Two connecting flights and 29 hours later, I had finally stepped foot in Bangkok, Thailand.
While it was my first time in Asia, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. Prior, I had done a significant amount of research on everything from what to pack, the weather forecast, must see places all the way to ethical elephant sanctuaries. As prepared as I thought I was, nothing could have prepared me for the cultural differences I was about to experience between Asia and North America.
As a blonde hair, blue eyed, young American woman, I’ll admit that I was a bit apprehensive about how I would be treated in Thailand. Yet, I was able to fully immerse myself into the Thai culture and, in doing so, I had an unforgettable experience. During my stay, I noticed a few unique distinctions between Southeast Asia and the United States. Behavioral styles were the primary difference that caught my attention.
Some of these distinctions include the differences in a “we” vs. “me” culture, the approach to dealing with conflict and using verbals vs. non-verbals to communicate a message within each culture.
Understanding behaviors is extremely beneficial when interacting with others, but even more so when communicating cross-culturally. Many of our actions are learned during our upbringing. Human behavior is a universal language and by recognizing how people do things, you can be more effective when handling challenges, rules and pace of the environment.,,
@cakmian
