Customs

It can be intriguing to study in a cross-cultural environment. When I was doing my TESOL training, the most interesting part of the day was lunchtime. In the classroom, the students of different cultures had learned the rules. But once they got out their different assortments of food and began to eat, diversity was present once more.

Here are a few general observations I've made at the university here:

-Chinese students knock on closed doors, even to enter a classroom. Argentinians knock even on open doors, when entering a room occupied by other people. Americans knock on the doors of toilet stalls, changing rooms, or any room where a private meeting might be going on that they are interrupting. Russians....try the door handle?

-Only Russians use the cloakroom at the university. Everyone else is either really cold or doesn't know about this service.

-Whoever is in the majority talks the loudest. Not only Americans, but Chinese do this, yelling across a hallway to each other, even when speakers of other languages are present. But I can also testify to Russians doing this...for example, in an airport waiting room, when traveling in a group.

-No one seems particularly concerned about punctuality. :) Maybe the sleepy student mentality takes precedence over culture...

Addendum:
-When Russian words fail, the Argentinian and Polish priests speak Latin to each other. :)