ESL 21 B 1383

Essay 1.2

July.06.07

There are many different cultures in the world, and many people who enjoy taking a trip across other countries often experience cultural crushesWChoice. However, some travelers think culture crashWChoice can be valuable experiences for learning and feeling directly other countries. People think to go to some places that they never visit is very attractive challenging. I think staying in my country which is Korea can be interesting experience for Americans because between America and Korea have a lot of differences in cultural perspectives. Most of all, Koreans think ethical manner is required for normal social courtesy; making different points of being polite can prove difficulty to the other foreigners.

First, Koreans think that to be respectful to elder people is important. Koreans use two ways to speak politely to answer and question; one way is comfortably to say such as younger people or friends. However, for the other way, many foreigners are having difficulty and confused how to use to be polite to elder people. Foreigners need to add '-yo', '-da', '-hae sem ni da', '-hap ni da' words in the end of the sentence. It is as like 'May', 'Could', or 'please' words using in certain manner. For example, I have a few students whom I teach the flute, and they speak Korean as their second language. When I met them on the first day, they talked to me as like their close friend. When I heard the way they speak Korean, I felt very bad because they treat me with non respect to their teacher which is me, but I noticed that they don't know how to be polite to elder people because they never said before. Therefore, foreigners who are not aware of linguistic fact in Korea would get the cultural crushWChoice.

Second of all, the way of communicatingVague with people is important matter for Koreans. They barely adopt the familiar attitude while they communicate with other people. It is similar way to think of treating elder people. Korean parents strongly instillGoodWordChoice courtesy to children, especially, how to do decent conductsAwkward, cultivate manners, and courtly manners. For example, staring at non-relative people is impolite. Most ofCut KoreanSing/Plu manner is about treating others with respect and polite and holding a person in esteem. Especially, looking a person square in the face is impolite as like keep staring at someone so Korean usually sneaks a look and stealVTense a glance from someone. It is very different from American. If Americans speak sharply and look directly at Koreans, most Koreans think those Americans are very rude and impolite to people. People who visit Korea need to speak to others by looking at their nose or mouth for better conversation. For example, when I was living in Korea, I went to the 'In sa-dong' which is famous place for foreign visitors because this place is full of Korean traditions and arts. I went to the restaurant and waited for my seat. There were two people: theArt white man and a Korean arguing about their behavior. AArt Korean guy pointed to white guy and said aWChoice loudly to him and White guy shook his head, stared a Korean guy, and spoke with a low voice, but clearly. A Korean guy thought that white guy ignored him so he want to argue with him but a white guy could not understand why a Korean guy got angry against him{1}. Also, American people think if a Korean glance at people, they might think that Korean has a problem or hiding something. Therefore, cultures have to be different because they have different back ground. People who visit Korea need to speak at other people's nose or mouth and then, speak clearly.

Third of all, Korean hasSing/Plu a limitationWForm personal space between people whether their relationships are close or not. Korean takes a little time to become intimately acquainted with someone. According to article, 'Where do we stand' by Lisa Davis says, in the middle-of-the-road United States, people usually stand about 18 inches {***}MissingWfor conversation. Korean people have the same as their country's culture{2}. Especially, Korean women have sensitive mindAwkward about keeping their distance so that foreigners should be careful. Most Korean women have a view about before they get marriage, they need to keep their virgin. Korean does not even think about having a hug with different sex. That accepted for couple because they are afraid their body that to make personal contact with someone who they don't know well and that is very impolite behavior to each other. Most couple in Korea can not even take a hug or kiss in the street because people who see the couple have physical contact think that is nasty behavior and that is not accepted moral idea to public people. To keep personal space is strict to Korean people. From my experience, when I met American in Korea, I am afraid about foreigners because I've never tried to speak with foreigner and they look different from my country. When a foreigner said to me, 'Hi, how are you?" , I thought that is too much concerned about me and rude to me but later, I realized that is foreigner's greeting.

In sum, Cultures have been opening a country to foreign intercourse for longtime, there still have many clashes between culture to culture and people to people. It is a natural result because each country has a different history, differences of events, ideology, and life style. If foreigners notice and understand that Korean polite values, they can not makeWChoice big misunderstand.