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עמוד:20
A stereotype is a fixed idea that many people have about a person or group of people , but which is often not true . i What stereotypes do you know about people in other countries ? Mention one positive and one negative stereotype . ^ What mistakes might a foreigner make if he / she is unfamiliar with the culture of a country ? > Read the following article and consider how the stereotype many people have about Finns might be a problem for a foreign traveler to Finland . The Culturally Aware Traveler Garrison Keillor is a famous author and radio host from Minnesota , a state where many residents have Scandinavian roots . He likes telling this joke about the Finns : "How do you know a Finn is being friendly ? Easy : he stares at your shoes instead of his own during a conversation ! " Is it true that Finns are shy and reserved ? Or is this just a stereotype ? Should a traveler to Finland expect this behavior ? Doug Muir , a frequent business traveler to Scandinavia , was puzzled by his host ' s apparent "rudeness" on his first visit to Finland . "First of all , I didn't feel like I was welcome before the meeting . Nobody had much to say about anything . Then , after I gave my presentation , no one said anything for what seemed like an eternity . I began to wonder if maybe they hadn't understood me or if my presentation had been bad . My face turned red , and I started to repeat myself . Finally , a woman spoke up and told me that my presentation had been perfectly clear to them . I began to relax , but I couldn't understand their initial reaction . " Today , many countries publish books and web sites that are meant to teach foreign visitors about cultural norms , etiquette and social conventions . One such guide is the Internet Guide to Finnish Customs and Etiquette published by the Finnish Broadcasting Company . "Finns have a special attitude to words and speaking : words are taken seriously , and a person is taken at his word . .. Small talk — not a skill Finns are known for — does not impress the average Finn . .. A Finn is better at listening than at speaking , and he considers it impolite to interrupt . He is not upset by pauses in the conversation , because silence is a form of communication to him ... However , Finns can become excited and talkative , given the right situation . " 4 No matter what the purpose of travel is , one's encounters with the locals will be less confusing and hopefully more satisfying if one knows something about the social customs and etiquette of the country . Doug Muir agrees that misunderstanding and embarrassment could have been prevented if he had known more about the culture . Says Muir , "Just as you wouldn ' t travel anywhere without packing the proper clothing for the climate , it makes sense to be prepared for differences in culture as well . "
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