Should We Shake Hands On The International Day of Friendship, July 30?
Sydney, Australia (PRWEB) July 30, 2013 -- Shaking hands is a common way to greet each other when being introduced. July 30, The International Day of Friendship, might be an appropriate time to review this custom in light of our increasingly multicultural societies.
Every country has a multicultural aspect. For example, nearly one-quarter of Australians were born overseas and four million speak a language other than English at home. The most common nationalities granted Australian citizenship in 2005-06 were from the United Kingdom (21.4%), China (8.7%), New Zealand (7.4%), India (7.2%), South Africa (4.9%), Philippines, Sudan, Iraq, Vietnam, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
Victoria Ugarte, Amazon best-selling author and culture specialist, is concerned about the number of friendships being lost through cultural ignorance rather than intention. “To have a richly diverse network of friends is so easy in Australia, especially when we know and respect each other’s cultures,” she enthused.
As Australians identify with over 300 ancestries and observe a wide variety of cultural and religious traditions, it would seem reasonable that cultural insensitivity displayed when meeting people can often cause offense.
The simple act of shaking hands, so much a part of greeting in the Western culture, can represent a cultural minefield. In fact, Australians will often directly relate the strength of a handshake - from ‘wet fish’ to ‘strong’ – to the calibre of the person. This perception is simplistic, given that extending one’s hand in certain cultures may be cause for surprise, even concern.
In India, for example, is it usual for men to shake hands with other men and women with other women. If an Indian man extends his hand to a woman, then it is quite all right to reciprocate; but it is always wiser to wait. It is probably more prudent between men and women to use the Namaste, where the palms of the hand are brought together at chest level with a slight bow. Handshakes in China tend to border on the softer side and the men will often wait for the women to extend their hand first before extending theirs.
In Orthodox Judaism any physical contact between members of the opposite sex, other than with immediate family members, is frowned upon, even handshakes. Similarly with Muslims, to touch a member of the opposite sex outside their direct family constitutes a serious cultural breach and in some parts of the world, punishable by law. Being left handed can also bring its fair share of challenges when in the company of Islamic friends, who will not eat, pass food platters or give or receive gifts with their left hand.
“Failure to know the appropriate greetings in different cultures is only the tip of the iceberg,” Ugarte continues, “potential problems can stem from different language and communication styles, different moral codes, ignorance of appropriate manners, gift giving, status and seniority, dressing etiquette, the levels of patriarchy and religious laws of a particular culture, historical influences and politics.” “Don’t think for a moment that the world of high technology, education and globalization have dissolved these differences,” Ugarte emphasized.
Here are some other tips on appropriate communication and behavior from different cultures that will encourage international friendships, remembering that women are far more affected by cultural differences than men: A Saudi male will tend to give another male a long hard stare when they first meet, but then avoid direct eye contact. For members of the opposite sex who are not directly related, direct eye contact is forbidden. To show the soles of one’s feet to someone from Saudi Arabia is considered an insult. Winking at someone of Indian heritage can be mistaken for a sexual come-on. Patting the head of an Indian person or child constitutes a lack of respect as the head is considered the seat of the soul. Brazilians like to look directly into a person’s eyes when they converse; averting your eyes will give the impression that you have something to hide. It is wise to educate oneself on the Japanese concept of “face” in an honor-based society, which reflects in the practice of bowing. A bow can range from a small nod of the head to a long, 90 degree bend at the waist, depending on the seniority of the person one is bowing to.
“Every day we deal with a complicated matrix of customs,” Ugarte explains. “Even after decades of experience I can sometimes get it wrong,” she laughs. “If you do your best, most cultures will recognize and appreciate your effort and meet you halfway.“
Telephone Victoria on +61 411 502 421 or download her free report 7 Strategies for Understanding Corporate Culture by visiting http://www.victoriaugarte.com/talesfromatravlercom/ Ugarte’s book Culture Savvy for Women, available from Amazon, explains in country-specific detail how to navigate cultural issues.
Victoria Ugarte, Explore My World Travel, http://www.ExploreMyWorldTravel.com/, +61411502421, [email protected]
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