American visitors to Eastern Asia are often surprised and puzzled by how Asian cultures and customs differ from those in the United States. What’s considered typical or proper social conduct in one country may be regard as odd, improper or even rude in the other.For example, people from some Eastern Asian countries may begin a conversation with a stranger by asking personal questions about family, home or work. Such questions are thought to be friendly, whereas they might be considered offensive in the United States.On the other hand, people in most Asian cultures are far more guarded about expressing their feelings publicly than most Americans are. Openly displaying annoyance or anger, yelling, arguing loudly and so forth is considered ill-manneredin countries such as Japan. Many Eastern Asians prefer to hold their emotions in check and instead express themselves with great politeness. They try not to be blunt and avoid making direct criticisms.In fact, they often keep their differences of opinion to themselves and merely smile and remain silent rather than engage in a confrontation. By comparison, Americans are often frank about displaying both positive and negative emotions on the street and in other public places. Americans visiting Asia should keep in mind that such behavior may cause offense. A major difference between Americans culture and most Asian cultures is that in Asia, the community is more important than the individual. Most Americans are considered a success when they make a name for themselves.
