Cultures are very diverse, and people accustomed to specific traditions can be surprised when faced with other customs. For me, acquaintance with a girl from a culture where children do not celebrate birthdays but honor their mother giving birth was such an experience of culture shock. This holiday is so familiar to me and my environment. I had never heard that it was not celebrated by children and therefore was very surprised. In addition to the intense confusion, my reaction also included a desire to find out more, and I asked the girl many questions. New knowledge and understanding of how many cultures and traditions are present in the world have helped me overcome the culture shock.
In some cases, culture shock can be caused by progress in various countries. New technologies surprise, and what used to seem only fantasy becomes a reality. I always dreamed of the invention of a teleport that would help move people and cargo over various distances in a moment, and if I could, I would invent it. Teleport would change society since its use is possible in all areas – cargo transportation, healthcare, and many other industries. In emergencies, it could save lives by evacuating people from dangerous places. A teleport would make it possible to travel quickly and dive into various cultures and societies, such as the United States.
Many things may confuse people from other countries in the US. One of these surprising aspects is more informal communication between representatives of different generations. Older people usually expect significant formalities in many parts of the world but not in the US. I would explain informality as a sign of friendliness and a desire to establish contact. This manner of communication is not disrespectful or neglectful but demonstrates acceptance.
America unites many cultures whose traditions can surprise travelers and even Americans. For instance, respect for nature inherent in indigenous people is widely known, but I knew little about the details. An exciting aspect of the culture that justifies such a respectful attitude is wakȟáŋ – the concept of the collective nature of all things, which is also vital for establishing personal relationships between people (Goeckner et al., 2020). Following this concept related to spiritual life, indigenous peoples seek to protect nature, and even their protest movements are more prayers, in which traditional rites are used. Thus, studying other cultures is an exciting process that allows gaining new knowledge.
Reference
Goeckner, R., Daley, S. M., Gunville, J., & Daley, C. M. (2020). Cheyenne River Sioux traditions and resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline. Religion and Society, 11(1), 75-91. Web.