College, was picked up at Kennedy Airport by a young female Christian
student wearing makeup and dressed in pants. Her appearance struck
the Nigerian student, who was taught back home that Christian women
should not wear makeup or dress in pants; hence he
concluded that this young woman was not a Chris-
tian. It is interesting how the Nigerian student judged this young lady
through his own cultural lenses.
to what we consider normal in our own culture and assume that all people
need to do things according to our culture. Unfortunately, our cultural
workplace, schools and cities. Understanding
widens one's worldview and changes one's ethnocentric attitude
towards immigrants.
of others leads to discrimination.
what sociologists often call group-
oriented cultures. People belong
to an extended family and tend to
make decisions in collaboration with
family members. Immigrants have
a great sense of solidarity which
helps them survive in their new
land. They are willing to give up
their rights to privacy in order to
live together in crowded apartments
while looking for job opportunities.
They branch out as doors of opportu-
They often
churches in order to help first
generation immigrants establish
themselves. Creating friendship and
talking to your immigrant neighbors
is, perhaps, the best way for learn-