Text 8 developing intercultural competence

Thousands of Russian and foreign students have recently travelled to and from the European countries for studies. Immersion into a culturally different environment causes various problems, particularly when the students are accomodated in host families. Different mentality, social habits and cultural stereotypes turn out to be a serious obstacle preventing the partners from complete understanding. Incompatibility of everyday patterns of verbal and non-verbal behaviour disappoints the students, their foreign instructors and host families thus reducing the effectiveness of exchange programmes.

As the first step in overcoming intercultural obstacles the students of Moscow State University are taught a special course which contains recommendations to be observed by those participating in exchange programmes on both sides.

1. Privacy and its implications

The students whose families are hosting foreign visitors are recommended to refrain from entering the guest's room without an invitation, talking to the guest too much without his or her unambiguously expressed interest as well as from giving all sorts of advice, particularly concerning the guest's clothes or manners. It refers even more to the parents than to the children, but the orientation course is aimed at educating the younger generation and thus influencing the adults. The parental attitude most Russian adults have to students is not always a virtue as they tend to think. It may irritate more independent youths from Europe or America, though there are other countries in the world where a similarly protective attitude to the young is more common.

The linguistic aspect of the stereotypical Russian interference with other people's ways of living and behaviour is the overuse of the Modal Verbs equivalent to must and must not.

2. "So much for complaining"

This is the phrase every Russian man and woman must remember if they are going to be engaged in international exchange activities. It also has a purely Russian linguistic implication. When we teach English Greeting Formulas we have to draw our attention to the fact that "How are you?", "How are you getting on?", "How are things?", "How are you doing?" and the like are not questions at all and should not be answered in detail. The favourite Russian reply is "Not very well" because it opens the way to complaining. Besides, our students avoid saying "Fine" because it sounds boasting in Russian. However incredible it may seem, the habit of saying "Fine" has to be specially drilled. We also explain to students that if their foreign friends do not stop to hear their answer to the greeting it does not imply offence or lack of interest: it is just a greeting, not an invitation to talk.

3. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do"

The hosts accommodating students from Europe should warn them tactfully that the complete freedom they are used to at home can not be fully exercised while staying in Russia: coming back late at night causes the hosts anxiety and inconvenience because of the crime in the streets and the small size of our flats that does not give people a chance to come and leave without disturbing the others. Another funny Russian custom uncommon in Europe, taking off one's shoes on entering the living premises, must also be tactfully explained to the guests. It is hard to believe that this little custom often causes mutual dissatisfaction of the hosts and guests, although its observance is connected with the limited living space and the dirt in the streets. It should also be noted that bringing in one's own guests and making parties should be first negotiated with the host family. It is only natural that similar orientation courses should be developed for foreign students visiting Russia: forecasting conflict situations is important for both sides.