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[quote=Anonymous]Cultural differences and ways of doing things can be the cause for misunderstanding and differences of opinion.

Having lived in the UK for many years and also in parts of Europe, I would have to say that standards of hygiene are very different than we find in the US. So this is something that would be difficult to relate to when one has guests from one of those countries.

But Americans can also be quite insensitive and disrespectful of the traditions of other countries and cultures. For example:

- there are cultures that don't wear shoes in the house and yet I have known Americans who are oblivious of this when they visit their houses although it is obvious they should remove their footwear.

- I have seen Americans and other Westerners - especially women - dress quite inappropriately when they visit religious sites in other countries. I recall a nun in a church in the Holy Land telling off a young white lady for wearing revealing clothes as she entered a church.

- then we have Americans and other English speaking people get irritated with people in a foreign country because they cannot speak English.

- there are customs observed in other countries which many Westerners are almost contemptuous of when they visit those countries. The reasoning is usually that those are antiquated customs and those countries should adapt with the times. But just as we expect people to assimilate and respect how we do things, I don't see why we should not do the same when we go abroad.

I tend to be sympathetic to the OP who tried to be hospitable with her in-laws but I think her frustration is more the result of not having a sufficient understanding of the expectations of how her in-laws wanted to spend their time.[/quote]

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