A Quiz for Newcomers, Tourists

Question: Which of the following American customs baffle many newcomers and tourists?

1) Taxes on puchased items.

2) Teachers preferring to be called by their names.

3) The belief that “Everybody needs milk.”

Answer: All of them. In many places outside the U.S., taxes are included in the price. Consequently, when newcomers allot money for purchases here, they are often shocked and short of funds when the bill comes.

Especially in Asian countries, it is more respectful to call teachers by their titles rather than their names. This causes confusion here. Often when students call them “teacher,” U.S. teachers wrongly assume that the students have forgotten their names. Outside of Asia as well, titles are more important than names. Even though it may sound funny, it may be the height of respect for non-Americans to call someone “Angela’s sister” or “Peter’s mother.”

Finally, everybody does not need milk. Americans are in the minority as a milk-drinking culture. Most people in the world become lactose intolerant after they are weaned. Because they lack a lactose enzyme, digesting milk and milk products causes severe digestive problems.

Folklorist Norine Dresser is the author of “Multicultural Manners” (Wiley, 1996). Contact her through Voices or by e-mail: [email protected]