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What are some things
that define a culture? For example, music, language, ... |
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What do you think
is interesting about your culture? |
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What do you like
about your culture? Who in your culture do you admire most?
Why? |
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What don't you
like about your culture?
- If you could change one thing about your culture,
what would it be? / What customs do you think should be
revised? |
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What customs (from
elsewhere) do you think should be included in our culture? |
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When people from
other countries think about your culture, what do they usually
think of? Are there any misconceptions? (i.e. that Korea is
a third-world country / that the north and south are the same
/ ...) |
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In your culture
is it polite to be straightforward and direct when you talk
to someone? |
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How do young people
in your culture behave differently from older people? |
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What has surprised
you when you've met people from other countries? / Have you
ever felt confused by the actions of someone from another culture? |
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Are there many people
of different cultures in your country? Are you friends with
any? |
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Would you ever consider
marrying or dating someone from another culture? |
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Would you ever consider
living permanently in a country other than your home country? |
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How are your language
teachers who are not from your country different from your
other teachers? How are they the same? |
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If a group of people
just came to your country from overseas, what advice would
you give them? |
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Do you think "when
in Rome, do as the Romans do" is always good advice? Why
or why not? |
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What culture besides
your own do you admire and why? |
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If aliens visited
your country, what might surprise them? |
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Is there anything
in western culture that is considered rude that may not be
considered rude in your culture? |
| MOVING
TO A NEW COUNTRY |
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If you could live
in a foreign country which one would you choose? Why? |
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Which country wouldn't
you like to live in? Why? |
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What is something
you could never travel without? Teddybear? |
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What would be your
two greatest concerns about living abroad? |
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What would you enjoy
most about living abroad? |
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What would you miss
most about home? |
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What advice would
you give to someone who's never left Home before? |
| DIFFERENT
CUSTOMS: |
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Complaining in a
restaurant - complain or keep quiet? (Yank style vs. British) |
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Smoking in public/restaurant - do
you ask permission? |
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Meeting people,
do you (bear in mind gender in each case):
- Shake hands
- Kiss 1 cheek / 2 cheeks / 3 times
- Hug
- Rub noses
- High 5 |
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Tipping:
- Is tipping common in your country?
- Do you usually
leave a tip?
- How much are you supposed to tip different
people? How much do you usually leave for a tip?
- Why is
it important to leave tips?
- When was the last time you
left a tip for someone?
- Would you leave a tip even if you
thought the waiter or waitress didn't seem to work for it? |
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Is it rude to ask
a new acquaintance:
- How old they are?
- How much they earn?
- How
much they weigh / commenting on their appearance or weight
- What religion they are?
- Do you use their first or last
name? |
| SAYING
YES/NO IN DIFFERENT CULTURES: |
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Polynesians say
yes by raising eyebrows |
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Bulgarians nod =
NO / shake = YES |
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Chinese never say "NO" |
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Indians wiggle head
= YES |
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Africans Click |
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Scandinavians make "huh" noise |
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Any other Facial
gestures? |
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SHOPPING: - do you
haggle? Where? |
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In public,
is it bad to:
- blow one's nose?
- Spit?
- Chew gum?
- Eat /
drink alcohol?
- To not cover ones mouth when:
- Coughing
/ talking on mobile / laughing / eating?
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What about getting
close to people - the "space bubble" effect? |
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Pointing - Rude to point?
- S.E.Asia / Buddhist: Pointing at things with
your feet / soles |
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Buddhist / muslim
- don't touch people on the head |
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Beckoning:
- Use hand face up or down? |
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Bowing - At the waist?
- How low? / Angle / Timing
- To
whom?
- Do you Kowtow? |
| FOOD
/ EATING: |
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Don't pass/pour
anything with one hand? |
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Lifting the bowl
up |
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Eating rice with
a spoon |
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Position of chopsticks
in / on / beside bowl? |
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Don't eat with your
left hand? |
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Do you finish everything
on your plate or leave some? |
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What about starting
/ finishing your food before the senior person? |
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What about standing
up before the senior person? |
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Can you eat when
walking down the street? |
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Weird foods / What is something
westerners eat that is weird?:
-
Horse /
Frogs legs / Snails / Haggis / Middle east eating brain
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What about Dog soup?
- silk worm grubs |
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When eating at a
friends house: - Do you bring a gift? What? - Is it okay to
have a second helping? |
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Is it rude to:
- Burp?
- Spit?
- Talk with mouth full
- Chew with
mouth open (Adjumas) |
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Who pays for dinner
/ drinks? (Rounds? Turns? Richest? Oldest?) |
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Which is the biggest
meal of the day? Has it always been this way? |
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Is eating alone
bad? |
| MARRIAGE
/ DATING: |
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Do people date?
Do they need a chaperone? |
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Do people go "Dutch"?
Talk about:
- Sugar Daddies
- High Maintenance girlfriends
/ Trophy wives |
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Do parents decide
whom you will marry? |
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Do people live together
before getting married? |
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Are all brides virgins?
(Ha!) |
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Is divorce common?
Is it bad? |
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Are public displays
of affection frowned upon? |
| SWEARING |
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What hand gestures
are there? - middle finger / 'V' sign / 3rd finger
/ "malaka" / bite thumb / bite fist / show palm of hand / wanker
/ |
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What about words? - sexual
/ animal / insult family / cleanliness / size of manhood /
lack of skills / ugly / ... |
| TAKING
THE PISS / HUMOUR: |
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Do you make fun
of your friends?
- talk about men making fun, and women being complimenting. |
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What's the Korean
sense of humour about? |
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How does it differ
from China and Japan (and the west) |
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What do Chinese
/ Japanese people find funny? Do you find that funny? |
