PART ONE
A useful way to understand a culture is by examining the expressions people use in everyday conversation. These common expressions, after all, reflect what most people in a given society believe in or value.
1. Talk is cheap.
2. Put your money where your mouth is.
3. He's all talk and no action.
Value/belief: It's easy to talk about something but harder to actually do it.
4. She's always beating around the bush.
5. Tell it like it is.
6. Straight talk, straight answer, straight shooter: that's what we need.
Value/belief: Straight Forward
7. She did something with her life.
8. Nice guys finish last.
Value/belief: Accomplishment
9. Every cloud has a silver lining.
10. Look on the bright side.
11. Tomorrow is another day.
Value/belief: Optimism
12. Where there's a will there's a way.
Value/belief: self-determination
13. Stand on your own two feet.
Value/belief: Independence
14. Don't judge a book by its cover.
15. All that glitters isn't gold.
Value/belief: don´t judge by appearances
16. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Value/belief: risk taking
PART TWO
Just as expressions common in the U.S. reveal aspects of the national culture, so do host country expressions reveal certain host country values or beliefs.
Using a host country informant or a PCV who knows the local culture well, try to come up with at least five common host country expressions, and then identify the cultural belief behind them. You may use proverbs, if you like, but in many cases, you may find that the same proverb exists in one form or another in many cultures, so that the value it reveals is probably universal and not specific to your host country.
1.A friend in need is a friend indeed
Value/Belief: someone who helps you when you are in need is a true friend'
2.A good man is hard to find
Value/Belief: the difficulty of finding a suitable male partner
3. A leopard cannot change its spots.
Value/Belief: The notion that things cannot change their natural course.
4.A picture is worth a thousand words
Value/Belief: A picture tells a story just as well as a large amount of descriptive text.
5.All that glitters is not gold
Value/Belief: A showy article may not necessarily be valuable.
6.Better late than never
Value/Belief: To arrive or do something later than expected is not good, but it is better than not at all.
Thirteen Cultural Categories:
American and Host Country Views Compared
This activity looks at 13 categories or aspects of culture and compare the typical American position on these matters with that of your host country.
In each case, the American view has been summarized and illustrated for you, and it is your task to get together with an informant, either a host country national or someone else who knows the host culture well, and try to construct the host country position. You may, if you wish, do this activity with another trainee. After you have made notes on or constructed the host country position, try to get together with other trainees in your group and compare observations.
1. ATTITUDE TOWARDS AGE
• Emphasize physical beauty and youth.
• Fire older people to hire younger people for less money.
• Judge a worker's worth based on production, not seniority.
American View: The American emphasis on concrete achievements and "doing" means that age is not highly valued, for the older you are the less you can accomplish. Age is also suspect because new is usually better in American culture, and the elderly are generally out of touch with what's new.
Host Country View:
In Costa Rica is almost the same. Unfortunately, nowadays, companies or the society focus in the young community so they have better opportunities than the elder people because we think they can be more productive and can be easier to sell something or persuade somebody base on looks, while the senior citizens are step aside thinking they are not good to anybody.
2. CONCEPT OF FATE AND DESTINY
• You can be whatever you want to be.
• Where there's a will there's a way.
• The American dream is rags-to-riches.
American View: The concept of self-determination negates much of the influence of fate and destiny. Parents tell their children they can be whatever they want to be when they grow up. There are few givens in life, and people have little sense of external limits. Lack of success is their own fault.
Host Country View:
In Costa Rica is a bit different, sometimes parents can encourage their children to do whatever they want to be in life, but external limits such as economic limitations or jobs or academic’s opportunities can postpone people’s success.
3. VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE
• Courts consider a person innocent until he/she is proven guilty.
• People should be given the benefit of the doubt.
• If left alone, people will do the right thing.
• We need to discover how a vicious killer "went wrong."
American View: People are considered basically and inherently good. If someone does an evil deed, we look for the explanation, for the reason why the person turned bad. People can and should be trusted; and we are fairly open to strangers, and willing to accept them.
Host Country View:
Actually in Costa Rica is almost the same, when someone does a bad thing , right away we are looking for any kind of logical explanation of why he/she did it. Also is not that common to trust to somebody we barely know, we most of the time, think people left alone will do not the right thing, but the bad thing.
4. ATTITUDE TOWARDS CHANGE
• New is better.
• A better way can always be found; things can always be improved upon.
• Just because we've always done it that way doesn't make it right.
American View: Change is considered positive, probably because Americans believe in the march of progress and the pursuit of perfection. Improvements will always move us closer and closer to perfection. Traditions can be a guide, but they are not inherently superior.
Host Country View:
Costa Ricans most of the time feel scare when there is a change. People like to stay the same without any progression because it feels safer than something unknown.
5. Attitude Towards Taking Risks
• A low level of personal savings is typical.
• You can always start over.
• Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
• A high level of personal bankruptcies is common.
American View: There will always be enough opportunity to go around, so taking risks, involves no real danger. For the truly ambitious, failure is only temporary. Experimentation, trial and error are important ways to learn or to improve your product or service.
Host Country View:
People here, don´t take much of chances of any adventure to see if they make or not. They stick most of the time with what they already know.
6. CONCEPT OF SUFFERING AND MISFORTUNE
• People rush to cheer up a friend who's depressed.
• If you're unhappy, take a pill or see a psychiatrist.
• Be happy.
American View: Because we are ultimately in control of our lives and destiny, we have no excuse for unhappiness or misfortune. If you are suffering or unhappy, then just do whatever it takes to be happy again. If you're depressed, it's because you have chosen to be.
Host Country View:
Costa Ricans try to blame somebody for its misfortunes if they don’t have control over its lives having self-pity and not changing anything about it.
7. CONCEPT OF FACE
• It's important to tell it like it is, be straight with people.
• Confrontation is sometimes necessary to clear the air.
• Honesty is the best policy
American View: In individualist cultures, no premium is put on saving face because people can take care of themselves. What other people think is not so crucial to survival or success. We can say what we think without worrying about hurting people's feelings, and we likewise appreciate directness.
Host Country View:
In Costa Rica, we often try to be sutil with others and not so straight forward because we think it might be rude to treat someone like that.
8. Source of Self Esteem/Self Worth
• People judge you by how much money you make.
• First question at a party is, "What do you do?"
• Material possessions are a measure of success.
American View: In an individualist culture, you are what you've achieved; that is, you create your own worth rather than receiving it by virtue of birth, position, seniority, or longevity. Your self-esteem comes from what you have done to earn self-esteem.
Host Country View:
Here, we think is very impolite to ask those kind of questions. Perhaps by the time we know that person well we might ask them. People pay more attention when they know what achievements that person has had during his/her life.
9. Concept of Equality
• People try to treat everyone the same.
• While jogging, the President stops at McDonald's for morning coffee.
• Putting on airs is frowned upon.
American View: In a strong reaction to the repressive class structure in Europe, Americans created a culture virtually built around egalitarianism: the notion that no one is superior to anyone else because of birth, power, fame, or wealth. We are not all the same, but we are all of equal value.
Host Country View:
My family had thought me everybody needs to be treat it the same way you want to be treat it. Everyone, no matter what they are, we are not superior or inferior in any aspects.
10. Attitude towards Formality
• Telling someone to help themselves to what's in the refrigerator is common.
• Using first names with people you've just met is fine.
• Using titles like "Dr". for someone with a Ph.D is presumptuous.
American View: Because of the strong egalitarian ethos, Americans tend to be casual and informal in social and professional interactions. Informality is also more necessary in a mobile society where people are always meeting new people. We do not stand on ceremony, nor use titles or rank in addressing each other.
Host Country View:
In depends on the situation we use or not the formalities. If we are addressing to the president, doctors, bosses, or any job, school related circumstances we are often are formal, otherwise when talking to friends, family is the other way around.
11. Degree of Realism
• Things will get better.
• Bad things happen for a reason.
• It can't get any worse.
• Tag line of fairy tales: "They lived happily ever after."
American View: Largely because of the notion that the individual is in control, Americans are generally optimistic. We don't see things the way they are, but as better than they are, particularly if they're not so good. We feel it's important to be positive and that there is no reason to be.
Host Country View:
We often are positive with the situations we are dealing with, for example, believing in a higher holy power (god almighty) in order to help us in certain life events, but if at end it does not change like we wanted, we think it was not meant to be or because God did not want to.
12. Attitude Towards Doing
• Doing is preferred over talking.
• The absentminded professor, the ivory tower reflects anti-intellectualism.
• Be practical.
• Arts are an adornment of life but not central to it.
American View Individuals survive because they get things done, generally on their own. Words and talk are suspect and cheap; they don't put food on the table or a roof over your head. Pursuits not directly related to the creation of concrete results, e.g., academia, the arts, are less highly valued. What is practical and pragmatic is favored over what is beautiful and inspiring.
Host Country View:
Unfortunately, Costa Ricans tend to wait around until the end do get things done or even worse somebody else do it for them without any effort.
13. View of the Natural World
• Building dams to control rivers.
• Seeding clouds to produce rain.
• Erecting earthquake-proof buildings.
• Spending billions annually on weather prediction.
American View: The natural world is a kind of mechanism or machine that can be studied and known and whose workings can be predicted, manipulated, and ultimately controlled. It is not to be feared.
Host Country View:
We as a society need to be more aware about our actions in a long term regarding wherever we bad things we do, is going to have consequences at the end.
Thinking About My Job
In the previous exercise, you discovered a number of differences in the way American and host country people view certain key topics. These differences are bound to show up now and again as you go about working at your Peace Corps assignment. Below are five of the categories from the previous exercise, with examples of typical work-related problems.
Read each incident and note what you would do.
1. Attitude towards Age
The American emphasis on achievements and doing means that age is to be feared and not respected; the older you are, the less you can do or contribute to society. Age is also suspect because new is usually better in American culture, and the elderly are generally out of touch with what is new.
Suppose you're a technical expert in crop rotation assigned to a co-op of village farmers. You discover they do not consult you or even pay much attention to you because they think you're too young to know what you're doing.
My Response: I would call for a meeting to ask them why they did not take my orders in the first place. I would listen to them carefully and try to be open to if they want to contribute with more ideas if they have a better solution but always working as a whole team setting standards rules as respectful authority.
2. Attitude Towards Change
Change is considered positive, probably because Americans believe in the march of progress and the perfectibility of man. Improvements will always move us closer and closer to perfection. Traditions can be a guide, but they are not inherently superior.
You want to introduce a new teaching technique to your colleagues. It is a faster and more efficient way of presenting certain concepts. When you approach them, they respond: "This is the way we have always been taught." You say, "But this is faster and more efficient." They say, "No doubt."
My Response: first at all, if they say no, I would try to do some exercises or setting some examples so they will be able to realize my approach and then be able to discuss the advantages it has.
3. Concept of Equality
In a strong reaction to the repressive class structure in Europe, Americans created a culture built around egalitarianism: the notion that no one is inherently superior to anyone else because of birth, power, fame, or wealth. We are not all the same, but we are all of equal value.
It has turned cold the last few days and you feel sorry for the tea-boy who is stationed just outside the entrance to your building. He doesn't seem to have any warm clothes and huddles over his charcoal fire to keep warm. You approach your boss and ask if you can tell the boy to move into the hallway out of the cold. "Certainly not," he replies. "This building is for faculty, not tea boys."
My Response: if my boss said no, I try to figure something else out, such as invite him myself to move to another warm place for a drink, food, etc.
4. Attitude Towards Taking Risks
There will always be enough opportunity to go around, so taking risks involves no real danger. For the truly ambitious, failure is only temporary. Experimentation, trial and error are important ways to learn or to improve your product or service.
You want to try a new way of filtering drinking water for the village. The environmental engineer asks you if this technique has been tried anywhere else in the country, to which you answer, "No. "And what if we fail?" he asks you. "Then we go back to the old way," you respond. "And what happens to my job?" he replies.
My Response: sometimes in order to win, we need to take our chances, so I would tell him, if something wrong happens I would take the whole responsibility so you will not get affected somehow in your job.
5. View of the Natural World
The natural world is a kind of mechanism or machine that can be studied and known and whose workings can be predicted, manipulated, and ultimately controlled. It is not to be feared.
Books need to be ordered now to arrive in time for the start of classes in the fall. You go to the head librarian to put in your request, and she asks you how you know how many students you're going to have. You don't know of course, but you're projecting, based on previous class size. "It's better to wait," she says, "so we don't waste money buying extra books." You know that if you don't order now, you'll have to teach for several weeks without the books while you wait for them to arrive.
My Response: Basically I would tell her based on my experience I know in general the numbers of students are almost the same, so at least I would order certain books in order not to fall behind with my class.
Sources of American Culture
In this exercise, you look behind some of the American values you have identified thus far, trying to understand where they come from. While it is useful to know what it is Americans value and believe in, it is also helpful to know why they believe what they do-to understand that our values and beliefs are a result of our national experience. Once you understand this fact about your own country's culture, you can begin to appreciate that it must be true of your host country as well.
Below are four defining features of the people who came to the United States, followed by a numbered list of American traits, many of which you have come across earlier in this chapter.
Place the number of the trait in the space beneath the defining feature/s you feel is the likely source of or reason behind the trait. An example from the list of traits is given for each of them.
Defining Features
PROTESTANTISM
A strong work ethic-work is intrinsically good-and the notion of predestination, that salvation is apparent through worldly success.
6. The cult of celebrities; biographies of the rich and famous.
11. Emphasis on Achievement
AMERICAN GEOGRAPHY
The frontier, unlimited resources and opportunity, isolation, sparse population, distance from Europe.
1. Limited sense of fatalism, of accepting things as they are.
3. Historic low level of savings
ESCAPE FROM OPPRESSION
From religious and economic repression and rigid class system and social stratification.
2. Tolerance for differences.
16. Egalitarianism
THE NATURE OF THE AMERICAN IMMIGRANT
Out of the mainstream in home country, dissatisfied with lot in life, willing to take risks, adventuresome.
7. Little fear of failure.
14. Idea of a second chance, of starting over
Traits
1. Limited sense of fatalism, of accepting things as they are
2. Tolerance for differences
3. Historic low level of savings
4. Self-reliance
5. A president, not a king
6. Informality: "Call me Bob."
7. The cult of celebrities; biographies of the rich and famous
8. Little fear of failure
9. Modest limits on immigration
10. Acceptance of criticism or disagreement with the boss or authority figures
11. Emphasis on achievement
12. Checks and balances in the U.S.Constitution
13. Identification with work or job
14. Idea of a second chance, of starting over
15. Minimal supervision from bosses
16. Egalitarianism
17. Virtue of change, of newness
18. Rags to riches syndrome: the self-made man or woman
19. Waste: the disposable society; little conservation of resources
20. Frequent job and career changes
21. Big cars, big houses, sprawling malls
22. Desire to be own boss, self-employed
23. Optimism
24. Mobile society; frequency with which people move
How Non-Americans See Americans
Part One
In this two-part activity, you look at how Americans are perceived by people from other cultures. Knowing how we come across can be helpful in understanding why foreigners react to us the way they sometimes do.
Newsweek magazine showed the list of qualities given below to people in six countries-- Brazil, France, Great Britain, Japan, Mexico, and West Germany--and asked them to pick those they associated most and least with Americans.
What do you think were the four qualities most associated with Americans?
Rude, greedy, Self-Indulgent, nationalistic
What do you think were the four qualities least associated with Americans?
Honest, friendly, Intelligent, Sophisticated
(Decisive, Energetic, Honest, Industrious Sexy Self-Indulgent, Sophisticated Intelligent, friendly, Greedy Nationalistic, Inventive, Lazy, Rude)
How Non-Americans See Americans
Part Two
In the second part of this activity, you need to get together with a host country national or a PCV to stand in as HCN and ask this person which of the qualities from Part One he/she associates most and least with Americans. Write the answers in the spaces provided below. Then ask your informant why he/she selected those particular qualities.
What qualities do you associate most with Americans?
Greedy, rude, Self-Indulgent, nationalistic
What qualities do you associate least with Americans?
Sexy, intelligent, friendly, sophisticated
Learning About America
Living in another culture can make you more aware of your own culture.
In the space below, name two or three characteristics of American life or of Americans that you did not realize before you came here. How did you come to these realizations?
I think before going to the United States, I though Americans were unhealthy, racists and very shallow people. Being there made me realized not everybody is like those characteristics I thought they would be. I based them trough what I used to listen from other people, watching TV, reading the news, etc. Based on that we only will have a tiny part of what any culture is really about. If you want to get to know better the target culture you need to live and be surrounded by it every day, interacting with that target culture, otherwise you will always have prejudice over any culture that is not yours.
Now What?
Diversity Critical Incidents
Trainees and Volunteers who come from minority or distinctive populations in the United States are often faced with special issues in the Peace Corps. Some of these issues are illustrated in the incidents presented below.
After reading each incident, describe what you would do if you had this experience, or what you would advise if it happened to someone you knew who came to you for help.
Come With Us
You are a strong Christian whose religious beliefs are an essential part of your identity. You have been posted in a country with an entirely different religious tradition. Recently, some of your closest friends at work have been pressuring you to attend one of their religious services and asking you if you would like to learn more about their religion. You have politely declined their invitations and would, in fact, feel uncomfortable attending one of these events. Now, one of these individuals, your counterpart at work, explains that they believe you are prejudiced against his religion. What do you say or do?
I explain them politely about my beliefs in a clear way where I will make clear that I do not think about any prejudice against his religion. I respect his religion as well he has to respect mine.
Aren't You Normal?
You are a gay Volunteer serving in what you have heard is a somewhat homophobic country where unmarried young men regularly patronize prostitutes. For some time, your male colleagues at work have been pressuring you to "have fun" with them on their Friday night outings, but you have declined. Now one of them has asked you if you are "normal." What do you say or do?
I tell him, it is not my way to have fun, doing inappropriate and irresponsible actions. If he does not understand it, I would tell him my real sexual inclination.
Native Speakers
You are a Volunteer of Hispanic background whose family is third-generation American. You do not speak Spanish and have a normal American accent. You teach English at a high school in your country. After you have been at your site one month, some of your students complain to the headmaster that they want a different teacher, someone who is a native speaker of English. What do you say or do?
I ask them why exactly they want a different teacher. After, I explain my background in order for them to know that English is my native language.
Help
You are a blind PCV. You are a self-sufficient individual and value your independence. You have adjusted well at your post, but you are concerned about all the "help" you are getting from host country friends and colleagues. It is apparent that many HCNs regard people with disabilities as being unable to function without considerable assistance from those around them. At work and out in public, you are being helped to do all manner of things you are quite capable of doing on your own. While you appreciate people's concern, you are frustrated by being the focus of so much attention and support. What can you do or say to change this dynamic?
I clarify them, I have been self-sufficient since I started adjusting at my post, however, if I need some help I will ask for it, but only when is need it.
Doubt
You are an African American serving in a country where prejudice against Black people is traditional. At work, a teacher training college, you notice that the students you are assigned to teach do not seem to respect you. One day, as you are explaining a concept, one of the students raises her hand and asks a question, "Are Black people allowed going to college in the United States?" What do you say?
I tell the students, every human being has the same rights no matter what color they are, we are all the same with meaningful examples to clarify any doubt they might have,
Manual Labor
You are an older Volunteer in excellent physical condition. You work as project manager on a school construction site. You are not especially impressed with the work of some of the subcontractors, especially the carpenters, and have on several occasions tried to show them how to do their work better. But every time you try to climb on the building or do any manual work, your assistant steps in and says it's not appropriate for you, an older man and the project manager, to do strenuous physical labor. He says you will lose the respect of the real manual laborers if you continue to do this work. Now what?
I would call my assistant letting him know to respect me and tell him I know what my job is and if the situation does not chance I will determine any kind of job suspension for him.
On Being Different
Whatever your background, you're not like the host country nationals in the place where you serve. All of us have been in situations before where we were different, and we adjusted our behavior accordingly.
Think of how you behaved or spoke on such occasions and write your observations here.
When I was living in China for example, every time I took the bus people used to stared at me and asking me awkward questions about me because I was very different from them, so once I told one guy, please do not continue doing that, is very impolite and disrespectful, and I ask him, what about if the situation is the other way around, he could not answer me, instead he kept quite.
Parting Advice
As you look back on what you've learned or been reminded of about the United States in this chapter, what stands out? Suppose you are at the airport one day and you meet a host country friend who's about to depart for a two-year stay in the United States. Your friend asks you to "tell me about America." You've got time to make three points about your culture. What would you tell your friend? (Feel free to draw your ideas instead.) When you have finished, show your list or drawings to at least one other member of your group and compare your answers.
Americans do not judge you by your appearance, but by what you have achieved in your life.
They think if you are miserable, it is your own fault.
And they are very direct and tell you what they do not like you to do or say.
Interview With a PCV
Friend: Were there any real surprises?
Peace Corps Volunteer: Not really. I mean, you're not prepared for every little thing, for all the particulars. But you know the people are going to be different, so you expect that. You may not know all the ways they're going to surprise you, but you do know you're going to be surprised when you go to a foreign culture.
Friend: How did the host country people relate to you?
PCV: It's funny you should ask that because it was surprising.
Friend: What do you mean?
PCV: Well, we thought we were prepared for that, but we weren't. After all, if you go in knowing these people aren't like you, then of course you also know that you aren't like them. But we had trouble believing that they found us strange sometimes. Doesn't make sense, does it?
Friend: So it's easy to accept that other people might be strange but hard to believe you could be?
PCV: That's what I experienced, anyway.
Friend: I wonder why.
PCV: I think it has to be that while you are actually having the experience of their strangeness, they are the ones having the experience of yours. You never really experience yourself as strange, of course, so it just doesn't seem real. You know it must be, but you have to take their word for it.
Friend: So you think Volunteers go around never quite convinced that the local people don't always understand them?
PCV: If you listen to some of the complaints PCVs make, I think that's at the bottom of a lot of them.
Dear Todd: An Analysis
Now that you've completed this chapter, read Jan's letter to Todd again and note any examples of typical American attitudes or values; then continue reading below.
Paragraphs 1 & 2: Jan's opening is encouraging. She has perspective on herself and what she can accomplish in country. Even more hopeful, she has a good sense of humor and is able to laugh at herself.
Paragraph 3: Jan's talk about making improvements reflects a basic American assumption: that things can always be better. Some cultures may not be quite so optimistic. While she's right about needing to be trusted before you can expect anyone to listen to you, it may take more than "training and experience in the field" to impress people. What also establishes credibility in many cultures are age, gender, who you know, and what important people think of you or your ideas. Jan may also be off track when she says that people are well-intentioned and should be given the benefit of the doubt. Not all cultures believe that human nature is basically good or that people can automatically be trusted; some cultures think just the opposite.
Paragraphs 4 & 5: Jan's belief that she will be able to overcome obstacles reflects her basic optimism. There's nothing wrong with optimism, but it doesn't always reflect reality, nor would people in many cultures believe that all you have to do is put your mind to something, and then it will happen. Jan's story is likewise instructive. It does demonstrate that you don't always have to take no for an answer, but she may not be aware of all that was happening in this incident. It's entirely possible that the people who ran the training center knew quite well that merchants would sell to anyone-What merchant wouldn't?-and the real reason they discouraged Jan and company was because they themselves wanted to buy the merchandise, make a small profit, and be loyal to the people they knew. It was not necessarily wrong for Jan to persist, but by following Jan's example, going outside the system and doing what "has never been done before," you are normally taking a risk. Usually things are done the way they are for a reason, and you should probably learn that reason before you proceed. In this case, the reason was rather mundane and Jan has probably not done any damage. But imagine that she was at her workplace and did something similar, thereby alienating an important local figure.
Paragraph 6: "A positive attitude" is Jan's optimism showing through again. Some cultures would say it's more important to have a realistic attitude.
Journal Entry Two
In this chapter, you've had a chance to reflect on and analyze some of the differences between Americans and host country nationals. How has this process helped you to understand or explain what you've seen or what has happened to you thus far in country? Did anything you learned surprise you? Do you have questions you wish to explore further?
Reading and doing all these kind of exercises made remind me all the different circumstances I lived during my staying in the US. Living there made me understood some behaviors because I experienced them and I was explained by friends who came from the target culture I was learning. It’s quite important to get involved as many cultures you possibly can. It will definitely help us to become and have more awareness about others.
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