‘When in Rome, do as the Romans
do’ is the very popular idiom that we have heard many times. This idiom comes
from Rome and carries a very interesting story behind it.
When St. Augustine arrived in Milan, he observed that the Church did not fast on
Saturday as did the Church at Rome. He consulted St. Ambrose, bishop of Milan,
who replied: "When I am at Rome, I fast on a Saturday; when I am at Milan, I do
not. Follow the custom of the Church where you are." (Courtesy: Wiki quote)
This idiom is used when we are visiting a new place or migrated to a new
environment where we need to mingle with the local people and culture then we
should adept the customs of that particular society. It is simply meant to say
that when in a new place don't be afraid to try something new or behave in an
appropriate manner according to how people around you behave. It is polite to
follow the customs of a society when you are a visitor there.
We often do not know that how people from different countries behave in a
particular situation, what their etiquettes of greetings are and how will they
react in the certain situation(s). For example:
Austrians are conservative people in general, they are also perfectionists and
do not mingle easily. On other hand, in France saying bonjour, shaking hands,
being on time are important aspects of their culture.
Americans are very friendly people. They are independent, original and like to
be unique from each other. They like a lot of personal space around them. They
abide by the law and system. To greet, they will say “How are you?” While in
Britain “How do you do?” is a greeting.
Australians are very casual and easygoing people. They love food and their
fusion cooking is very famous. The colloquial greeting such as ‘g’day’ for ‘good
day’ is very popular. In Canada, loud speaking and rowdiness in public are
considered inappropriate. Canadians are basically very soft spoken people.
Chinese people cannot say NO to any request. They consider it rude to refuse a
request. Failure to perform a duty brings shame not just on the person, but on
the family and community as well. Visiting is an important part of social life.
Unexpected guests are also warmly invited to join the family for a meal. It is
traditional to bring a small gift when visiting someone.
Southeast Asian communities are very family oriented. When greeting someone it's
safest to wait and watch for a gesture then follow it. In Muslim culture, it is
not acceptable for men and women to touch if not related by blood or marriage.
The world has now become a big global community and information reaches to nook
and corner of the world within no time trough internet. Thousands of people are
migrating from one country to another for a better future. That’s why it is
necessary to understand the people and culture of that area where you are
visiting for personal, pleasure or business reasons. This will definitely help
making your visit or migration successful.