More Alike than Different
Everyone listened attentively as the woman spoke.
"If you want to say "OK",don't make a circle with your thumb and first finger" the woman began."That means ok here in the United States, but in Russia it's an obscene gesture"
The audience of 300 Americans chuckled; a few people took notes.
"It's all right to admire something" the woman continued,"but don't be too enthusiastic.Don't say,"I really like your tablecloth" your Russian friend will offer you the tablecloth and will be offended if you don't take it"
"Remenber that ,in general ,life in Russia is not as comfortable as life in the United States,You might not have hot running water,or you might have to share a bathroom with five or six people"
The woman was preparing the Americans for their trip to Russia. In Russia,the language, customs,and food would be different. Even simple things,like making a phone call,would be different. Even simple things,like making a phone call,would be different .The Americans wanted to learn about these differences before their trip.They didn't want to experience culture shock.
When they arrived in Rusia,the Americans were glad that they had prepared for their trip.Most of them experienced only a little culture shock.They enjoyed their visit and made a lot of Russian friends.
Making friends was,in fact,the purpose of the trip. The trip was planned by The Friendship Force, an international organization that promotes world peace. The Friendship Force believes that people who are friends will not fight wars. so,to help people from all over the world become friends,it organizes exchanges of people. The U.S.-Rusian exchange was one of the largest exchanges it has ever organized .The friendship Force sent 300 americans to Russia and 300 Russians to the United States.
The russians ,like the Americans,prepared for their visit by learning about life in the other country.Still,they too.experienced a little culture shock.
The Russians knew that Americans were fond of pets,but they were shocked to see pets inside homes.They couldn't believe their eyes when they saw dogs eating in the kitchen and sleeping on people's beds.
They were surprised at thedifference between everyday life in Russia and in the United States. The Americans' lives ,they ssaid,were much easier. A russian woman gasped when she saw an American pour rice directly from a box into a pan of boiling water" you didn't wash the rice""she asked. she explained that at home she had to wash the rice craefully and pick out all the stones,"Are you kidding}" the American said "If people here had to do that ,nobody would buy rice"
The russians knew that Americans liked to eat fast food in restaurants,but they were disapointed to see that Americans ate fast meals at home,too.In russia,the evening meal often lasts an hour or two because families sit at the table and talk. When american families eat together-if they eat together-they often ear quickly and don't take time for long conversations.The Russians thought that was a shame.
In spite of their differences in language and culture,the russians and americans became friends.The two women in the picture became friends,even though the Russian woman couldn't speak a word of english and the American woman couldn't speak a word of russian.for two weeks they communicated through sign language and dictionries.
Some of the Americans who traveled to Russia were schoolchildren from a sixth-grade class.When they returned to the United states,their teacher asked them to write about their trip.One 11-year-old girl wrote" I have learned a lot from this experience.I learned to adapt to a different culture.And I learned that people all over the world are more alike than they are different."
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