Post Learning Journal #5

[Mary Chang]

I remember when I first came to the United States in 6th grade, I had a culture shock due to the different standards of personal space and eye contact. In Korea, you are taught not to look at someone older than you directly in the eyes because it's considered rude. However, in America direct eye contact in a conversation is considered more polite. Also, even though America is known for giving each other personal space in interactions, the personal space that Koreans give each other was much greater. So I felt uncomfortable in the beginning when my teachers came too close to me to talk to me. Another culture shock I had was the sense of individuality and independence. In Korea, you are taught to compete against your classmates and win against others to be on the top. However, American culture was more about yourself is your only competition and you are encouraged to compete against yourself to improve yourself. Calling adults older than you by their names was also another culture shock that almost never happens in Korean.