| Establishing solid friendships with people who look, | | | | and open-minded will open the way for a long-term |
| think and act like us can be difficult enough, but what | | | | cross-cultural friendships. |
| about making friends from other backgrounds or | | | | Be Gracious |
| cultures? Bridging the gap with someone outside our | | | | When you begin making friends with someone |
| homogeneous surroundings can be frightening and | | | | outside of your culture, sometimes you will come up |
| formidable. This article discusses tips on how to build | | | | against practices with which you cannot agree. In |
| cross-cultural relationships. | | | | cases like this, it is okay to not participate; however, |
| Avoid an Ethnocentric Attitude | | | | you should always be gracious and courteous. Too |
| The first tip to developing solid cross-cultural | | | | often people choose to turn up their noses and |
| friendships is to avoid being too ethnocentric. All | | | | become self-righteous or arrogant in reaction to a |
| cultures have good and bad aspects. In order to gain | | | | weird custom or practice in another culture. The best |
| the respect of someone from another culture, it is | | | | thing to do is to be calm and realize that if you had |
| important to develop an accurate view of your own | | | | been reared in that culture you would have done it, |
| culture including the good, the bad, and the ugly. | | | | too. When you are gracious, folks from other lands |
| Americans are notorious for going abroad and sharing | | | | will appreciate you and want to be your friend. |
| about how American ways are so much better than | | | | Share a Meal with Them |
| the ways of the host country. This type of | | | | In order to build strong cross-cultural relationships, |
| ethnocentric babble is a huge turn off and will result in | | | | invite your new acquaintance to share a meal with |
| disgust and disdain rather than friendship. A better | | | | you. Food plays an important role in the lives of |
| way is to be humble and look for best of both | | | | people from all walks of life. Taking the time to enjoy |
| cultures. | | | | lunch or dinner with your new prospective friend will |
| Be Curious and Open-minded | | | | go a long way towards developing a long-term |
| Instead of talking so much about your own | | | | friendship. |
| background and culture, take an interest in the ways | | | | Be Patient |
| and ideas of your new friend's neighborhood or | | | | Finally, be patient. This potential friendship may not |
| country. This means to be curious and open-minded. | | | | transpire overnight. They don't know you. They don't |
| Ask questions and then be quiet and listen to the | | | | know your intentions. They probably won't just say, |
| answers. Ask about their families and their customs. | | | | "Okay! Let's be friends!" It will take time for their |
| Get out of your comfort zone and try their favorite | | | | hearts to thaw and trust you. So be patient. Don't |
| foods and visit their favorite places. When you curtail | | | | force the issue. If you are consistently kind and open |
| the need to live within your comfort zone, you will | | | | to them and their "funny" ways they will warm up to |
| be able to be adventurous and gain greater insights | | | | you and you will have a lifelong friendship. |
| into other practices from other parts of the world. | | | | Developing cross-cultural relationships is not easy. This |
| You must also decide in advance to be willing to | | | | article has discussed five tips to establishing |
| appreciate the differences you discover. Being curious | | | | friendships with people from all walks of life. |