Cultural Differences Between the US and Venezuela

Before visiting the United States for the first time, I was a little scared because I knew I would find here people with values and customs different from mine. After a few days of living in the US and sharing with American people, I was surprised and delighted with the many points in common between American culture and Venezuelan culture. Despite the similarities, however, I could not avoid feeling shocked over the noticeable differences between both cultures regarding ______, ______, and ______.

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______. First, the definition of “family” differs. When taking about their family, Americans generally think of their immediate family, which is the parents and their children. That is the impression I have gotten form the American people I have met since I came to the US. Second, in America, when children grow up, they frequently leave their parents’ home and go to live in another city. For this reason, American families do not get together with much frequency. American families meet only on special dates or occasions like Christmas, Thanksgiving, weddings and funerals. In contrast, when Venezuelans talk about their family, they generally think about a more extended idea of family. When I think of my family, for example, I think not only of my parents, brother, and sister, but also my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. In addition, the members of Venezuelan families tend to live close to one another, most likely in the same city. This fact allows them to have a close relationship due to sharing more moments together and helping one another. Venezuelans get together not only on special holidays but also on Sundays to have lunch and socialize. Indeed, Venezuelan families seem to have closer relationships among the members than American families do. ______

______. In the US, people are so concerned about respecting other people’s privacy that friends always keep some distance from each other. That is, they usually maintain physical distance between each other. Also, Americans usually avoid asking for help from their friends unless it is absolutely necessary. Unlike Americans, Venezuelans consider a friend almost like a relative. It is perfectly normal to come physically close to a friend, give him or her a hug or a kiss, or shake his or her hand. Because Venezuelans believe that a friend is a person one can rely on if there is a problem, they would not hesitate in asking a friend for help. In these respects, the American concept of friendship is different from the Venezuelan one.

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______. Americans tend to be very direct. They get to the point with no preamble. Sometimes, this direct way of saying things may be considered rude by people from other cultures. It is not that Americans are impolite. On the contrary, they are very polite because they always say thank you and please, and they try to moderate their statements by using tactful expressions. Although Americans are direct, there are certain questions or topics in the US that are considered impolite to talk about, for example a women’s age, a person’s religious beliefs, salary, weight and political views. Unlike American culture, in Venezuelan culture, people tend not to be very direct and usually make a few statements suggesting the point before getting to it, so the person is somehow prepared to hear what is going to be said. In addition, talking about a person’s religion, weight, or salary is not a transgression. It is totally acceptable to ask a friend about his or her religion, weight or salary. It is very important for Americans and Venezuelans to be aware of these difference in politeness in order to avoid misunderstandings.

In conclusion, the American concepts of ______, ______and ______are different from the Venezuelan ones. For this reason, when I came to the US, I had to adapt myself to this new culture.