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Several people think that local customs and behaviour should
be followed by international travellers, while others argue that cultural
differences should be respected. The essay will discuss both opinions, and then
I will give my own perspective in the conclusion.
Many experts insist that visitors have to consider several
local cultures as an to important factor, as they have their own contexts to be respected
by foreigners. For example, there is a strict custom regarding smoking in Japan.
Japaneses do not smoke while walking, and always smoke smoking at a certain selected areas.
The custom has been performed after an accident that a Japanese child lost her
eyesight 20 years ago because of some harmful elements from tobacco which a
walking smoker made. Thus, it could be necessary for visitors to keep specific
rules that have own historical reasons to be followed.
However, some people believe that the host country has to
accept the foreign cultures, since they can have positive effects on cultural diversity.
They say that all cultures which exist are the outcomes of synthesis between
various cultures. For instance, even the Kimchi, which is the most traditional
food in Korea, is affected by another old Japanese food recipe which some
Japanese chefs had brought to Korean peninsula in the Chosun dynasty. This
example indicates that foreign culture would lead to a society with higher levels
of quality in the future.
In conclusion, although some particular customs and
behaviour should be followed by foreigners because they may have a strong
reason to be respected, I firmly believe that the host country should try to
accept cultural differences because they may play a significant role in
developing own ones. |