Stop Smiling That Much
A Canadian woman in Russia wonders what is so shocking about her.
The Experience
“In Ekaterinburg, I met a young lady who was looking to practice English and we spent a few hours wandering the city. When people walked by, they’d stare at me balefully and then shake their heads and look away.
I finally asked her, “did I grow a second head or something?!”
“No,” she said, “you’re SMILING. So they think you’re insane.”
She explained that when she was 10, her mother told her to stop smiling so much because people would think she had lost her mind.
Though Canadians have a reputation for being nice, we aren’t known for smiling as much as our USA counterparts. Interesting piece about the cultural aspects of our facial cues, and how they don’t always go over well in other countries.”
Who's Telling the Story?
Jodi is a Canadian award-winning writer and public speaker. She focuses on telling stories through food, and has been publishing her work since 2008. Find her at http://www.legalnomads.com/.
Place : Ekaterinburg, Russia
Date : 2017
What do You Think?
Have you ever been shocked by a non-verbal communication aspect of another culture?
This intercultural expérience questions you?
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Intercultural Education : Langage and Styles of communication
(For our members and guests)
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