The following is taken directly from the pre-departure manual given to ICCP participants by our recruiters:
Life in the United States
The
United States is a large country with people from many different backgrounds. There are many variations among the people of the U.S. due to
regional, ethnic, religious, and economic differences. No matter what we tell you about the attitudes, beliefs, and practices of people in the
United States, you will find a part of our population which does not fit the description. Mark Twain, a famous American author, once said, "The
only thing Americans have in common is a fondness for ice water."
There are some characteristics which are fairly common of most U.S. Americans:
•
Informality - We treat everyone more or less alike regardless of differences in social status.
•
Tact - We can be indirect when trying to communicate information which may cause another person to feel
uncomfortable.
•
Direct - In some parts of the country, we can seem overly blunt when answering questions or giving advice.
• Materialism -
We strongly respect personal property and expect to be asked before others use our belongings.
•
Touching - While it may be common for some friends to hug upon greeting, we often see touching or hand-holding as a sign of sexual attraction.
•
Time - We believe time is a thing that can be saved, spent, or budgeted.
Your camps will value highly being on time. Being late can be seen as insulting.
•
Assertive - We admire people who are pleasantly assertive. Don't wait to be introduced or for people to speak to
you first if you want to meet others. We're waiting for you to show us you want to know us. If you
don't make the first move, we assume you want to be left alone.
•
Roles - There are no separate jobs for men and women. Men do house
cleaning, so do women. Woman construct buildings so do men. You should expect to do jobs you would
not be asked to do at home.
•
Servants - We don't understand why people would have a servant to do what we can do for ourselves. At the
same time we expect everyone to assist with chores so there will be more free time for activities. Not offering to help is insulting.
•
Uninformed - We know a lot about issues, which affect us on a daily basis, but very little about what, affects the rest of the world. We spend so
much effort trying to understand our own nation and culture that there is little energy given to learning about other countries.
•
Friendly - We value a warm, informal, open and positive attitude toward people. We do not tend to
establish highly dependent relationships with people. Our friends respect our independence and give us the personal space to "be yourself." We are friendly without getting highly involved in
each others' lives.
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