Preparing for cultural differences W T
hen you are in another culture, you could find yourself reacting in some of these ways which could prevent you from learning the new culture:
hinking “my culture is the best” (ethnocentrism) This attitude can lead you to judge the host culture in terms of good or bad. Ideas, values and customs should not be considered good or bad; just different from your own. The opposite can happen too. Your host family and friends might think your behavior is based on values and beliefs that are bad or incorrect. Meanwhile you see your values as not only good but correct.
Remember you are not going on an exchange to judge what is bad or what is good. You are on an exchange program to understand the different aspects of another country – and to learn diverse ways of thinking, living, working, and studying. You will learn how cultures are different from one another.
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xpecting that everybody will see the world as I do (naïve realism) The environment in which you were born and raised shapes your view of the world and relationships. Someone who grew up in a different environment, like your new friends and host family, may have a different perspective of things. These different perceptions can influence the communication between you and your host family and friends, or generally with any person in the host country. It is especially true for things such as hand gestures, slang, and the use of informal or formal language that can vary greatly and can be perceived very differently. © Youth For Understanding International Educational Services
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