I'm standing on a long line in front of a pair of Asian women. They began carrying on a conversation in <>. Normally, when on line, if you hear a conversation near you, you casually acknowledge it and may jump in or pay attention to it.. if it seems appropriate
(
Read more... )
Comments 10
:D
Reply
Reply
I had a group of Saudis who were sitting with a stern expression and crossed arms. I thought they were all pissed. Turns out that body language in Saudi Arabia implies they are listening intently.
Your story is really funny, but I needed to chime in that body language is not universal and we often get in a world of awkward situations when we assume that to be the case.
Reply
Reply
One day at a Vietnamese business, I overheard a mother talking to her mother in their native language and then asking for her child to be put on the phone who was then scolded and told to listen to his grandmother. I laughed as she confirmed in English what I had overheard. I found it funny that I was able to understand, even without speaking Vietnamese; some things are just universal.
Reply
Actually...in my experience...body language can be foreign, which turns out to be one of the most unnerving parts of culture shock. Travel to Asia and see, or at least, that's where I had my series of epiphanies.
scifigal has given some good examples - the more you look, the more there are.
That being said, people from other cultures that move to the USA probably pick up and give a certain amount of locally relevant body language cues ;)
Reply
Leave a comment