Living in a diverse city exposes you to many languages and cultures. One of the greatest things about the diversity in my city is experiencing all the great food. You can go almost anywhere in the city and find a locally owned and operated family restaurant from almost all over the world. When visiting the restaurants its wise to understand that there are cultural differences and customs when dining, therefore a quick study on their particular customs may come in handy and help avoid any uncomfortable situations.
Luckily in this day in age, we can rely on the Internet for a quick reference on etiquette when dining with particular cultures. In my city we have a Nepalese restaurant where you can sit on a Nepali dining table however, you have to follow their customs and ask for permission to sit in the room, remove your shoes, sit crossed-legged, and avoid pointing the bottoms of your feet in the direction of others. In addition to asking permission, upon entering the hostess or host will greet you with a Namskar or Namaste, which should be politely returned. Eating from your right hand only is also a custom.
One faux pas that Americans often commit is taking photos of their food when dining, particularly in foreign restaurants. This is something that should be avoided in most places since it can be considered rude. “Intentions are important but, like culture, perceptions count” (Moran et al., 2014, p. 29). If we dine at a restaurant aware of their customs, we are less likely to offend others, and making at least an effort to understand the culture can make a significant difference into how you are welcomed in restaurants as well.
If we can understand that the U.S. in home to many cultures and learn to be accepting and respectful we can gain a lot of good from sharing these amazing experiences. “If you want to enlarge your managerial frames, you must be curious about how the rest of the world thinks – and you must have humility” (Moran et al., 2014, p. 31). Experiences no matter how small can give you a better insight into the cultural differences of others that can become valuable tools both personally and professionally.
References
Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences (9th ed.). Oxford: Routledge
I agree with you that the modern age of technology has made it easier than ever to ensure that you do not offend someone. I think your example of going to the restaurant is very fitting. I think the in most cultures, the way someone acts while having a meal with others is the basis for how they are viewed as an individual. This is much like Schmitz discusses when he discusses his “action” in the culture profile (Moran et al., 2014, p. 19). He states that “social environments can be distinguished by their approach to actions”(Moran et al., 2014, p. 19). I take this statement as, during social settings one’s actions will describe who they are. Also I am curious as to what food is served in a Nepalese restaurant.
References
Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences (9th ed.). Oxford: Routledge