The picture on the right actually doesn't do the event justice. There were many more people involved (this photo was taken towards the end) and you cannot actually see the time-keepers who kept things turning over at a furious pace. Let's just say that I prefer making friends in a more organic manner.
A three-minute conversation in which you're asked about your country of origin, field of study and some vague interests is hardly going to lead to lasting relationships in my opinion. At least not in such artificial circumstances. (Am I too old school?)
Meanwhile, the kind coordinators of the Humphrey programme arranged a talk on culture shock at the end of last week. Gary Weaver of the School of International Service at American University came to speak to the fellows about adjusting to life in the US. He outlined some of the key behaviours, beliefs and values practiced or held by Americans which might fellows might find conflictual.
One of the more interesting topics discussed was the premium placed on 'doing' in American society. In the US, one's identity is tied up in what one does. Status is earned. This, Weaver argued, is the opposite of certain non-Western societies, which place value on being (status is ascribed). In the US, self-reliance and independence are considered strong and masculine characteristics while stability and dependence are considered feminine. Not surprisingly, I have observed this in the ways in which people - ranging from supermarket staff to university lecturers - almost seem to demand individual performance, even with things as trivial as how fast or slowly I unpack the trolly at the check-out counter.
What I found most intriguing about Weaver's talk, though, was that he reckoned that the hardest culture shock comes with return and reintegration in one's home country. I hadn't even considered this and it is slightly worrying, but it's waaaaaaaay to early to be thinking about this.
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