"More visible" aspects of culture
There are many facets of life in every culture that are "visible to the naked eye." These include food, art, clothing styles, shopping, and transportation networks, as well as music. Some of these are often described as "high culture," while others are parts of "low culture" or every-day culture.
In most parts of the world, study abroad students notice that foods, shops, clothing and transportation look different and function differently than in their home environment. One of the joys of studying abroad is the chance to discover foods and tastes that are new or different than what one has eaten before.
It is common for individuals who travel to a different country or culture to notice what is different from what they are familiar with or comfortable with. Yet it is also good to look for things that are similar to what you know or like. And it is good to search for the reasons why things function the way they do. That is the search for what is "below the waterline" (using the metaphor of culture as an iceberg).
Natalie studied abroad in Italy and noticed that meals and mealtimes were substantially different than what she was accustomed to. She later wrote:
"Before going abroad, I would tend to eat extremely fast and often by myself -- my family always attempted to have dinner together, but with numerous activities and work schedules, it was often difficulty for us to organize that. When I was in Italy, dinner wasn't just a time to eat, it was a whole event. When we would eat dinner in Italy, my friends and I formed our own family and would often spend up to three hours eating, drinking wine and sharing things about ourselves. In Italy, I would also eat much slower. Meals in Italy aren't just about feeding your body; they are an entire social event." [See Preparing to Study Abroad: Learning to Cross Cultures, p. 35.]
In most parts of the world, study abroad students notice that foods, shops, clothing and transportation look different and function differently than in their home environment. One of the joys of studying abroad is the chance to discover foods and tastes that are new or different than what one has eaten before.
It is common for individuals who travel to a different country or culture to notice what is different from what they are familiar with or comfortable with. Yet it is also good to look for things that are similar to what you know or like. And it is good to search for the reasons why things function the way they do. That is the search for what is "below the waterline" (using the metaphor of culture as an iceberg).
Natalie studied abroad in Italy and noticed that meals and mealtimes were substantially different than what she was accustomed to. She later wrote:
"Before going abroad, I would tend to eat extremely fast and often by myself -- my family always attempted to have dinner together, but with numerous activities and work schedules, it was often difficulty for us to organize that. When I was in Italy, dinner wasn't just a time to eat, it was a whole event. When we would eat dinner in Italy, my friends and I formed our own family and would often spend up to three hours eating, drinking wine and sharing things about ourselves. In Italy, I would also eat much slower. Meals in Italy aren't just about feeding your body; they are an entire social event." [See Preparing to Study Abroad: Learning to Cross Cultures, p. 35.]