Different Culture with Different Nonverbal Communication

From the introduction of nonverbal communication, I'm aware of so many difference between that kind of communication and the one in China theoretically, which I never think before since I've come to America. The distinction may be lied on the eye contact, the gesture and the body space.

The first difference that impressed me a lot is the way of eye contact. In China, as the people are relatively introversive, especially when communicating with stranger, they will have little eye contact with you, instead of watching you in a normal way or sometimes glancing to somewhere for inspiring some new topics to discuss with. However, In America, even if my English is not so good that can't chat with somebody in a original American voice and speed, I can still catch their mean in most occasion, because it's readily for me to get some idea from their eyeballs. When they are amazing for something interesting, they will pop and keep their eyes; while falling into thinking, their focus will cast a look at far distance and the frown will be showed up. I can experience why the versifiers will compare eyes as "the window of soul" from American.

Another distinction is about the gesture. After coming here, I found myself that the time of shaking hand here is more than that of my entire life in China. Because this kind of showing amity is used to meet someone who is important but not so familiar with, acting as a formal way in sociality or doing business. On the contrary, hand shake become an both formal and informal way to express our friendliness. Whenever I meet a group of new friends, they always say "nice to meet you, Adam", accompanying shaking hand with me. While seeing my roommate or some buddies, we even has a set of complex forms of hand shake. It's very amusing to comprehend each meaning of those.

Last one I want to compare is the space between two people. I used to keep about 3 feet with stranger while staying in China. But I notice that the people seem to be filled of passion that they will get close with me and will get closer when they share the same idea with or feel interesting on what I've said. The change of the body space really works because it makes me feel the invisible wall stood between two people being tore down, which will directly lead to the conversation become much more enjoyable and comfortable.

On seeing so much difference between Chinese culture and American culture on the nonverbal communication, distinction isn't what I'm worried about, as a student studying abroad, the fusion of those two culture and applying into my daily life are what I have to do.