioning is only used in bedrooms
·         Drinks are served warm or hot – never as ice cold
·         Everything (every belonging, every morsel of food, every drink or watter bottle) is seen as communal – everyone shares everything, it is all fare game.
o   Consequently Indians never put their mouth on cups or bottles, they pour every liquid into their mouth
o   Because everything is communal you would even eat a personal snacks or a meal with your right hand only, just in case someone else dips in as well – which they most assuredly will do at some point. 
* You must remove your shoes before entering anyone's house or before entering into a holy place (not expected at church but in other locations). 




#3 - Ireland:

Irish symbols can be a portable way of displaying Irish heritage: [1]
·         The flag of Ireland – perhaps the single most important emblem of the Republic.
·         The shamrock – probably the most recognised of the symbols of Ireland and perhaps the most loved. The little three leafed plant has connections to St Patrick and Catholicism, and is a reminder of the country's green carpet.
·         Hot and dark with a creamy white head. It can only be Irish coffee.
·         The Irish Celtic Cross. A mixture of pagan worship and Christianity comes together in this design.
·         Celtic High Crosses are the giants of the Irish countryside, and impressive remnants of antiquity.
·         The traditional Irish ring – the claddagh ring – symbolises friendship, love and loyalty.
·         The Irish harp – On Irish passports, coins and flags (not to mention the logo of a certain famous brand of stout), the wire-stringed harp is the oldest official emblem of Ireland.
·         The sometimes good, sometimes evil leprechaun – the little fella has associations with the 'other side' and his unpredicatability makes him worthy of respect.


[1] http://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/Irish-symbols.html



Gestures and body language:
 
* Teasing and joking are a big part of the culture.
*  Exaggeration is normal in every day conversation.  This is due to the fact that story plays a big role in the Irish culture
* Loud behavior is considered rude.
* Tipping is rare
* Privacy is important, DO NOT STARE!
* When you first meet someone in both Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland, a firm handshake is appreciated.
* Women sit down first
* it is proper to sit with your legs crossed at the ankles or at the knees; it is informal to cross your ankle over you knee.
* Do not shove in line
* Stand at least an arms distance away when conversing.  But if there is ever any touch it should never linger.
* the "V sign" (Peace sign) - if the back of the hand is facing the peson, it is highly offensive.  Yet even when thefront of the hand is faing forward it may still be offensive.  So it is best to ovoi the sign at all costs, if you musthold up two fingers at any point, do it with both yourpinter finger and your middle finger closed together. 

Greetings and other euphemism:
* How are you? - meaning "Hello"!  You may reply in the same manner or you could simply say"and youself"?
* What's the craic? - meaning. "Any News?" or "Hello"
* Take Care - meaning "Goodbye"
* Sure - this word is ALWAYS interpreted asmeaning "within the realms of possibility" (not yes).
* Yes and No - irish does not have a definite "yes" or "no". The irish people will generaly avoid the definite use of these words at all costs.  Only if pressed will they give a definite answer.  The implication is that the words are always in flux and they are synonymous with the phrase "we'll see".
* Are you okay - means "I am ready to serv you, what would you like (or how can I help you)?
* Deadly - means "very good"!
* Come Here - Listen up
* Any discription of distance, directions, or time - the irish 'mile' is very flexible and time is fluid. 
* Good Man yourself! - A phrase denoting agreement or thanks.
* "A'right?" - This is used as a short form of the greeting "how are you
* Hole in the Wall - an ATM
Soft old day - An irish way to avoid mentioning any kind of bd weather.  Noi matter hard it may ran, it is still a "soft old day".
* take the weight off your legs - an offer to sit down (not a fat joke). : )
   
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#2 - Switzerland:

·       The stable food items here included in basically every Swiss meal are cheese, potatoes, bread, & pasta (or another carbohydrate), and oh yeah did I mention CHEESE.
·       The Swiss hold very quiet conversation (as far as I can tell this applies to Europeans in general) either that or North Americans are just loud. : )
·       The Swiss wear their belts with the belt to the side rather than the front.
·          The Swiss live in an honor based society.  For example in their transportation system, busses and trains, half the time you may never be asked to show your ticket, they trust that you are being honest and buying your ticket and not just hitching a free ride.  So half the time you could get on a train or bus without paying and rarely would you be caught (though when you are you pay a huge fine).  So for the Swiss, honor and trust are high values. 
·       Traditionally the Swiss greet each other by kissing each other’s cheeks three times
·       I’ve noticed that dogs are allowed everywhere
·       Minimum wage in Switzerland is about 22.00 or 23.00 Francs an hour.  So everything in Switzerland is much more expensive than it is in the States.
·       What the Swiss call Lemonade is actually sprite, only it is even more sweet and lemony; very refreshing!  It’s so good!


#1:

Well my first story begins the first night of my DTS.   We had a meal together as a school, and we also share our meal times with the other two schools on the base.  So we were all gathered around different tables and as the meal began, so began my introduction to the Swiss way of life.  Meal time has been a perfect time to glean information and learn all about the different cultures represented on our base and about their ways.  Well during the first meal I learned a bit about Swiss table manners and I also encountered my very first social faux pa in Swiss culture.
I was sitting at a table with my roommates, a staff member, and a Swiss girl.  I was very conscious of my manners and putting forth every effort to show respect for those around me.  I wanted so badly to make sure I was honoring those around me and especially those who were Swiss; after all I am only a guest in their country.  As soon as the meal began, both the Swiss girl and I went for the salad at the same time.  When she offered to serve me, I “politely” allowed her to serve herself first.  I said something like, “oh no thank you I will get some latter, you can go ahead and serve yourself first”.  At this statement her face fell and she quietly turned away and awkwardly served herself.  I was a bit confused at this until the staff member at our table informed me that it is customary in the Swiss culture that you serve others at meal time; and you never serve yourself first.  As this new concept sunk in, I realized in horror that what I had just done was one of the most offensive and rude things I could have said the young lady sitting across from me.  Not only had I rejected her service, but I refused to serve her as well.  I apologized profusely and hoped she understood and immediately began serving everyone else at the table from the remainder of the dishes.
So this was my first major faux pa that I will share with you and in this I hope you can learn with me as I will be learning some lessons the hard way and others by asking and observing.  In both cases I will try to share as many of these experiences with you so that you can learn with me.  : ) 

Some other cultural things I have noticed:
·        The Swiss pronounce my name, Bettina
·        Swiss are big on greetings.  It is polite to always greet people in passing and even when someone is giving a lecture, they first introduce themselves and meet every individual in the room before beginning.
·        At this DTS I have come to really see how beautiful prayer is in many different languages
·        The Swiss number floors in a building differently.  There is the ground floor, the 1st, 2nd, and so forth.  So the top floor of a 3 story building would be called the 2nd floor. 
·        There is Swiss German and there is High German (the language spoken in Germany), there is no written form of Swiss German only High German.
·        Since being here I have noticed that the world is much smaller than I thought it was.
·        The Swiss are very energy conscious
·        The Swiss make their beds differently; with a mattress cover, a fitted sheet on the mattress and then just a duvet to sleep under (no sheets).
·        You pay two francs for a shopping cart at the grocery store and when you return the cart you get your money back
·         Almost everyone here wears a watch in spite of having a cell phone