Hello and welcome to show 267 of our podcast “Absolutely Intercultural”. Today we will talk about “cultural expectations”. Whether we like it or not – we are all trying to meet cultural expectations in our daily lives. Some of us may struggle with those preconceived ideas. Others insist we conform to cultural expectations. Back at school, for example, we may have noticed that others expected us to conform to male or female patterns of behaviour.
Can the expectations placed upon us help us be succeed in this complex worldand should we be grateful for cultural guidance on our path to success? Or will these well-meant pieces of “you should be” and “you should feel” advice become a very heavy burden and limit our opportunities?
In this show we are going to listen to the stories of Leo, Adika and Pravesh, all threeconfronted with everyday cultural expectations in very different places, at home, at school or even in the street by a random person.
absolutely shameful
In our first category, “absolutely shameful”, Leo tells us that because of the gender expectations of the other school kids, he had to stop playing with his favourite toywhich his parents had given him for his birthday, – it happened to be a baby doll.
absolutely small
In our second category, „absolutely small”, Adika, an exchange student from Azerbaijan, describes how a random stranger approached her to help with her heavy bags outside the supermarket.
absolutely reversed
Finally, in our last category, “absolutely reversed”, Pravesh, from Pondicherry University in the South of India, explains that in Indian families usually the sons are expected to bring in money for the family. For him -this is different. In his family, the financial help actually comes from his successful sister.
What about you? Did you ever have to change your behaviour or your plans because of the cultural expectations that other people had for you?
Our next show will be coming to you on the 5th of November.
Until then – stay as diverse as you are – and
Bleiben Sie absolut interkulturell!
The host of this show is: Dr. Laurent Borgmann
Chief Editor: Esjona Musta
Assistant Editors: Alina Vor, Natalia Obikhod, Elene Mikeladze
