Understanding American Idiosyncrasies

When you come to study in the USA, you join a new culture that is dynamic, enriching, and sometimes bewildering. In your own country you know the social customs, both subtle and stated. In a new country, though, the rules are not always obvious. Despite your good intentions and determination to understand your U.S. colleagues, you will sometimes be surprised by their behavior. Eventually, you will get accustomed to these idiosyncrasies - things they do that seem quite odd to you. So what can you do in the meantime? First, smile and relax. Then watch and listen. And most of all, keep a sense of humor about the cultural differences you are discovering.

Timeliness Equals Respect
U.S. professionals take promptness seriously, and the quickest way to lose their respect is to show up late. If you are even five minutes late for an admissions or job interview, you may hurt your chances as a candidate. It does not matter if your car broke down, you were taking an exam, or you were jetlagged and overslept, the perception will be that you consider your own time more valuable than that of the interviewer. This idea carries over into the classroom: missing the first day of class, or even an assignment due date, is considered disrespectful. If you remember only one thing, it is this: if you have an appointment, be there on time, or even early. If you cannot avoid being late, always apologize.

Geographic Isolationism
Don’t be surprised if your U.S. acquaintances think that Koreans speak Chinese and Colombia is a city in Mexico. Maybe it’s because the U.S. is such a big place, but some of its residents have little knowledge of the rest of the world. If you’re from Latin America, you will also notice that people in the U.S. refer to themselves as “Americans” and everyone from the southern continent as “South Americans.” Your best response is a pleasant smile and a willingness to share a little good-natured information about your own country and your international point of view.

Physical Contact
Whenever you cross cultures, one of the biggest differences is in physical contact. In the U.S. professional environment, a handshake is the appropriate greeting whether you are male or female, old or young. Contact is much more variable among friends. In general, U.S. women tend to touch more than men, and you may see close female friends greeting each other with embraces or cheek kisses.

Provided by Christine E. Burgoyne, Public Service Faculty, American Language Program, University of Georgia.