When I think about the United States, I believe a notable part of American culture is friendliness. By friendliness I mean being welcoming, talkative, helpful, and smiling to strangers around you. Americans typically engage in small talk and converse with strangers in most settings; this may happen while waiting in line, at the airport, at the gym, at the salon, etc. Another example is politeness by always saying “thank you,” no matter how small the favor is. I am from the south, so southern hospitality is very important where I was raised. Strangers constantly smile at one another in passing and they tend to hold the door open for anyone close in proximity. This behavior is a social norm and can come across as rude if a person does not follow these customs. A person’s body language is a form of communication and can help people bond and form connections.
Personally, American friendliness is one of my favorite aspects of American culture. However, I have noticed these customs are much more prevalent in the southern states of the United States. I never realized this regional difference until attending college in Florida, especially since a great portion of Floridians and students at Rollins come from the northeast. I also want to note that I am speaking in a general sense, it is completely unrealistic for every stranger to act friendly. Although I have always assumed that this social behavior would be a global norm, but this is not the case. Learning this has made me even more appreciative to be raised in my hometown and in a country where friendliness is so normalized.
I have heard stories of Europeans being taken aback by American friendliness. Europeans are known to keep to themselves and may not go out of their way to smile or talk with strangers. However, this is just a stereotype that I have heard and this may vary depending on the European country and region someone is from. This stereotype is particularly associated with Parisians, who tend to come across as “rude” to Americans. I am very curious to experience different European countries and see what their social behavior looks like.
As I prepare for my move to Aix-en-Provence, I believe it is important to be vigilant of my American customs and behavior. For example, smiling at strangers I pass by may not be normal behavior while I am studying abroad. This is an important form of social communication and helps people bond and form connections in the United States. However, I do not want to give someone the wrong impression while I am abroad, if this is not a typical social norm and gesture in their culture. Someone may appear to be “closed-off” or “unfriendly,” but they are actually following the cultural norms that they were raised to learn. Therefore, it is important to not take this behavior personally. This exercise is important as I start preparing myself for differences in American and European culture. American friendliness is just one example, but this exercise can be applied to many different American norms and beliefs.