COMMUNICATION: NO PROBLEM?
Yesterday, another student and I, representing our university's student association, went to the Capital International Airport to meet this year's international students. They were coming to study at Beijing University. We would take them first to their dormitories and then to the student canteen. After half an hour of waiting for their flight to arrive, I saw several young people enter the waiting area looking around curiously. I stood for a minute watching them and then went to greet them.
The first person to arrive was Tony Garcia from Colombia, closely followed by Julia Smith from Britain. After I met them and then introduced them to each other, I was very surprised. Tony approached Julia, touched her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek! She stepped back appearing surprised and put up her hands, as if in defence. I guessed that there was probably a major misunderstanding. Then Akira Nagata from Japan came in smiling, together with George Cook from Canada. As they were introduced, George reached his hand out to the Japanese student. Just at that moment, however, Akira bowed so his nose touched George's moving hand. They both apologized - another cultural mistake!
Ahmed Aziz, another international student, was from Jordan. When we met yesterday, he moved very close to me as I introduced myself. I moved back a bit, but he came closer to ask a question and then shook my hand. When Darlene Coulon from France came dashing through the door, she recognized Tony Garcia's smiling face. They shook hands and then kissed each other twice on each cheek, since that is the French custom when adults meet people they know. Ahmed Aziz., on the contrary, simply nodded at the girls. Men from Middle Eastern and other Muslim countries will often stand quite close to other men to talk but will usually not touch women.
As I get to know more international friends, I learn more about this cultural "body language". Not all cultures greet each other the same way, nor are they comfortable in the same way with touching or distance between people. In the same way that people communicate with spoken language, they also express their feelings using unspoken "language" through physical distance, actions or posture. English people, for example, do not usually stand very close to others or touch strangers as soon as they meet. However, people from places like Spain, Italy or South American countries approach others closely and are more likely to touch them. Most people around the world now greet each other by shaking hands, but some cultures use other greetings as well, such as the Japanese, who prefer to bow.
These actions are not good or bad, but are simply ways in which cultures have developed. I have seen, however, that cultural customs for body language are very general - not all members of a culture behave in the same way. In general, though, studying international customs can certainly help avoid difficulties in today's world of cultural crossroads!
沟通：没问题？
昨天,另一个学生和代表我们学校学生会,去首都国际机场迎接今年的国际学生。他们都要在北京大学学习。我们将他们先对他们的宿舍,然后到学生餐厅用膳。半个小时后等待他们的飞行到达,我看见几个年轻人进入等候区好奇地环顾四周。我看着他们站了一分钟,然后就去迎接他们。
第 一个到的人是托尼•加西亚从哥伦比亚,其次是朱丽亚史密斯来自英国。当我遇上他们,然后介绍他们认识对方,我很惊讶。托尼接近茱莉亚,碰着她的肩膀并亲吻 她的脸颊!她退后一步出现对此感到惊讶,并举起她的手,仿佛在后防线上。我猜想那里可能是一个主要的误解。然后从日本晶Nagata笑着走进来,同乔治厨 师来自加拿大。当他们进行了介绍,乔治把手伸到日本的学生。就在那时,然而,所以他的鼻子碰晶向乔治的移动的手。他们互相道歉——另一种文化的错误!
艾 哈迈德•阿齐兹,另一个国际学生,来自约旦。我们昨天遇见的时候,他走得很接近我,就像我作了自我介绍。我搬回了一点,但他走得更近了,问一个问题,然后 跟我握了握手。从法国来的时候Coulon达琳冲穿过门的时候,她认识的托尼•加西亚的笑脸。他们握了握手,然后吻了对方两颊,因为这是每一个成年人,在 法国习俗遇到很多人,他们知道。艾哈迈德Aziz.,恰恰相反,只是点了点头,女孩子。男人从中东和其他穆斯林国家通常会站得很近,他对周围的人通常会说 话但不能碰的女人。
当我了解更多的国际朋友,我了解更多的关于这一文化“身体语言”。并非所有文化一样互相问候,也都以相同的方式舒适用触摸或距 离人民之间的友谊。同样的道理,非语言交际与语言表达他们的感情,他们也有种说不出的“语言”通过使用物理距离,动作或姿态。英国人,例如,通常不站得很 近或者触碰陌生人别人只要他们见面。然而,人们从地方像西班牙、意大利或南美国家接触那些紧密联系,更容易接触。现在世界上绝大多数人互握手,但是一些文 化使用其他的问候,如日本,谁喜欢的弓。
这些举动不是好或坏,而仅仅是文化发展的方法。我所看到的,然而,肢体语言文化习惯很一般——并不是所有成员的文化行为是相同的。一般来说,学习国际海关一定可以帮助避免困难在当今世界的文化的十字路口。
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