Cultural Differences to be aware of when you teach in Asia

What makes this world a beautiful place is that there are clearly cultural differences between the east and west. Rather than be annoyed by it as a teacher, embrace the differences and use them to your own advantage when you are teaching. I will highlight a few differences here just to make you aware and reduce some of the culture shock your first few weeks. 

Assuming you are a westerner, I am sure you are governed by that thing which is on your wrist. or if you are young, in your back pocket that looks like a phone.

If you have been trained in the west,  you really expect your students to come to class when the bell rings. Well, guess what, most international schools do not have bells.If someone is in your class when it is supposed to start, it is because he or she got lost

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angry face

In the west, if one of your students looked like this you might understand that the student was angry with you. In the east you will never know when anyone is angry or even if they disagree with you.  There will always be a polite smile on everyone's face. When you ask a secretary in English to do something for you, there will be a very polite smile but when you do not get the the test run off or the key or whatever else you asked for, it is likely because the secretary did not understand you and was too embarrassed to lose face!

The last time you will see a straight line like this will be the day you leave your home country at the airport and the next time you see people waiting in line will be the day you come home. Asians have no concept of a straight line as you will quickly discover the first time you disembark or try to get something organized at your school.

Which face would you rather have, the one on the left or the one on the right? If you do not embrace the differences between the east and west your face will constantly be the one on the right!