Alan Beechey - USA - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

Adapted from Marcel Proust, Remembrance of Things Past.

ISBN 978 1 78702 321 5

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP catalogue entry for this book is available from the British Library

First published in Great Britain

by Kuperard, an imprint of Bravo Ltd

59 Hutton Grove, London N12 8DS

Tel: +44 (0) 20 8446 2440

www.culturesmart.co.uk

Inquiries:

Design Bobby Birchall

Printed in Turkey

The Culture Smart! series is continuing to expand. All Culture Smart! guides are available as e-books, and many as audio books. For further information and latest titles visit www.culturesmart.co.uk

ALAN BEECHEY gained an M.A. in Psychology at Oxford University before embarking on a career in business communications, which took him from his hometown of London to New York City. He has worked for one of the worlds largest banks, for leading human resources and communications consulting firms, and as an independent consultant. Now a dual citizen of the USA and the UK, he is also the author of the popular Oliver Swithin series of murder mysteries.

GINA TEAGUE is a trainer and writer on cross-cultural management, international relocation, and global career development. A native of the United Kingdom, she has lived and worked in France, Spain, Brazil, the USA, and Australia. During her sixteen years in New York, Gina gained an M.A. in Organizational Psychology and an Ed.M. in Counseling Psychology from Columbia University, developed a successful intercultural consultancy, and has written extensively on expatriate adjustment and career management.

In todays global village, who can afford not to understand the United States of America, still the worlds biggest superpower, the largest economy by far, and, by many other standards, the worlds most influential nation? Many facets of American life have been eagerly embraced around the world. Yet the sense of just like in the movies familiarity that first-time visitors often feel can be misleading. Underneath the gleaming smile of popular culture lies a varied and complex society, brimming with contrasts and contradictions. Ostentatious wealth and consumption coexist with grinding poverty, time-worn towns with vibrant cities that scrape the sky. Its a culture of go-getters, of high-tech, high achievers who invented the airplane, pioneered the Internet, put the first man on the Moon and now count Mars as their latest scientific sandbox. Its also a spiritual and compassionate country with a devotion to church and charitable works.

The sheer size and diversity of the USA can be overwhelming. How does one begin to understand a country that spans six time zones?

Culture Smart! USA provides you with a cultural road map to help you navigate Americas human dimension. We take you on a tour of the core influences and unique ideals that have shaped American society. These deeply held values drive the behavior and attitudes youll encounter on Main Street and in todays workplace. Ever a work in progress, the USA bears the challenge of upholding its constitutional principles at home while fulfilling its responsibility as the worlds leading superpower overseas. On a lighter note, in these pages you will also get to know the Americans at work, at home, and at play.

America has an openness and generosity of spirit to newcomers. Visitors will find a dynamic, adventurous, and warm people who will accept you on your own terms. There are few cultural faux pas that can get you into trouble in this relaxed and informal society. But dont be lulled into a false sense of security. Americans hold an unshakable conviction that theirs is the best country in the world, and that while they may occasionally spare a nervous glance over their shoulder at the competition, their ultimate leadership is almost divinely assured. Youll endear yourself to your hosts by being mindful of this deep pride and of their cherished ideals.

Finally, a crucial disclaimer. In attempting to portray a nation of more than 330 million people, we can only use a very broad brush. An immigrant nation, spread across a continent that spans a sixth of the globe, newly carved from a thousand cultures, isnt going to fit a single template. Generalization is unavoidable. The rule of thumb is: be informed about cultural norms, but be flexible in applying this knowledge. In other words, when you travel to the United States, make sure you pack an open mind.