13. 13.

There was this time we were taking a walk with my Brazilian friend and there comes a guy who was skating. On reaching us, he made an okay sign to us where the thumb and the forefingers are rounded leaving the three fingers up. To me it meant “cool,” or rather we looked “okay or fine” and so I smiled at him back. However, my friend became mad and started insulting the guy. Apparently, I did not know that the okay meant something different in their culture. It is more of an insult than we thought in our culture. I think culture was a filter that brought about the difference in perception.

Q.15. Having come from different cultures, I think the couple should have made it clear what their intentions were to each other given the fact that using a sign such as kissing could portray a different meaning. However, since the boy’s intention to the girl was to take a further step in their relationship, the girl could not have been astounded. She could have kissed the boy back but then explain to him what kissing meant in her culture. Afterward, the boy could have explained his intentions. If they could have talked instead of using kissing as a sign, then they could have avoided the possibility of misunderstanding.

Q.16.

Eye contact is a gesture that portrays different meanings in various cultures. There was this time a friend of mine had come visiting. Given the fact that she was of the opposite gender, she greeted all of us and had this staring look at my brother. To her, it meant no harm, but given our cultural norms, I perceived as being inappropriate. I perceived it as being seductive, and so I left the place feeling disgusted and bored. This almost broke our friendship until she came explaining to me.

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