Compass Cross-Cultural Resources for Exchange Students

GENERAL RESOURCES While the internet is a good place to start learning about the culture and people of your host country, books still have the most interesting, in-depth discussions of countries and cultures. The following books are good basic readings which will get you thinking about your upcoming cultural exchange. The materials are easy reads and can probably be found an your school, public library, local bookstore or maybe a nearby university. You can find all of these books on through major online retailers like Amazon. Also don’t forget to read through YFU’s World Traveler Handbook! If you don’t already have one, you will be mailed one with your official YFU enrollment packet! • Exchange Student Survival Kit, Second Edition (Bettina Hansel, Intercultural Press, 2007) This book leads you through the ins and outs of being an exchange student – culture shock, getting used to a new family, and returning home again, etc, A great read for ALL studying abroad. • Multicultural Manners: Essential Rules of Etiquette for the 21st Century (Norine Dresser, Wiley, 2005) Did you know that in Albania shaking your head from side to side means yes? Discover this and other customs and manners in this great resource for how people act in various countries and cultures all around the world. AMERICAN CULTURE It’s helpful to have a good understanding of American society and culture as you start to see yourself in contrast to another culture. The more you understand the roots of your particular beliefs and values, the more you will be able to understand your reactions to another culture and to explain your culture to your host family and friends. There are many interesting books that look in-depth at what it means to live in US society and be an American citizen such as… Ciao America! (Beppe Severnigni, Broadway, 2003) This a fun book which looks at American from an outsider’s (particularly an Italian’s) point of view. The Average American: The Extraordinary Search for the Nation’s Most Ordinary Citizen (Kevin O’Keefe, Public Affairs, 2005). Here O’Keefe tries to find the most perfectly average person in the US. On top of helping you think about your place in American society, this book gives you a greater understanding of the peoples and habits of our amazingly diverse nation. Class Matters (NY Times Books, 2005). Also accessible online. This fourteen piece series originally printed in the NY Times, examines class in the US. It presents contrasting stories of individual Americans, showing that class continues to be an extremely important part of American culture. These articles are an essential piece of reading to understand class in the US. Wikipedia is a good source for reading about American culture. Afterwards try searching for “Culture of [insert country name].” How does American culture differ from that of your host country? Compass: Cross-Cultural Resources for Exchange Students 3

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