Exercise 8

Ibrahim khamis H00247334 CEB Cultural Dimension Character Outsourced Scene Todd, Puro, Aisha or other or Circumstance Low-context culture Dave Dave office High-context culture Aisha Individualism Puro by lonely in the hotel Collectivism other Low power distance Todd didn't accept High power distance Puro Uncertainty tolerance Aisha Asking him personal qustions Uncertainty avoidance Dave Task orientation Todd Social orientation other 1. As soon as Todd arrives, he experiences the discomfort of being disoriented in a strange new place. What happens at the airport? He struggled trying to walk through the huge crowed at the airport, which was an abnormal scene for him. Then he got annoyed by all the taxi drivers around him, who were fighting over him 2. When a friendly traveler helps him get on the train, what does he tell him to do? How could this advice apply to what an exchange student has to do? He advised him to jump into the train 3. When he gets on the train, he cannot find an empty seat. How is this problem solved for him? How might this be a cultural solution? The young kid offered him his seat and then sat in his lap, because of the high population in india people are used to such a solution such as sharing seats, standing and squeezing in the train cabins. 4. As any exchange student, he has a lot of experiences trying new food. His first encounter is with an iced drink. What happens? He got stomach ache, and got sick because of the polluted water used in the iced drink 5. First encounters with a culture can be shocking – Todd sees crowded streets with cows, noise, and a man urinating in the street. But how does his host describe the city? “Bombay is terrible, but here it’s very clean” 6. Even though the host Puro speaks English, Todd uses American slang a lot without thinking. So as not to insult Puro, what does he say the meaning of Schmuck is? “That means like a nice guy” 7. Todd wants to check in to a hotel. But Puro insists he come to a boarding house. What is the reason he gives Todd? That he will feel lonely if he stays by himself in the hotel. 8. As soon as they meet, Aunti Ji starts asking very intimate questions that Americans who have just met would never ask. What kind of things does she ask? What does your father do, are you married, what’s your salary, do you have a girlfriend? Why did you break up? 9. During his first conversation with Aunti Ji he makes two big mistakes. What are they? He ate with his left hand which considered not clean in india and he placed the same hand he ate with back in the food 10. The Golden Rule says do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That means his Indian hosts and friends are trying to make him comfortable the way they would be comfortable. How does this apply when the servant is preparing tea for Todd? She poured the tea for him and even put sugar just the way they do. 11. How does Todd figure out why one does not eat food with the left hand? The owner of the boardinghouse explained to him by sign language why Indians think left hand isn’t clean to eat with 12. What is ethnocentric about his statement "You need to learn about America"? 13. Why do they disagree on how a "native" speaks English? Because of the way Americans pronounce some words with an American accent not proper English, they think it’s a matter of different accents which doesn’t mean their English is wrong in India at the end it is a matter of correct English He was shocked and didn’t understand why Aysha said that. High-context culture 14. What doesn't Todd understand about the Indians' response to the "cattle brand"? He was talking about it in an insensitive way without knowing how sensitive and holy cows are in India 15. What is Todd's reaction to "You need to learn about India"? What stage of culture shock might it represent? He was shocked and didn’t understand why Aysha said that. High-context culture 16. He calls home several times. Why? What stage of culture shock might provoke calls home? Because he is homesick.