The all-american slurp by Lensey Namioka is about a young girl who had just emigrated from China to America and is still getting used to its customs. She and her family are sometimes invited to eat with their neighbors but they embarrass themselves when they don’t know that the food is supposed to be like a buffet, they get the food and move to a table to eat. Another time is when they go to a restaurant and they drink their soup like they do in china, loudly slurping. This causes everyone to look at them and the girl runs to the bathroom. Later on, the girl asks her friend if Americans slurp and she says everyone slurps which relieves the narrator. This book teaches us about culture shock experienced by people in an unfamiliar environment, the importance of an open and tolerant mind.
Cultural shock occurs when one suddenly comes to a new cultural environment that is different from their own, causing a feeling of stress and uncertainty. It can happen in all the different aspects of your daily life. Among them are dressing, eating, and even speaking a different language can be difficult for newcomers. The girl in the story was pulling out the strings of a celery stalk at a friend's house with her family and then everyone turned to look at them which shows they don’t usually do this with celery but the girl and her family did back in China. People who are not familiar with other peoples customs can be surprised when they do something new and confusing for them. After the celery, everyone went into the main dining hall and there was a table with food on it but the family did not see any seats so they moved them although it was supposed to be a buffet where they got the food then sat somewhere else. Cultural shocks can happen unexpectedly whenever someone does something that is not usual for this time and place. Small things like dressing or eating could cause it just because it’s not the way you are familiar with.
When facing cultural shocks as an immigrant or traveling to a new place，having an open mind can make a huge difference in how the experience will be. It helps people to adjust to their new surroundings and the people you meet. The girl and her family came to a new place where it’s different from their last home so they had to try and understand others to fit in and get used to America in general. Open minds can help you observe information and use it so that you can develop in a new space. The mother and father had to learn more English to communicate and they both had different ways of learning but one thing in common was they had an open mind to help them learn. Learning from others can be very helpful to your own research and training which can be helped by an open mind. An open mindset is very useful in new places where it can help you appreciate and adjust to new cultures and customs there.
Treating newcomers with tolerance can be very important to help them get used to their new environment. It’s a respectable way to welcome others with tolerance to new places if they make a mistake or do something different than what is naturally done. When the neighbors saw the girl and her family pulling out the strings they looked surprised but didn’t speak about it so the girls and her family didn’t get more embarrassed. This can help people get used to doing the right thing in a new environment that they don’t understand. When the family went to the buffet they pulled up a chair because there was none but a helpful stranger explained to them what they should do even though it seemed natural that it was a buffet. Their tolerance helped the family understand the customs and styles of the new place they came to. Tolerance is important for people welcoming newcomers because it helps them feel safe and comfortable about their new environment.
The story the All American slurp by Lensey Namioka is a very interesting yet educational book about Chinese immigrants coming to a new place. This story teaches us about cultural shock, the attitude of an open mind, and the attitude of a tolerant one. Cultural shock can happen when you go to a new place and are unaware of its customs so you do something that you would do in your hometown but in this new environment, it is surprising to see. An open mind is useful to learn more about your new home so you can better communicate with others and fit in. Tolerance is the key for people who are welcoming newcomers. This attitude helps them resist criticizing newcomers but instead understanding that it takes time for them to get used to a new place.
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