It took me sitting down and reflecting on U.S. culture to write a study abroad blog post to realize that I won’t be home for the next 4 months. An aspect of U.S. culture worth reflecting upon is the preference for space, whether it be in the workplace, in traffic, in personal space, or even pantry space. Growing up in a different cultural setting made me acknowledge this aspect of American value earlier on as well as the “live to work” motto.
The American culture is unique as it blends a variety of beliefs and traditions, but individualism prevails. I find this detrimental as it creates smaller social support networks, fuels competition between individuals, and can impact mental health. This lack of kinship can be detrimental to team cohesiveness and create a liquid society, characterized by volatile relationships, economy, as well as production. The priority always seems to be social mobility which doesn’t seem to be the case in other countries. “Work to live” instead of “Live to Work” outlines collectivist cultures.
Countless American movies open with a rushed character. Whether it be someone running to get to work or school, or even hitting quotas. Someone from a different culture would be surprised to find out that the perpetual hurry isn’t fiction. Sitting down to eat has become a distant reality for some Americans, contrary to other cultures that take the time to sit down and chat with friends and family. This American sense of urgency also ensures efficiency and competency. Someone from a different culture would be impressed with how superb customer service is, how free 2-day shipping is common, how canned ravioli tastes curiously good, and how easy it is to find 24-hour supermarkets.
This first blog post will benefit me by looking at my culture as an outsider and acknowledging the differences between American and Swiss cultures. When writing this I learned about Swiss punctuality, their respect for the environment, their high work ethic, and good spots for fondue. I have come to learn that commerce is closed on Sundays so people can maintain a work-life balance.
My research on their culture gave me an idea of what to expect culturally which hopefully makes it easier for me to adapt and make the best out of my 4 months!
