Arab Culture Vs American Culture

My family and I are especially aware of the degree of influence that cultural narratives have on society. The reason why cultural narratives have such a considerable influence in our daily lives is due to the fact that we originate from a Muslim background. With one quick glance, people see a hijab or a beard and recognize that we are Muslims. This exemplifies the idea that physical attributes of the Muslim culture are much quickly recognized than others as many other cultural narratives are identified based on an individual's’ actions or speech. However, in my case this entire process takes place in a split second. I believe that I personally fall in between both Arab and American cultures as I understand what both these cultures consider

Arabs emphasize the importance of a proper greeting. When individuals greet each other, they are expected to shake hands with their right hands only. They often greet each other by wishing peace and prosperity for each other (Aziza, 2011). This greeting is expected to be performed by Arab men as well as women (to a lesser degree). However, greeting the opposite gender is usually frowned upon in Arab culture. Men and women who are greeting each other are not supposed to hug, kiss, or even shake hands unless there is some type of relation between the two. As a result, the kissing and hugging aspect of the greeting is usually expected to occur among members of the same gender group. Arabs also believe that elders deserve ultimate respect. As a result, they are often greeted with a kiss on both cheeks or their hands. This signifies respect and appreciation for the elderly. In American culture, individuals greet each other in a variety of ways. Friends often greet each other with a simple “What’s up.” While American culture does prioritize respect for the elderly, they don’t expect to be kissed and hugged every time someone greets them. American greeting embrace verbal communication while Arabs analyze body language and have much more expectations. I see this disparity in greeting in my daily life. Whenever I communicate with my friends, I simply greet them with verbal communication. However, when I speak to my parent or another elder, I am expected to show respect and give them a kiss on both cheeks and give them a firm handshake. This illustrates the difference in how different societies use different methods to communicate and greet one