Culture is what identifies a group of people, is a shared
and learnt human way of living and is intangible. I am fascinated by the plethora of cultures
present in the world today. There’s so much to learn from one another’s culture
and I always feel that it would be very interesting to adapt to a foreign
culture for a stipulated period of time to experience their lifestyle, language
spoken and their way of communication.
Whenever we want to seek a stranger’s attention, it is the norm
for most Singaporeans to either nudge that particular person, tap the person on
his/her shoulders, or call out to that person. I was the stranger when I was
holidaying with my cousin in Amsterdam. We were on a one hour boat ride around
the city centre of Amsterdam and capturing as many pictures as we could was our
top priority. The stunning surroundings amazed us completely and we paid little
attention to the people around us. I was totally unaware that I had stepped out
of my seating boundaries and intruded into the captain’s area.
Suddenly, I felt an arm around my shoulder and was taken
aback. When I turned and saw the captain with his warm arms around me, I understood
his non-verbal cues instantly and retreated back to my seat. He did not utter a
single word to me; all he did was smile. I was actually standing right in front
of the steering wheel, obstructing the captain from starting the engine. His
way of getting my attention was something very different from the Asian
culture. It dawned onto me that all of us are unique individuals who communicate
our ideas differently. Culture is what symbolizes us and give us our own identity.
If I had the opportunity to reside in Amsterdam for a longer period of time, I
deem it necessary to adapt to their lifestyle, read up more about their
cultural norms and behaviour, so as to enhance my ability to interact with the
people there.
Culture is that invisible bond that holds people in a
community together. The different cultures in the world have brought about
diversity in the ways of life and that is what makes every community different.
All of us have been moulded by our own culture and this in turn shapes our
values, beliefs and perspectives in life.
