WhenatRome,doastheRomedo(入乡随俗)

　　ThereisnodenyingthatweshoulddoastheRomansdowheninRome.Thisisanaccumulatedexperienceweinheritfromourforefathers,andnowitisstillwidelyappliedtoourdailylife.Theoldsayingtellsusvividlythatwhereverweare,weshoulddoeverythingaccordingtolocalcustoms.

　　Theproverbhasprofoundimpactonourinteractionswithpeoplefromothercultures.AsfarasIamconcerned,Ihavehadtheexperiencemyself.Lastyear,myneighbor,XiaoWangandIwenttotheU.S.totravel.Onedaywewerelostanditseemedwewouldneverfindourwaybacktoourhotel.Suddenlyanelderlyladycamenearus.Excitedandtryingtobepolite,XiaoWangapproachedherandasked,"Excuseme,howoldareyou?"ThispoliteopeningremarkinChineseculturemadetheladystareathiminsurprise,becauseageisatabooinWesterncultures.Seeingtheembarrassment,Iasked,"Beautifulweather,isntit?"Ofcoursetheladysaid"Yes"andhappilytoldusthewaytoourhotel.

　　Alessonthatcanbedrawnfromtheaboveexampleisobvious.Whetherweknowthelocalcustomswillplayacrucialroleinourrelationshipwithothers.Moreimportantly,doingeverythingasthelocalsdowillhelpusmakemorefriendsandavoidtroubles.