13. It is often said “When in Rome, do as Romans do” Do you think people should adapt and accept the culture of the country they visit? Do you think it is possible to learn a culture without learning the language?

The common view is that people should embody the local

culture

when visiting a foreign

country

.

Although

I completely agree that the visitors should accept and practice the local values,

this

cannot be done without knowing the native

language

.

To begin

with, when a person visits another

country

, he/she will undoubtedly experience some interaction with the native people and their

culture

. As cultures around the world are held in high regards the natives, any disregard on the visitor's behalf, intentional or

otherwise

, will inadvertently result in a hostile reaction from the natives. Muslim women in Australia have been a target of verbal, and in some instances, physical assaults by the locals because they wear conservative costumes rather than Australian dresses.

This

shows that by failing to practice the local

culture

, visitors can encounter uncomfortable situations. Cultural understanding,

however

, cannot be achieved without learning the local

language

. Without

this

linguistic capability, a visitor's

chances

Suggestion

chance

of interaction with the locals are seriously reduced, which results in less exposure to the native

culture

.

This

will inadvertently decrease the capacity of a visitor to understand and practice the local values to a bare minimum.

Hence

, if one desires to learn a foreign

culture

, he better equip himself with the local

language

. In conclusion, acceptance of a foreign

culture

, in my opinion, is of great significance when visiting another

country

and that cultural values cannot be grasped if one does not know the local

language

. It is hoped that people understand the importance of cultural harmony and linguistic understanding when visiting another

country

.