Federica Marrocco 
  LCI-LL
  24/11/06                  

  Researches about another culture

Myself and others researchers like me,we decided to do a reserch about
American culture,firstly to understand their way to do,secondly to view
differences between different cultures and thirdly,to show if what we
thought about their values are correct or not.
Fortunately,we met american students in more situations and then
 I observed their mentality.The first meeting we ate all together,italian and american 
students,I spoke with american boys about general speech in a way 
that they took confidence and in the meantime I tried to understand 
something about their culture,but naturally at the beginning 
it is not simple because in addition to do it,it is important to put
 ours values in a corner.
The second meeting was very more simple,in particular I observed
 two american boys,we spoke all day,I controled their behaviour, firstly,
in the shops,secondly with the tradesmen and thirdly I saw the way
 to do with me.
The hours passed and we spoke about a lot of topics,the themes
came without problems for the reason that speech was very
 spontaneous,in fact I have noted in those moments,if a person really would 
understand another culture,really  your values disapperead entering in
 another matrix.To understand their mentality I had to do smart questions
 in a way that they spoke with me with honesty and sincerity.
Now I have to speak about the informations that I observed,at the beginning
speaking about work,they said me in american towns, workers
 don't stop also if there are world events as.. Championship,
furthermore people who work,they are always active and
never they are tired or they do moans...This is a reality that there isn't
 in all countries for example there are nations as Italy (or others countries)
 where in some situation work is stopped for example to see Championship,
in addition I must say in some nations there are very lazy and
 inactive populations.
Before to go to the meeting I did hypotheses about their values and I put american
 culture in the rules observant,and I can affirme it for the precedent speech
 but in addition I have others notes to confirme it, as the fact that they respect
 the rules in the others nations,they respect the hours...
Naturally,I did others hypotheses about the values before to go there 
and I spoke with american boys firstly, to understand these parameters 
and secondly if my thinkings about them were correct.
We spoke about future,and I begun the topic saying that there are people
 especially youngers that don't have certaintys and they live in this way  without
 problems,subsequently I told about 
younger people that they think only in not important things.
Their answers confirmed my opinions.
FIrstly because they spoke in a very sure way
about their plans,secondly,they have many 
things they would to do and thirdly they are projected in the business world 
by the first years of school.Surely they are in the parameter 'uncertainty averse'
as I thought.
My thinkings about the parameter collectivism/
individualism were asserted.Speaking about university,  
the majority part of american students do travels abroad alone to
 their formation, in addition during a lesson
they prefer to think only in theirselfs especially for tasks or activities.They are
very individualist furthermore there are very little exceptions.
All american people who I spoke,they have an unaware faith in professors,
firstly they give a lot of attention in a course and secondly they like a lot what
 they said,because they think strongly in what the professors say,
it is very important for their future and then surely they learn from authority.
I observed,while we spoke,an important thing connected to a value.
They are very calm and they have a particular way
 to do questions,firstly,they are spontaneous,secondly they ask us things
 with a very communication direct without problems.
I can confirmed it with a lot of example,as when we spoke about 
nations as Italy,they did direct questions as;-What do you think
about italian politics?....Or also direct assertion as:-italian bureaucracy
is very slow.These are affirmations and questions in a very direct 
way,that in cultures as italian mindset,in the majority of cases these 
are not made.
Other value I observed,firstly by their way to speak,and secondly
by the things that they said me,it is the 'self in control' parameter.
I said them,there are boys that don't leave to abroad because 
they don't would have responsability,but immediately they 
stopped me with very surprised eyes,saying that freedom and 
to live abroad for a period,it is important to understand that
not always there is in the life, family to control you and then
an abroad experience learn you to mantein a self control.
In addition they said me they study in another nation,
they have freedom,they drink a lot, but the day after,they are 
always punctual in the courses and they do all tasks.
Fortunately I had the opportunity to view others times these two 
american boys,and I had also others meetings where I knew
others american people.
in these last times I heard others people that they spoke
about a lot of different topics,as university,as politics,italian
people,pubs,rules of their university,I heard also questions 
of italian people to others american boys...   .
I observed that values that I noted,these are in the majority of cases,firstly,
as I thought,but secondly, as in all things,there are exceptions.
An exhaustive example is when an american boy said me while he jokes,that two 
his friends don't respect the hours of the courses or,they ask
always assistance to others,for the tasks..However there are few
exceptions in a great group of students and then I can say that
the values I did,are enough respected..Naturally there are always,in all
cases,in all cultures exceptions.
Finally I can say an experience of this kind is important to an interior
growth..I have understand firstly,the reality is that if you want
enter in a another culture and you feel strongly this feeling,while you
are speaking with a different culture,suddenly you feel only the other
mindset,and secondly,you forget your values and it is created a situation 
where you speak in another way adopting another behaviour 
different by your mentality.

                                                                        federica marrocco.