We’re all
different. Different, but the same. Same, but different.
No matter if
you are in Prague, Seoul or London, you see people around, cars on the streets,
skyscrapers, old buildings, shopping malls, people selling veg, people
commuting to work etc. The difference is in the details, it's rather HOW than WHAT
question.
My role as a
volunteer, among other things of course, is "to hold culture exchange with the
students". To exchange. To share diversity. To understand the
differences.
In Asia everything works in
a different way than in Europe, so every day you get confused and keep asking
yourself "why is that?", "why they do it the other way
around?".
Well, I am still learning and found these images quite helpful (and funny!), so I guess you could also get a clue to understand Asian mentality a bit better (I know, it's
generalization, but still). Have
fun.
Our view on something
Europe - 'simple as that' point of view
Asia -it's not a labyrinth, just seeing things in more extensive way
Problem solving
In
Europe we simply step on a problem, trying to solve it or not, while in Asia
people try not to touch the problem, hoping that it will sort out itself
Contacts
with people
Europe - we communicate in groups.
Asia - people stay in touch
with everyone, forming sort of huge social network
Queuing.
Not all, but most Europeans are used to wait until it’s their turn. Of course, we
can make our way to get something without waiting (see: Slavs). Asians, with
exception for polite Japanese and sometimes Koreans, are no familiar with an idea
of standing in line. They simply push their way to the front.
Straightforwardness.
If you ask European “how are you”(except for Britain where ‘How are you’ means
simply ‘Hi’), you will hear I am fine/so-so/I am not well. We say how we
feel, we do what we think (well, theoritically) and we simply put things straight. Asians say OK though inside they don’t feel OK. They won’t really tell you straight forward what they mean, trying to find other way to tell it
(see: solving problem image)
Weather
Whether you live in sunny Spain or rainy England, you complain that it’s too
hot, too rainy, too cold, too much heat. Never content with the weather.
Asians understand weather as a cycle, rain or sun, yin or yang, one comes after
another
In restaurant
Europeans - keep their conversations rather quite, well, maybe except for Italians.
Asians - once you sit by the table, you talk loudly like on a bazaar in Damascus
Finding stuff on the street
If European finds something on the street, he/she doesn't take it. That how Asians see us, but we all know that whether you're from UK or from Serbia you follow the rule 'once it's find, it's my find'. Well, Asians just pick anything up (except for Japan, where you gonna leave your laptopn on the street and it's gonna stay there for ages). Because for A. in so-called developing countries people simply don't chuck away still usable goods items on the street; for B. even if they do, it's gonna be reused by someone
Sunbathing
We love to get bronze, the bronzer the better. Asians prefer to whiten their
skin, stay out of the sun, hence don’t be surprised if you see Koreans swimming
in t-shirts and shorts
Me as an individual
Europeans think 'I' at first place, then 'we'.And yes, we often overestimate our ego
It's completely opposite in Asia: first our common interest, then mine (see: Chinese)
Travel
Most of all we 'see' while we travel. Asians record world around with the lens. Hence,'a Japanese tourist' term
Three meals
Europeans don't mind to eat cold brekkie (i.e. musli or a sandwich), hot lunch/dinner and cold supper such as sanwich or salad. We divide meals to breakfast-like or lunch-like. Asians have usually three main meals hot, with no distinction between them, so their brekkie might as well be their lunch
Car vs. bicycle
Nowadays we 'go green' and prefer sustainable forms of transport. Unfortunately, in Asia the tendency is completely opposite
Party
In Europe we party in groups or just bounce alone among others. Asians party together, I am not really sure how does it look like as it's hard to imagine let's say a house warming party and big circle in the living room, but that's what Indonesians told me
Punctuality
Europe - quite strict about being on time.
Asia - unless it states 'english time' (that is Be on time), expect minor delays...
A child
In Europe parents bring up a child with little particpation of grandparaents while in Asia all family members participate in upbringing
plastic
bottles are source of extra, if not the only, income for less fortunate, Central
Jakarta 
