Dialogue with Socrates: Maryna - Socrates, диалог с Сократом

Пошла я таки учиться в США. 7 лет думала-думла и надумала! Хочу быть фармацевтом, а для этого надо забыть, что уже 7 лет училась в высшей постсоветской школе и все начать сначала!
Пока беру один класс, написательный английский, и, честно, готова уже петь оду школе США! Хотя, всю мою сознательную юность мне вбивали в голову, что советская школа это О, а в США одни узколобые специалисты. Как-нибудь отдельно об этом напишу.

А пока, вот что написалось) Оценка 5+

MARYNA

MARYNA: Socrates, what culture do you think is better American or Russian? It seems to me that Americans are hiding real feelings.

SOCRATES: This is not an easy question, my dear Maryna. What makes you think that Americans are hiding their feelings?

M: I saw a lot of examples when someone will smile and welcome you nicely; another minute this person will turn his head away, saying I hate her.

S: Maryna, how people in Russian culture would welcome someone they did not like?

M: Russians will meet very cold someone they do not like, without having any fake smile on their face.

S: And do you think that cold greeting will make a new person comfortable?

M: Why should anyone care about comfortableness of a stranger?

S: I see what you are trying to say. Do people from your culture care about other people?

M: Of course they do! They care about loved ones, about family, about close friends.

S: And do you think people, who are strangers; do they deserve a smile, or a nice treatment? You might not know someone today, but a stranger can become your best friend tomorrow.

M: I never thought about that, Socrates. During my childhood I was told every day “A laugh with no reason is a sign of being a fool”

S: I can see what you’re saying Maryna. Don’t you like when you surrounded by happy, smiley people; or do you think that being around grumpy and gloomy people is better?

M: I do not know what to say. I like being around happy people. On the other hand I really want to know what someone really thinks about me. There is a good chance you’ll trust someone, whom you shouldn’t thrust. It can bring a lot of problems to your life.

S:  Maryna you’re talking about two different things: greeting someone with a nice smile or trusting some your secrets or sharing your personal information. In American culture we are nice to everyone, but we keep our own life inside a small group of people whom we know very well.

M: We have same closed group of people as well; we call them friends! A friend is a person, with whom you can share your thoughts, your ideas, you secretes, everything. And here (in the USA), I thought I made a friend, a person was very welcome and nice, and smiley, and looked like she really liked me, and was interesting in the conversation. Next day I called her to ask to go to a public place and that person said no, and another day no, and one more try – no. At this point I wouldn’t make any more attempts, because she wasn’t interested to become friends with me. Everything was fake, not real. Or the phrase: we should go out sometime together! It is nothing, not a real promise. I do not get it. In my culture if you say someone: “We should go out sometime”; you make a verbal promise. The person who heard this will wait for you to invite him somewhere, or to make a phone call at least.

S: I can understand your feelings. And I see where your frustration came from. Do you have some standard list of greetings and good farewell phrases in your language?

M: Yes, we do.

S: That was one of them. Americans are trying to be polite; they are so worried about hurting other people by words. I can give you an example when I was “attacked” by Russian women simply after asking her: “how are you?” She told me everything about her life, her kids, her husband, her neighbors, even her health issues. I didn’t want to hear all of this information; it was just regular welcome phrase.

M: I can imagine this situation. In Russian culture people are straight thinkers. If you ask them a question, they will think you want to hear the answer. If you asked: “How is she doing?” she just responded to your question. She really though you care about her problems. One more difference I’ve noticed, Russian people share their problems with their friends and they have less stress and depression, because together, with people who care about you, it is easier to find the best solution to a problem that you have. To the best of my knowledge in this case Americans will go to see a psychotherapist or take antidepressants.

S: Next time I will be more careful while asking Russian a question.

M: Next time I will not take seriously verbal promises from Americans.

S: Maryna, as for friends and psychotherapist… Sometime it is better to get help from professional. 

M: Socrates, I got to go. We can continue our cultural discussion next time.