Since I am not a native born American, I was fascinated by too many new cultures when I arrived to US five years ago. I found many unusual and different culture shocks in New York and outside the City. It was time for me full of observations and new discoveries. For example, when I was invited to Birthday Party a week later since I arrived to US, I found out that this is a bad luck when you give somebody as a gift odd number of flowers; however, in our country it was a good sign. It was unusual for me to celebrate Baby Shower, for instance, before baby is born, because in our country this is a bad sign. A new culture shock was for me a swiping metro card in the busses. In our country we do not swipe a card we just show it to a controller, a person who checks bus cards. In case if you don’t have a bus card you can pay cash to controller inside of the bus. The biggest shocks for me were following features:
a) Paying taxes when you buy something?????!!!!!! We don’t do that in our country.
b) Amish people in Lancaster County in Pennsylvania. I was shocked the way these people live without technology, cars, electricity. It is a sin for them to take a picture of them that’s why we were told to put away all our cameras and phones.
I found too many different cultures that differ from my own in this country and can talk about that days and nights. I appreciated my American friends who taught me how to adopt to this country. My adaptation was very fast and now I know what to expect in the most situations; however, I am still learning new things almost every day.
It is clear that you have encountered many different cultures and their practices. I find the variation of luck among cultures very interesting. As you said in America an odd number of flowers is unlucky and in your country it is lucky. In America the number 7 is lucky and 13 is unlucky, while in Chinese cultures 4 is unlucky and 8 is lucky.
ReplyDeleteI find it very interesting that in your country it is unlucky to celebrate the birth of a baby. It is understandable however because why celebrate the birth of a person who has yet to achieve anything? The difference is, in America we like to celebrate EVERYTHING.
Hi Mat. I didn't mean that this is unlucky to celebrate the birth of a baby at all, I meant it is a bad sign to celebrate before the baby is born:-)
ReplyDeleteHaha That is nuts not to pay anything tax wise on products that are purchased!!! Where is that and what is the fastest way to get there!! I think that is a great thing but still not practical in America. That is the biggest way that our government makes money, is by taxing everything and we are still in debt. I wonder how the economy is in your country and what exactly it does to maintain stability if there is any. Our country should take a few tips and leave the tax money back in our pocket. By the way, does the no tax thing in your country apply to cars as well? Because if that is the case, I know where I am going next time to purchase one. On the whole amish thing, I think they are better off than we are lol. They live off that whole principle that less is more and to stay away from the materialistic aspect of this life is the only way to achieve self-fulfillment. I mean more power to them, but I can't do without the electricity and cars. I need my meals and my wheels in the night and day!
ReplyDeleteLarisa, I am glad that we have similarities in our culture. Yes, besides the educational system that is same, the even number of flowers for example is being used for funeral houses or on that occasion. The difference of birthday parties are different also in Armenia and in United States. Back there they celebrate it so expensively and "extensively". There must be always food on the table with different salads, appetizers and barbecue, I am not talking about the alcoholic beverages (vodka:) and laud music.. later with fruits and coffee.
ReplyDeleteThe funny part in cultural difference was when I read about bus fair: it is same in my country too. We don't use cards to pay the fair, we pay cash only. Unfortunately I haven't been to Armenia for 6 and a half years already, but I don't think that it has changed.
Yes, Edmond, there are no taxes on cars as well. The sellers pay taxes when they ship cars for sale into the country, but buyers do not pay taxes when they buy car!!!
ReplyDeleteThe bus thing with the metro cards is kind of interesting, but maybe part of the whole system we have setup here is because people in the US are less trustworthy?
ReplyDeleteI mean paying the bus driver money sounds like he either pockets it or gives it up depening on his level of ethics, but maybe the MTA is trying to reduce that level of opportunity for bus drivers, and possibly the same with trains.