5 Cultural Differences Between The West and The East

(Before you read - The West consists of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Western Europe. The East consists of China, India, Mongolia, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.)

In my 16 years of living, I have had the privilege of visiting many countries in both the West and the East.

During my travels, I was always amazed by the vast difference between a person from the West and one from the East.

While they all appear the same on the outside, living with them has opened my eyes to the different ways they live their lives.

Personality

In Western society, the individual rules. Personal achievements are valued over group efforts.

Westerners focus more on showing one's true colors and being genuine. They tend not to conceal their feelings and intentions and say what they mean.

On the other hand, in the East, family and community are much more important than the individual.

Easterners make themselves inferior to what they really are. It is thought to be a virtue if one can put their ego aside and blend in with society.

They also underestimate their abilities, which is considered better, rather than seeming over-confident.

Family

In the West, it is usual for children to move out of their homes once they reach a certain age. Getting your own place is considered a sign of independence.

On the other hand, in the East, there is no need for children to leave their homes. Easterners see living on your own as a choice as strange.

In the East, elders are considered sacred and respectable. It is considered a responsibility and privilege to take care of them. In the West, caring for the elderly is not seen as a family responsibility.

Newly-married Western couples usually live together before they get married. But in the East, married couples do not move out of their family's home. In fact, a newly-married woman will go and live with her husband's family.

Love And Marriage

In the West, marriage is an affair between two individuals. Westerners believe that there must be one special person in the world just for them.

As a result, they embark on an endless search for their perfect match. They only want that one person that will make them whole.

Love, in the West, means high emotions, a rollercoaster with huge ups and downs.

The East doesn't work that way. Marriages are considered as the union of two households. Easterners trust that they'll chance upon love through chance.

They generally settle for a partner with whom they have a deep friendship. This is the foundation on which love will grow.

Love in the East is based on commitment. They don't give up when their relationship hits a rocky patch.

Education

In the West, the focus is very much on individual achievement and fostering natural ability.

Students are encouraged to think for themselves. They are expected to challenge their lecturers and encouraged to actively participate in debates and ask questions.

Tutors want to pique their student's interests and get them curious about their subject. If a student fails, the school or institution is blamed.

On the contrary, in the East, every student is equal and has the same chance of academic success as the next student. Hard work is the way to attain success.

Students are supposed to be disciplined and are discouraged from asking many questions. What the teacher says is final, and all must submit to their authority.

If a student fails, it is certainly not the school's fault. It is most likely down to the parents or the student themselves.

Western education also makes great efforts to include children with special needs in the general mass of students.

However, in the East, children with disabilities are almost always taught separately from the rest.

Food

Most Western dishes tend to be bland. Spices are scarcely used. The food is generally a big slab of meat, surrounded by some light salad unless you go for Italian cuisine, where variety exists.

Eastern dishes tend to be more vibrant. Spices are heavily used, giving them a pleasant aroma and a peculiar taste that keeps you craving for more.

However, the size of the servings of Eastern dishes is small compared to most Western dishes. A single dish in the West can be enough for two, but in the East, one dish is meant for one person.

. . .

There are plenty more differences between the West and the East, but I find these five major.

Both cultures are unique and beautiful in their own ways, and I'm glad I have friends from both.

Written by me, who lives in the East, with the help of my cousin, who lives in the West.