Anyone who has come into contact with the United States will generally think that Americans are warm, cheerful and accessible. When you meet an American for the first time, he will talk to you about Kan Kan and even talk endlessly, making you feel at home. When you walk in the street, you have no intention of strangers. Look a few more times, and he may smile and nod at you, or say hello. If your car breaks down on the road, enthusiastic people will come to help you repair it; If you get lost in the street, someone will give you some advice enthusiastically. Residents of Hawaii Island, a tourist resort, are famous for their hospitality. As soon as this distinguished guest sets foot on the island of Hawaii, a beautiful Hawaiian girl will present him with a wreath. This wreath is made of newly picked orchids and smells fragrant. Hawaii is also called "Aloha State", and the word "Aloha" has multiple meanings such as "Hello", "Welcome" and "Goodbye". In the Hawaiian Islands, the sound of "Aloha" can be heard everywhere. In Qian Qian, Hawaiians welcomed thousands of guests with fragrant garlands and friendly "Aloha" sounds.
Many tourists are puzzled by the fast pace of America. The first impression a newcomer gives is probably that all Americans are in a hurry. People in the city always seem to be in a hurry to go somewhere, and even if they are blocked for a while, they become impatient. At first, you may think it is unfriendly to you. The bus driver urges you; The clerk treats you in a hurry; Walking in the street, the people behind are pushing ahead. No one smiles and greets you when you go shopping or eat out. Don't be so quick to think that Americans are unfriendly to you. Usually, the pace of life outside big cities is much slower. In fact, other countries also have this phenomenon.
Americans living in big cities such as new york, Chicago or Los Angeles often feel that everyone is in the same hurry. They expect others to "push", which is no different from people in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Beirut or Sao Paulo. However, once they find out that you are a stranger, they are likely to be friendly and try their best to help you. Many of them were strangers when they first arrived in this city. They remember how scared they were when they stepped into a new city. If you need help or want to ask any questions, you can find a nice-looking person and say, "I'm from out of town." Can you help me? "
At this point, most people will stop to give you directions or answer your questions with a smile. But you must let them know that you need help, otherwise they will probably pass you by and won't notice that you are a foreigner at all and don't know that you need help. Occasionally you will meet someone who is too busy or in a hurry to help you. In this case, you don't have to be discouraged, just find someone else. Most Americans are willing to help foreigners.
Americans attach great importance to others' impressions of themselves. They all admire attractive people who are liked by everyone. Therefore, they always want to contact others freely and make more friends. Americans don't like to obey others when interacting with others, and they don't like others to compliment themselves too politely. Americans are worried about being isolated as inaccessible by others, which means loneliness for ordinary people; For politicians, this means losing the election. Therefore. Making friends in America is characterized by extensive friendship. They have a harmonious relationship with everyone and want to leave a good impression on others, but they often lack the kind of intimate friends to talk to. An American once made a very pertinent comment on this. He said: "Americans can hit it off with others and quickly win their favor." But after a week, they will forget all about you. They like new things. Like their old car, they abandoned their friends. No one knows people faster than us, but no one is more difficult to establish true friendship than us. "
The second characteristic of American character is independence and enterprising. They don't like to rely on others, and they don't like others to rely on them; Americans have developed the habit of struggling independently and not relying on their parents since childhood. In the street, you can see eleven or twelve-year-old boys delivering newspapers from door to door every morning, no matter whether it is windy, rainy or snowy. Some girls urinate and go to the neighbor's house to help look after the children. Both their parents believe that it will be of great benefit to let their children stand on their own feet from an early age. Children who grow up under this kind of education aim to be independent and enterprising all their lives. When they are studying, they get scholarships by their own achievements and earn tuition by working; As adults, they leave their parents and start their own businesses. Once they get married and start a family, they will be more independent and must win a place in the life and death field of American society by their own skills; Young couples have children, raising them entirely by themselves, and don't expect grandma to bring grandchildren; When the children grow up, there will be a division of labor at home. Generally speaking, cooking, washing clothes and cleaning the room are mom's business, while repairing utensils, mowing the grass and brushing the car are dad's business, setting the table and washing the dishes are girls' business, and cleaning the recreation room and managing small animals are boys' business. However, in the United States, this spirit of independence often becomes the tragedy of the elderly. When an old man loses his ability to live, his children and grandchildren who sweep the snow in front of his door seldom look after him. Many old people in America died in loneliness, and some even died for many days without being found.
The third characteristic of American character is pragmatism. They don't like the rambling fantasy like the French, and they don't like the arrogance like the British. The early history of the United States made them good at not being discouraged in adversity, keeping clear goals and working hard. They think there is no point in saving face and indulging in fantasy. They admire people who are smarter and better than others. They like to do everything by themselves and solve everything by themselves. Most Americans know how to use machines, repair electrical equipment, paint furniture and paint walls. They take it for granted that doing these rough jobs in life will never hurt their dignity. On the contrary, nerds and fake gentlemen will be teased for their short words.
Americans are also pragmatic about money. It is natural for Americans to work, and it is easy to ask others for help. So they calculate clearly in terms of labor and remuneration. Take someone else's car and share the cost of gasoline; Telephone charges should be paid for using the telephones of relatives and friends; When friends go to dinner together, they usually go Dutch. Even children have to ask for compensation for helping their mothers wash dishes at home; Parents have to pay for meals when they go to live with their children.
The fourth characteristic of American character is that it attaches great importance to the value of success. It is often said that the American character is formed in a fierce competitive environment. Living in such a fiercely competitive society, only the strong can stand out, and only by defeating all opponents can we succeed. In the eyes of Americans. What matters is not a person's family background, but his own talent and ability. Even a child should try his best to excel in school to please his parents. They also seem to understand that being loved by their parents is not an innate right, but a trophy gained through their own efforts.
If you compare the United States with Britain, you will find a very interesting phenomenon. In Britain, if you ask someone's identity, the answer is a long list of names and titles of ancestors. There, a person's birth often determines his fate. In the United States, when someone introduces you in detail, they will only say "this is the best-selling author" or "this is the tennis champion of a school" and will never show off their genealogy. This has something to do with American history. During the colonial period in North America, there was no fixed position and traditional hierarchy, and only success could make people stand out. American President Lincoln once said humorously, "I don't know who my grandfather is. I am more concerned about what kind of person his grandson will become. " This is really a true portrayal of American characteristics. Another characteristic of Americans is active and active. They always pursue novelty, constantly change their environment and seek excitement in adventure. They are never satisfied with a stable life and a peaceful environment; I like sports and travel. Change careers, move, and some even like to risk their lives. In the United States, university professors can be company managers, and bankers may become farmers overnight. Before becoming a politician, former US President Truman worked as a farmer, grocer, officer and lawyer. President Reagan also worked as a lifeguard, announcer and film actor.
You may have noticed that Americans are very active. People living in the central plains and midwest of the United States often drive to neighboring cities 120 km or even 160 km away, just to have dinner with friends. They went to another town to see a play or a concert. Many young people go to universities, which are far from their homes and the homes of relatives and friends; They chose distant places just to "see another part of the country". Americans like to travel in their own country and around the world. They always want to know what it's like outside the nearby hills or nearby cities.
It is common for Americans to move. According to statistics, about 40 million people move every year in the United States, and one out of every five families moves every three years. This frequent relocation, to some extent, reflects their unaccustomed to ordinary life, eager to see new places, find new employment opportunities and achieve new success. On Saturday and Sunday, temporary advertisements for moving can be seen everywhere in the United States, and large and small items are sold at home.
In order to break the silence in life, some Americans even take a blockbuster way to fight for their lives: in those towering skyscrapers in new york, some people dare to climb in from the outside; Roaring Niagara Falls, some people dare to lie down the river in an iron pipe; In the vast Atlantic Ocean, some people dare to fly by balloon. The spirit of innovation and adventure in American character is indeed more prominent than that of other nationalities.
please