Communication Differences In The Cultures of The Middle East
Throughout the world, many different cultures exist in many different countries. It is important to be aware of the many diverse cultures and customs of these countries when visiting them, or conducting business with people within them. Because of these vast cultural differences, especially involving communication, it is very easy to offend someone without even knowing it. In regards to communication, it is important to be aware of the customs of the country or countries you are interacting with. More specifically, Middle Eastern customs are especially different from ours in the United States. If someone were to visit Atlanta from the Middle East, it would be important to be familiar with the way they communicate, as to not end up in uncomfortable situations for you and your guest. When exploring these differences, it is necessary to first get an idea of how American's are generally perceived by the foreign world. To many around the world, American's are friendly, outgoing, and less reserved. We are also perceived to be obnoxious, self - centered, loud,
Therefore, in order to gain a better understanding of other cultures, it is necessary to keep in mind the qualities that are believed to be portrayed by ourselves. Whether or not these qualities about American's are true is really not the point. Saudi Arabia, like most countries in the Middle East, believe that you should do everything you can to make your guest feel comfortable. It is not uncommon to see men and women kissing and showing affection in public. Also, a woman is not usually introduced when she is with a Saudi man. In essence, showing the bottom of your foot to someone is considered yet another offense. This is a result of the Arab view that the left hand is considered very unclean. It might be beneficial to explain these customs to a Saudi man/woman upon arriving in America. In Saudi Arabia, they welcome the use of hand gestures without using the left hand. American's also tend to use their hands a lot when conversing. As the host of a foreign national, the lack of knowledge of these customs could make for some very awkward social situations. The use of the "thumbs up" which is so commonly used in America is also considered offensive. Being very informal seems to be a quality that many foreigners seem to think American's possess. For example, women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia also has many different customs with regards to women.
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