CROSS CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING

CROSS CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING

Indonesian and American Cultural Characteristics

Indonesians might

1.         Ask personal questions like these : “How old are you?” “Are you married yet?” “Why don’t you have kids yet?” “How much did your watch cost?” “Where are you going?”

2.         Push in line (in the post office, for example)

3.         Comment on or joke about someone looking fat, thin, tired/sleepy, or other things that you might rather not have commented on.

4.         Not knock before entering a room

5.         Spit almost anywhere or anytime

6.         Laugh when someone makes a mistake such as falling off, bike tripping, or other uncomfortable, painful or embarrassing situations

7.         Be late for appointments, parties, classes, etc

8.         Hold hands or walk arm in arms with members of the same sex; avoid touching members of the opposite sex (except for the formal handshake)

9.         Throw things out of car windows (plastic, paper, cigarettes, old fruit peels, etc)

10.     Pick their noses openly, or have a “unique” way of blowing them

11.     Tease or abuse animals for entertainment

12.     Habitually crack their knuckles, elbow joints, necks,  etc

13.     Have very long finger nails (males) perhaps only on one hand

14.     Cover their mouths with napkin or cupped left hand while picking their teeth

15.     Bargain in stores

16.     Say “yes” or “maybe” or “maybe tomorrow” when they mean “no”, end in a such way accept an invitation just to be polite

17.     Use a fork (left hand) and spoon (right hand) when eating; or just use the right hand alone, without utensils (in certain areas)

18.     Push food at guests or insist they eat more, even if the guests say they’re full

19.     Clap hands, whistle, make clicking sounds, etc. to get someone’s attention

20.     Try to strike up friendly conversation with every foreigner they meet

21.     Take off shoes before entering a house

22.     Use only their right hand for accepting/offering things, waving to someone, etc

23.     Treat everyone in the group (traktir) at a restaurant or warung, especially if they are the ones who did the inviting or had the idea to go; pay the bus fare for everyone in the group

24.     Refuse something which is being offered just to be polite

25.     Bow slightly in a differential way to a superior or older person and avoid direct eye contact to be polite

26.     Refuse cigarettes, beers, etc. if they are women; smoke when offered a cigarette if they are men

27.     Bend over and bow their heads if they must pass between two people, or in front of a group or audience

28.     Not move into the window seat on a crowded bus, causing someone to have to clamber over them to get to a seat

29.     Ride on the back of motorcycles side saddle (women), holding into the seat, not the driver (unless the driver is a close female friend of hers)

30.     Drop in on someone at home without arranging ahead of time

31.     Make time to chat personably even if they’re running late

32.     Say “thank you” (terima kasih) to mean “no, I don’t want any”

33.     “Kiss” relatives and children with a cheek-to-cheek, “sniff” (or a sniff of the hand)

34.     Bathe two or more times a day, and change clothes at least that often

35.     Not use the telephone, but instead GO directly to the place or person they used to contact, even when the telephone would seem more efficient

36.     Rather give you an answer to question than tell you don’t know the answer, even if in fact they don’t know

37.     Use an umbrella on a sunny day to protect themselves from the sun

38.     Repeat the obvious, for example plans that have already been decided on, a question for which an answer has been given

39.     Button up their shirts quite high (men and women); wear very padded and stiff bras so that no natural details of “curvature” show through (women)

40.     Want to / enjoy going places and doing things in a group

Americans might

1.      Appear to show lack of interest in a new acquaintance by not asking questions about family and personal background

2.      Point the soles of their feet towards someone or put their feet up on a table

3.      Rush off in a hurry a lot, being observed with staying on schedule

4.      Call someone by waving their hand or finger, palm up

5.      Offer you something they don’t want. “Would you like the rest of this chocolate bar? I’ve eaten all I want”

6.      Eat or drink while walking down the street

7.      Stand with their hands on their hips. A teacher might not do this while lecturing

8.      Say no before saying thank you. As in “No, thank you.”

9.      Use their thumb or forefinger to remove something from their mouth while eating, without covering their mouth with napkin or cupped hand

10.  Lean or sit on a desktop or table, perhaps even while lecturing

11.  Express anger openly and directly

12.  Stand or walk with their hands in their pockets

13.  Offer something (like tea or refreshments) only once, taking “no” for an answer.

14.  Raise eyebrows, use direct eye contact, have lots of body movement while talking

15.  Share an ice cream cone, or drink from the same glass or bottle as another person

16.  Show a lot of attention to women by opening car doors, carrying packages, etc

17.  Lick a stamp or eat ice cream showing their tongue

18.  Speak rather loudly and quickly without using any polite forms of address

19.  Grab your arm or slap you on the back to indicate friendliness; pat or hug friends of the opposite sex fondly, without it having sexual overtones

20.  Not wear a shirt while playing sports or running (men)

21.  Get angry, impatient, or bored if you repeat something; or insulted if you tell them something they already know

22.  Try to split up a check and pay separately, with lengthy deliberation and money flying from person to person at the table

23.  Be unwilling to accord people of higher status special politeness/respect

24.  Went to talk openly and candidly about politics, government, and openly critics their own government

25.  Launch into the business or issue needing to be discussed, without taking time to chat casually first

26.  Admit that they don’t know something even if perhaps they should (for example, the answer to a question in class, direction somewhere)

27.  Be quite direct in their comments and tone of voice

28.  Wear shorts or old faded clothes in public, wear cheap plastics thongs to the office, to class, etc

29.  Want to/enjoy going places and doing things alone