15.02.05
This week in Intercultural exchange class we were given
another handout sheet similar to the one from last week. Mostly the same
questions were on it, and we were placed in the same groups. Alycia, Johanna,
and I were slightly confused, because we had already finished the questions
last week, but took our conversation time to examine the reasons why our
customary greetings are performed the way they are and what that says about
each of our cultures.
We also took the time to examine our personal experiences
with what is considered “normal” and how we deviate within our own cultures. Johanna,
for example, is always very aware of her own personal space, and sometimes
feels uncomfortable if greeting a stranger requires a breach of that space. Our
example was that if a very friendly person goes for a hug, she might try to
shake their hand rather than accept the way some other people would. She said
that some people think she is cold at first because of this. In my case, I
pointed out that sometimes, if meeting a member of the opposite sex, I will not
even shake their hand; instead, I just nod or wave to avoid physical contact. If
someone I didn't know tried to hug me, I would probably just step back. The
three of us agreed that we would be much more comfortable engaging in a
physical greeting with a female, even if we didn't know them at all, than with
a male.
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