Howtomakefriendswithpeoplefromadifferentculture?Therulesareasfollows:

AppreciatethePerson.

MostAmericansliketoberecognizedasindividualsassomeonespecialwithuniquepersonalities.Therefore,neversay,“You’refromAmericasoIwanttobeyourfriend.”Alsodon’timplythatthereasonwhyyouapproachedthemisthatyouwantedsomeonetopracticeyourEnglishwith.Thatturnspeopleoff.Insteadtrysaying,”YouseemlikearealniceandinterestingpersonandIwouldliketogettoknowyoubetter.”Thisway,theyaremuchmoreinclinedtobefriendlybecauseyouseethemasathreedimensionalpersonandappreciatethemforwhotheyareintheinside.Andbydoingso,younotonlylearnaboutAmericansandpracticeyourEnglish,butalsogainarealfriendintheprocess.

QuitCallingUsForeigners.

Pleaseavoidcallingaforeigneraforeignerespeciallyinhisface.Thewordmakespeoplefeellikeanoutsider,andevenunwelcome,suggestingseparationandinsurmountabledifferences,wideninganalreadyexistinggapinthesituation.WhenAmericanstravel,theyrarelysay,“I’mforeigntoyourplace.”Theytendtosay,“I’mnewintown.I’mnewhere.”Thereasonisbecausenewandunfamiliarthingscanbecomeoldandfamiliar.Butcanforeignthingsbecomenative?Aha?Youcatchmydrift.

JustDoIt.

SomestudentsliketobetoldaboutAmericanculturebutarelessinterestedinspendingthetimeandtheefforttoactuallyexperienceit.AsAmericansalwayssay,“Getyourhandsdirty.”Youshouldhavefirsthandandhandsonexperience,oryou’llneverreallyknowanything.

FindthatCommonLanguage.

NowImuststresstheimportanceoffindingacommonlanguage.BythatIdon’tmeanEnglish,Chinese,German,French,etc.Imeanfindingsomethingyouhaveincommonwithanotherpersononaspiritualandphilosophicallevel:likes,dislikes,worldviews,waysofthinking,andattitudestowardlife.Andtostart,youmustfirstenhanceyourknowledgeoftheparticularculturefromwhichyourpotentialnewfriendcomesform.

小题1:Theunderlinedsentence“Getyourhandsdirty”means .