A classmate of a good friend comes from Tunisia. She and her family moved to Belgium when she was a child. Her religion, the Islam, has always been very important to her. So today she's still a very religious person.
During the holiday season I went to a lecture about the Islam together with the Tunisian girl and my friend. When we arrived the Tunisian girl embraced her friends. In Tunisia they sometimes communicate through the use of bodily contact. During the lecture, I learned a lot about the Islam. They believe that their destiny is already determined. Allah knows what a Muslim will do in a particular situation. He doesn't say the Muslim had to act in that way, He just knows. So the will of Allah is very important and planning for the future is inappropriate. According to their belief, the opinion of a woman's husband is also very important. So a woman can't hardly take any decisions, she's considered subordinate to men.
After the lecture we ate together with all the persons present. It was an informative and pleasant activity!
One of my best friends studies Human Resources Management. She did a work placement in China for three months (February 2012 - May 2012). Every time we meet, she talks about her experiences and the Chinese culture. Sometimes I ask for information about several issues.
Some of her Chinese colleagues talked a lot about their parents and grandparents they had to take care of. So it's obvious the elderly are highly respected. The family is more important than the individual to the Chinese. Therefore, China is a collectivistic country.
During her traineeship, she attended twice a meeting. She noticed that the Chinese avoid eye-contact during the conversation. She looked for an
appropriate explanation on the Internet. For the Chinese it is a way of showing respect. So from then onward she tried to avoid eye-contact as well.
She sometimes got annoyed at their way of communicating. The message wasn't always clear so she had to read between the lines to understand the intended meaning. As a foreigner this isn't always easy.
The next time she will certainly tell about some other aspects of the Chinese culture. So I'm looking forward to see her again!
