Cultural Hints

Greetings: Americans are very friendly. They tend to greet each other with a smile, sometimes a handshake, and a friendly "Hello, how are you?" (which is not a question about your health) or "What's up?" Such a greeting is very common, and does not always require an answer. If an American friend greets you with "Hi, what's going on?" and walks away, do not feel offended, it is a popular way of greeting. Also, the common phrase "See you later" is not an invitation for a visit, but a way to say "Good bye." Americans are also very informal, and address each other by their first names from the time they meet, even with elders and people of authority. Do not feel uncomfortable when someone asks you to use his/her first name, it is customary. If you are in doubt about how to address someone, you should first use the formal name and wait for them to suggest that you use the first name.

Gifts: As a rule, gifts are given to relatives and close friends. They are sometimes given to people with whom one has a casual but friendly relationship, such as a host or hostess, but it is not necessary or even common for gifts to be given to such people. Gifts are not usually given to teachers or others who hold official positions. The offering of gifts in these situations is sometimes interpreted as a possibly improper effort to gain favorable treatment from that person.

Body Language: Keep in mind that unspoken signals by others may not mean what you think. Various gestures are automatic and vary from culture to culture. For example, burping after a meal in America is something that one needs to excuse himself/herself for doing. While in other countries, burping may be seen as a complement to the cook. If a person's words and gestures do not seem to match, it would be wise to ask the individual.

Dress: Casual dress is appropriate for the classroom. Students will, however, dress more formally for certain class presentations. Casual dress is also appropriate for visits in people's homes, shopping or movie theatres. You might dress more formally for a special dinner or a special event at the University.

Personal Hygiene: To most Americans, personal hygiene is very important. They shower and wash their hair daily, and wear freshly cleaned clothes each day. Natural body odors are considered unpleasant and offensive, so deodorants, colognes and other toiletries are used often.

Time: Americans are very time conscious and place high value on promptness. Busses, trains, meetings and classes generally start on time. If you are going to be more than five or 10 minutes late for a meeting or an appointment, you should telephone to let the other party know you will be late.

Salisbury University, USA. Center for International Education. (2011). American Customs and Things You Need to Know About. Retrieved January 7, 2013, from Salisbury University Website: http://www.salisbury.edu/intled/iss/intlhdbk/customs.html