Every country has its own cultural and everyday customs. It is important to learn the common mannerisms of native Americans to better understand American culture. When meeting someone for the first time, Americans will shake their hands with them firmly. As a social greeting, social kissing is often accompanied by a gentle hug. It is sometimes accepted by both men and women. American men are not known to kiss one another. American families have a different relationship style than Africans. The average American family consists of a father and mother with 1-3 children. Most families have both the mother and father working full-time while their children are in school or a childcare facility.
As a result either of divorce or a death, there are many families in America that have only one parent. Once a child graduates from high-school and is an adult, most families let him or her go and live on their own. The majority of families will celebrate holidays, birthdays and family occasions like weddings. The traditional American family is two married people who provide stability and care for their children. Alternative family types have replaced the two-parent family. Family is born and continues through the generations.
The majority of Americans are punctual. The majority of people are punctual and arrive at their appointments on time, or even a few moments early. Most people work hard and arrive at their jobs on time, even though high tech jobs may not require an exact departure or arrival time. It is common practice to call the other person to let them know about an unexpected delay. Social issues. In general, only invite someone to your home. The visit can be general, or it could be for a snack, lunch, or dinner. In most cases, it is polite to give a host a small gift. It is customary to bring a gift for the host. Some hosts will immediately open the gifts and show their gratitude, while other may wait until later. Arrive early to have a drink and a chat if you’re visiting for dinner. When you are visiting someone’s home, it is polite to allow others to enter first. This is especially important for women.
You will say “you’re welcome” and the person who lets you in first will say “thanks”. The idea of just showing up is rude. To find out if someone is available, call first to confirm. Do not take a casual “come whenever you want” as a literal statement. If they are serious about you visiting, they will provide a specific time and date. Except in emergencies, unexpected visits are not welcome. You should still call your host to let them know that you will be arriving at a certain time and date. In Africa, the same-sex people hold hands and touch shoulders to show friendship. In the US, you should never do this. You might be considered homosexual if you hold hands with a man or touch his shoulders. If you don’t have a close relationship with someone, keep your distance. This is especially true if they are the opposite gender. People keep their distance when seated next to one another in the office, public places, or at home.
The people speak with a low voice and a soft tone. You shouldn’t speak too loudly in everyday conversation. Be polite when you are on the phone. Most people typically work five full days per week. Weekends include Saturday and/or Sunday. Weekends are a time for most people to relax after a hard week of work. Weekends are the most popular time for social events, sports and non-work activities. As an example, football matches are usually played on Sundays. On the weekends, most people will do chores around the house, like cleaning, laundry, and buying groceries. Swimming, bowling, walking, and other leisure activities are popular. People watch movies at home and in the cinema. Americans watch football on Sundays.
