When the meal is finished, everyone in turn gives a compliment to the mother by saying, "Thank you for preparing the meal, madam." No dessert is served after the meal. Fruits like papaya, pineapple, or sweet bananas are normally eaten as a snack between meals.
Cuisine & Etiquette in Sierra Leone
In Sierra Leone, the staple food is rice. "If I haven't had my rice, I haven't really eaten today," is a popular saying of this people. They eat rice at least twice a day. Only women and girls prepare the food.
If you visit a there friend, he or she will almost always invite you to stay and eat. Sharing is an important part of life in Sierra Leone! Everyone washes their hands before they eat, and then they gather in a circle with a huge dish of food placed in the middle.
The oldest males get the choicest food, the best pieces of meat or fish. Then the young males take the next best pieces, and then finally the women and girls get any meat or fish that is left. Sometimes the women and girls wait until the men and boys have had all they want before they eat.
Rice is eaten with the hands by squeezing or rolling it into a ball, dipping it into the sauce, and then popping it into the mouth. When everyone finishes eating, they wash their hands and thank the cook.
When you are eating, you usually don't talk. Talking shows a lack of respect for the food. It is rude to lean on your left hand while you are eating. People usually drink water only after a meal is over.
Many ingredients go into sauces or stews to go with rice. The most popular sauces are made of greens. Other common ingredients include palm oil, onions, tomatoes, yams, and red peppers. Sometimes peanut oil or coconut oil are used. Sources of protein that go into the sauces include peanuts and beans, as well as fish, chicken, goat meat, or pork. Seafood, such as oysters, lobster, and crab, may also be used. Most of the calories, however, come from rice, which is eaten in large quantities.
Fruits include oranges, bananas, papayas, lemons, avocados, watermelon, mangoes, and pineapples. Fruit is usually eaten as a snack. Plantains (cooking bananas) are sometimes sliced and fried as chips for a snack. Tea and coffee are drunk in some parts of the country for breakfast. Coke and beer are popular with people who can afford them.
PATTERNS OF SPEECH
A language is more than the sum of its words, its grammar, and the expressive quality of its melody.
Language =Words+ Grammar + Melody + "?"
Every cultural group has unique patterns of speech — patterns for doing things like giving and responding to compliments, saying no, and forming business relationships. And even the most elementary of speech acts — the greeting — is more complex than you might think!
THE U.S.A
Many visitors to the United States are perplexed every time an American flashes one of those famous smiles, looks you straight in the eye, exclaims "How are you?" —and then disappears without waiting to hear a word. These visitors must feel like Alice in Wonderland, trying to communicate with the White Rabbit. That's because they are taking the question "How are you?" literally, as a request for information about ones health and well-being. "How are you?" (when said in passing or as part of an everyday greeting) may be a question according to the rules of grammar, but in practice it is not a question at all! It is a friendly and polite greeting. No one expects to give or hear a long answer. A one or two word answer will do. In fact, it's considered rude to tell a long story.
When Americans are not simply greeting you and truly want to know how you are, they may put a small emphasis on the word "are." How ARE you? Or, to make the message absolutely clear, they might say "How ARE you, REALLY?" Then you can tell a very long story indeed.
MOROCCO
In Moroccan Arabic, people greet each other with the words "Salaam Oo-allay-kum." Ibis greeting means "Peace be with you." The response is "Oo-allay-kum salaam" — "And with you peace." But the greeting does not end there! Greetings in Morocco may continue for many minutes - sometimes as long as half an hour — as people ask about each other's health, faith in Allah, families, work, etc.
Moroccans shake hands when greeting, touching the heart immediately after the handshake to show that the greeting is sincere. Sometimes instead of touching the heart, they will kiss their own hand after the handshake as a sign of particular esteem or affection. In the case of family members or close friends, women greeting women and men greeting men will kiss each other's cheeks back and forth a few times. In the north, it's right cheek-left cheek-left cheek. In other parts of the country, it could be right-left-right, or right-left only. How many times you kiss cheeks also depends on how much you like the person, or how long it's been since you've seen them. The longer it's been, the more kisses are exchanged.
4.CONTRAST RUSSIAN’S STEREOTYPES
A stereotype is a statement that simplifies human and social realities. For example, a single quality is said to belong to every member of a group: "Men hate to cook."
Prejudice is to prejudge: to form an opinion, usually negative, about someone before you know many facts. "Richard can't cook - he's a guy!" If you have seen the film Shrek, about an ogre who falls in love with a princess, you may remember Shrek's lament — his sad complaint that "They judge me before they even know me!"
Stereotypes and prejudice are based on incomplete or faulty information. They get in the way of knowing people as individuals and of understanding the world in a complex and sophisticated way; they can offend & hurt people; and they can lead to serious misunderstandings.
NINE STATEMENTS ABOUT RUSSIA
The nine comments a non-Russian might make about Russians:
1. Russians are dreamers and not doers.
2. Russians are not materialistic. They consider other people more important than what you can buy.
3. Russians value familiar faces and distrusts those they do not know.
4. There is a right and a wrong way to do almost anything, and Russians will not hesitate to tell you when you are doing something wrong — or "nyekulturno."
5. Russians don't think about the future — they don't plan far ahead. If they have money today, they spend money today.
6. Russians are certain that they are right, they know everything & they have all the answers.
7. Russians are fatalistic — they feel nothing they can do will make a difference.
8. Russians disapprove of people who are different or who break social conventions (like Tattoo).
9. Russians are "lazy" — if you don't tell them what to do and supervise them carefully they will do as little as possible or nothing at all.
If we can understand what lies behind the stereotypes, we are able to politely challenge or correct others' misperceptions if we so choose. We all stereotype others sometimes
—and it can be a shock to hear about how others stereotype us. Just think of a time you have stereotyped someone, as we all have, and imagine their reaction if they heard your words!
For an explanation of each of the nine notions, we shall learn some reasons that some observers and scholars might give as to why Russians may appear to others the way they do.
1. As a general rule Americans are oriented towards doing. They measure their own value, and that of others, by what & how much they do. Ideas are not valued as highly as the practical application of ideas and results. Russians are more oriented towards contemplating ideas and valuing ideas in and of themselves. A Russian who attended an American/Russian conference described the different ways each group would spend conference evenings. "The Russians would sit all night drinking tea, discussing and reflecting upon the events and ideas of the day, while the Americans would be dunking of what they had to do the next day and preparing for it."
2. "It's better to have 100 friends than 100 rubles." Russians have very close bonds with and depend upon a close network of friends, family and familiar faces — people they know they can trust. Government, banks, & bureaucracies are not trusted or depended upon. Friends, however, can trust each other and depend upon one other.
3. Again, many Russians belong to close-knit groups of family & friends. Within these groups, there is great trust and a strong sense of closeness — however strangers and outsiders are not immediately trusted and are kept at a greater social and emotional distance.
4. Russian culture, more than many others, emphasizes clear cultural norms, rules and scripts (what people should say). Many Russians expect others to conform to these social or cultural rules and freely correct those who "stray." They may feel that they are being helpful and saving others from future trouble or embarrassment
5. Russians may believe that planning for the future and living for tomorrow is sinful and contradicts Christian teachings. One Russian student quoted the Bible as proof that this belief is sacred: "Now listen to me, you that say, 'today or tomorrow we will travel to a certain city, where we will stay a year and go into business and make a lot of money.' You don't even know what your life tomorrow will be! You are like a puff of smoke, which appears for a moment and then disappears." Making the most of each day, living 'it to the fullest, and facing only the hardships of the current day are valued.
Many Russians appear to prefer a consensus on truth to a plurality of opinions or truths. Some writers trace this preference to the early Russian Empire - when Russia was "ruled by an autocratic dynasty with a holy mission to defend its faith against the barbarians of the East and the heresies and pluralism of the West" "The pluralism of the West was seen by Russia as chaotic, without harmony, a disunity or thought and purpose." Historically, Russia has held to a vision of a single, unifying truth — the truth as told by the Communist party and Communist ideology; or a Russian Orthodox vision of an absolute truth with no room for conflicting opinions. Russian Orthodoxy, according to one writer, was envisioned as "a fellowship uniting all souls under a single and correct religious rite" actively agreed upon and shared by all. The faithful were envisioned as members of one big family - just as the 15 Soviet republics were envisioned as "sisters."
7. It is a general Russian cultural belief that people cannot necessarily or easily change things or influence events. The goal is to be patient & persevere. Some writers say this may be because of the physical hardships of Russian life — from the long winters to shortages of goods.
8. Again, Russians appear to prefer dear cultural norms and rules and to easily judge and criticize those who break them.
9. Russian workers and Russian students appear to prefer detailed and precise instructions from supervisors or teachers. Decisions about what should be done, and how, appear to be made at the top. Supervisors/teachers appear to know best. People may prefer to follow clear directions from above rather than risk errors or innovations that may harm their careers.
MIDDLE EASTERN INTERVIEW RESPONSES
When your first arrived in Russia, what stood out the most?
- The forests, the vast number of green trees I saw from the airplane window.
- It was my dream to study in Russia. It's a great country and there are many opportunities for study. I love the writings of Gorky, and through reading Gorky I got the impression that Russians are clever and patient- it's a great country, as great as the US.
What stereotypes did you hear about Russians before coming to Russia?
- People are poor. They have to wait in line for bread.
- It's liked a military zone, closed to most people.
- People are hospitable. You can knock on your neighbor's door. There is brotherly love.
What stereotypes do Russians have of your part of the world?
- Everyone is very rich. There is lots of oil. (They don't differentiate among countries).
- Women wear veils.
- People ride camels.
- Men marry four or five women.
- Everyone is Muslim. (They don't know about other religions).
- They don't know our history.
- Terrorists
- Not much knowledge, they only know the name Arafat.
Russian perceptions of Arabs/Southerners
- Southerners are called "black." There is discrimination based on skin color. There are unpleasant encounters on the street. Many international students have been assaulted. Flats have been broken into. Almost everyone has been assaulted, especially in bars, nightclubs, and discos. Students go out in groups for safety in numbers.
- One student had two brothers who came to Russia. One brother was beaten and had a severe head injury. Another had a leg broken.
- Some babushki yell "Chechens go home!" One interviewee says that he doesn't pay attention- he understands that they are old and he understands the psychological reasons. Another says they have no right to say those things. We are students here. We have come here for our education. We are spending money and adding to the Russian economy. We are not troubling anyone.
- Overall crime rate is high, but foreigners are particularly victimized. There is no police protection. There seems to be no law. There are police document checks and bribes. There has been a big change in the past ten years. Now there is more economic disorder, corruption, violence, and crime.
Why Questions
Why are women streetcar drivers? Why do they do manual and construction work?
- Why are young Russians rude to older people?
- Why don't young men don't give up seats on the trolley bus for elders?
- Why do young people sometimes yell or shout bad words at old women?
Your Perceptions of Russia and Russians Now
- The people are friendly and sympathetic. Teachers are friendly and sympathetic. Sympathy is the key to understanding.
- Russian women are very beautiful. They are patient, they work hard, they are good housewives, they are always loyal, and they dress nicely.
- There are a high number of educated people, especially in the sciences. They are able to work under difficult conditions. It's a wonder. It's not about equipment. That's Russia's secret.
Major differences between cultures
- Alcohol — many Muslims do not drink.
- Families at home are bigger —5-10 people
- In Russia, people don't know their neighbors' names. They don't greet each other on the street and communicate.
- Clothes — women dress more modestly than Russian women.
- Women don't smoke, drink, or dress revealingly as they do in Russia.
- Families support each other more. Brothers and sisters support each other. Russian families seem more isolated and
individualistic.
- The divorce rate at home is very low.
- Men respect women more at home, there is not so much domestic violence as in Russia.
5. AMERICAN’S VIEW OF RUSSIANS
RUSSIAN’S VIEW OF AMERICANS
AMERICAN INTERVIEW RESPONSES
When you first arrived in Russia, what stood out the most?
- People are very thin.
- How many people actually walk. There are lots of cars and good public transportation, but there are lots of pedestrians too.
- How dirty the cities are. I knew they would look a little run down, but there's more litter and trash than at home.
- People don't smile.
- Russians are not materialistic. They consider other people more important than what you can buy.
- To some degree, they are less culturally aware. Russia was dosed off to the rest of the world and Russians are not used to seeing people of color.
- Men with machine guns at the airport A woman with big, black poufy hair, a frilly white blouse, an army-issue green mini-skirt, black stiletto heels, frosty pink lipstick and a scowl It was like a scene from a John Waters movie.
- In 1978 I arrived in St. Petersburg from Sweden. It was like going from color to black and white. There were shortages of food. It was drab; it was dark. I came back in 1998. Ibis time I noticed a washed-out drabness. People wore dark clothes, not much color. There were things to buy in the shops this time, but somehow everything looked faded. The communist experience was unique. The whole world moved on, and Russia was closed off. There are some good things and some bad things in this. It was like being dropped off in the 1950s, when I was a child. There was still not much tourism, but the attitudes of people changed. This first time it was less friendly, people spoke less English, and there were millions of forms to fill out, scattered all over the place. You had to be precise, because the authorities were hypervigilant.
- Crazy drivers everywhere, incredibly long waits for trams and buses, no timetables for buses and trams, people going out of their way to help you find a destination