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Cultural Differences: Ukraine and USA

Ukrainian and American cultural customs differ in behaviors toward strangers and greetings. In Ukraine, smiling at or shaking hands with strangers can make them uncomfortable, as Ukrainians are taught that such behaviors are impolite unless you know someone. Additionally, Ukrainian hospitality runs deeper than surface greetings - when staying as a guest, Ukrainians will shower you with food and expect a small gift in return as a token of remembrance and affection. Considering Ukraine's tumultuous history, Ukrainians have a strong sense of national pride and identity shaped by their familiarity with monuments and stories of historical figures and events.

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116 views1 page

Cultural Differences: Ukraine and USA

Ukrainian and American cultural customs differ in behaviors toward strangers and greetings. In Ukraine, smiling at or shaking hands with strangers can make them uncomfortable, as Ukrainians are taught that such behaviors are impolite unless you know someone. Additionally, Ukrainian hospitality runs deeper than surface greetings - when staying as a guest, Ukrainians will shower you with food and expect a small gift in return as a token of remembrance and affection. Considering Ukraine's tumultuous history, Ukrainians have a strong sense of national pride and identity shaped by their familiarity with monuments and stories of historical figures and events.

Uploaded by

Lu Skl
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Cultural differences: Ukraine and USA

As a visitor from the United States to Ukraine, I have encountered a few striking
differences in our cultural customs. These differences have sometimes led to brief
moments of awkwardness, but ultimately to a personal admiration of Ukrainians.
Firstly, behavior towards strangers is very different from what I am accustomed to
at home. For example, I was taught as I was growing up in Houston, Texas that it
is polite to smile at people I encounter on the streets, even if they are strangers that
I will never see again. In Ukraine, smiling at strangers is not considered polite – in
fact, smiling at a stranger will most likely make them uncomfortable, and possibly
cause them to wonder what’s wrong with you. Also, it is not common for
Ukrainian women to shake hands upon introductions. I learned this on an occasion
when a Ukrainian friend of mine introduced me to two of her acquaintances. I
stretched out my hand, but they did not acknowledge it at all.

This is not meant to be rude. In reality, Ukrainian hospitality runs much deeper
than a handshake or a smile. As a matter of fact, if you stay with a Ukrainian host,
you should bring with you some sort of gift for them, because you can be sure that
they will shower you with treats during your stay. The first night I spent in a
private Ukrainian home, I was accompanied by some Ukrainian friends of mine.
The woman who hosted us was a very good cook, and it seemed that as soon as I
had finished what was on my plate, she was pulling out something else to fill it
with. My friend Sasha, a native Ukrainian, explained, “You see Sarah, this is
Ukrainian hospitality: feed them to death.” Bringing a gift to your host is
customary also because it gives them a token by which to remember you. If you
already have a relationship with your host, it acknowledges a deep mutual affection
between you. If you are meeting your host for the first time, it is a sign that such a
relationship is anticipated.

Personally, I have been fascinated by Ukrainian culture. Considering their


tumultuous political history, most Ukrainians that I have met have a clearly visible
awareness of their national identity. National history is a public matter – especially
in the cities it seems that every couple of blocks there is a monument that tells
about some person or event that changed the course of Ukrainian history. The
people are familiar with these stories, proud to tell them, aware that they are
instrumental still in shaping a young nation. In spite of the time that it takes to
travel to Ukraine and a couple of surface discomforts in adjusting to a new culture,
I would highly recommend that anyone who has the opportunity to travel to
Ukraine should do so.

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