Rules of behavior in an unfamiliar society: 5 lessons from Benjamin Franklin

"If you want to get excellent tips on how to deal with people, to manage oneself and improve their personal qualities, read the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin - one of the most fascinating life stories. "
Dale Carnegie

Now the job might not be connected with the country of residence. People change the country and work, such as gloves. The same applies to the choice of holiday destinations. But cultural and behave correctly in the new location are able to not all. If you came to rest in the hotel, it does not mean that you can behave in a boorish way, because "for all uplocheno". And the breadth of the Slavic soul understand and accept calmly, not all nations.

Benjamin Franklin was an excellent diplomat and politician and was well aware of people and society as a whole. Advice that he gave back in the XVIII century, would do well to re-read many of our countrymen.

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This post I wrote on the basis of Article Joe Navarro for «Psychology today». Only 5 principles of conduct in an unfamiliar society or another country. It's very simple and to hurt one's eyes is evident.

1. Always Examine them carefully to how people behave in other cultures. Your volume as the active gestures hands, can not be appreciated.

If an Italian or a Spaniard will understand you and will gladly accept your embrace, the Germans or the Japanese will not understand you. Moreover, in many Asian touch it is considered an insult. It is better to learn at least the general rules of behavior in the country you are visiting.

2. Be humble. If you are in something wrong, do not take just a defensive position. Recognize that your behavior was not worthy or that you did not know about the ban, and comply with local regulations. Just apologize and admit his mistake.

3. Ask about what is possible and what is impossible. And after some time will pass, have to evaluate your behavior. Say that you will respect their culture and want to know more to improve their intellectual level.

Local people always love it when foreigners are being questioned about their local traditions. They are always happy to talk about the basic rules of conduct on how to behave on the market and in the cafe, where to buy the products and, of course, you will learn the basic words in their own language.

4. Do not behave as if they - the savages, and you come from a more civilized country. Some of our cultures older than one thousand years.

Recently, there is a very "cute" picture in the cafeteria of the Vienna Airport. Middle-aged lady was loudly pronounces the syllables over and over again, "BU-LO-BAP with co-RI-Tsey!". However, she shook her folded thumb and index finger right in front of the Austrian bartender as if by this he understands it better. In the end, she still had to poke a finger in this unfortunate lady bun and flushed, panting with anger and muttering under his breath, "He that is deaf, does not understand ?!" retired to the table.

Yes, not all speak foreign languages, but this does not mean that all countries are obliged to speak in Russian (by the way, is one of the most difficult languages ​​in the world). If you do not know a single word in any language other than the mother, it is much easier to poke a finger in what you want to buy or at least try to read what is written there.

5. Try to behave so that others were with you comfortably. It takes a lot of time, but it's worth it. Cultural "mirroring," has a lot of advantages, including the psychological.

If during a conversation with the person you start to repeat after him his gestures and tone of voice, the conversation will get better much faster. You seem to become a mirror of the source, and it feels much more comfortable. The same applies to the cultural behavior. If you are visiting a foreign country, be so kind as to examine their rules and customs. Remember that from this will be much more comfortable to you and that you get a lot more benefits of polite behavior.