TOPIC 8: GOEGRAPHY OF THOUGHT by Onder

I came to the U.S. from Turkey when I was 21.  I first lived in the International House in Berkeley for about a year.  I had to adapt not only to a new culture in a new country, but I also had to live with people from all over the World.  In retrospect, I can say that living in the I-House was good for me, as it protected me from a “cultural shock.”  I think I would have been a lot more stressed and felt lonely if I were the only “Middle-Eastern” in a dorm.  Living in a place where everybody was “different” made me feel more comfortable with who I was, while helping me quickly acquire an understanding that different cultures had different ways of thinking and doing things, and no one was better or worse than the others.

My first roommate in I-House was a German student, Peter.  First morning, I woke up very early to see that my roommate was doing his exercises in the room, stark naked.  I could put up with being waken up early in the morning, but I was bothered with his nudity.  Where I came from nobody walked around naked, not even in the locker room.  After a few days of considering what to do, I finally explained to Peter that his nudity bothered me, as I was just not used to it.  He was very understanding, and began putting his shorts on when I was in the room.  We did become good friends; he even gave me a ride in his beloved Porsche.

Living and working in this Country for a long time, I have become more of an American culturally than a Turk.  I can claim that my behavior is more consistent with a low power distance, individualistic, low masculinity, and high-uncertainty-avoiding culture.  Turkish culture is the opposite; it can be characterized by high power distance, high collectivism, high masculinity, and low uncertainty avoidance.  I am not sure about my long/short term orientation; there seems to be conflicting interpretations of this dimension.  My cultural transformation was confirmed a few years ago when a salesperson in the town I was born in asked me:  “Where did you learn Turkish, you speak so well”?

 I wish it were possible for me to be more of an American without losing my previous culture so that I could behave “properly” when I visit Turkey.  Unfortunately, I cannot revert back to my old culture on demand.  I seem to get into trouble with friends and family by asking direct questions and freely expressing my thoughts.  I find it strange that some women do not want to be treated as equals of men.  I was laughed at by some teenagers when I picked up the sandwich bag someone threw on the sidewalk; they told each other that I was behaving like a “garbage man.”   I cannot be rude to people who serve me, although it seems like you are almost expected to do so if you are wearing a suite and a tie.  I am always happy to be back home in the Bay Area.