62 I Can Read You Like a Book
yourself comfortable. Many American men cross legs in the
figure-four style, that is, one leg crossing the other with the ankle or
calf resting on the knee. Men from the Middle East would not
assume this posture for two reasons. One is seating styles, and the
other is that showing the soles of the feet is insulting. The pressure
on an American man negotiating with Middle Eastern people would
be to avoid that body posture and adopt something more appropri-
ate for the context.
Culture shock results simply from moving from one culture to
another. It commonly involves four stages:- Euphoria over being in a new environment.
- Irritation that things are different.
- Adaptation to the new culture, which is typically a
process rather a quick transformation. - Full recovery/full adaptation.
Some of the adjustments that a culture-shocked traveler might
make are the proximity at which you stand to someone, the amount
of time you look into a stranger’s eyes, and whether or not you sit
with your legs crossed.
Because culture affects every part of our being, from cadence
to how close we stand to people, the broader our understanding of
other cultures, the less likely we are to suffer culture shock. The
more exposed we are to new things, the fuller our repertoire of
what is acceptable, or even normal. And as we age, we all compart-
mentalize and create specific strategies for adaptation.