English for Beginners: Intercultural Friendships

Dialogue

Alice: Oh, Bob, I just tried to explain to my new friend why we never open gifts right away in my country. It was… interesting.

Bob: Alice, what happened? Did she try to rip it open?

Alice: Exactly! In my culture, you wait. You say thank you, then you take it home.

Bob: Really? In my country, we’re like, “Open it! Open it now! Show us your happy face!”

Alice: Yes, I know! It’s so different. I felt a bit rude, but it’s just what we do.

Bob: Haha, I can imagine her face. So, what did you do?

Alice: I just smiled and said, “I will open it later. Thank you so much!” She looked confused.

Bob: Oh dear. Maybe she thought you didn’t like it!

Alice: That’s what I worried about! It’s hard sometimes, right? With different customs.

Bob: Totally. Remember when you first tried to teach me to bow instead of shaking hands?

Alice: Oh, yes! You almost fell over trying to do a deep bow!

Bob: I tried my best! My back was not ready for that.

Alice: It’s okay, you learn. But it makes things fun, too. We learn a lot from each other.

Bob: Definitely! And now I know not to ask about your gift for a week.

Alice: Good Bob! You are learning my ways. But if I give you a gift, please open it! My grandma will be watching.

Bob: Haha! Deal! It’s a fun journey, isn’t it? Our intercultural friendship.

Alice: The best journey!

Current Situation

In our connected world today, meeting people from different countries and cultures is more common than ever. Thanks to easier travel, online communication, and many people living abroad for work or study, intercultural friendships are a beautiful part of modern life. These friendships help us learn new things, understand different ways of thinking, and see the world from many perspectives. They can sometimes have funny misunderstandings, like Alice and Bob’s experience, but they always make our lives richer and more interesting.

Key Phrases

explain to someone why…: To give reasons for something to another person.
I need to explain to my boss why I was late.
right away: Immediately; without delay.
Please come here right away!
rip it open: To open something quickly and perhaps a little roughly.
The kids couldn’t wait to rip open their presents.
in my culture / in my country: Referring to traditions or norms of one’s own cultural background or nation.
In my culture, we eat dinner very late.
I can imagine: Used to express understanding or empathy for a situation.
You worked all night? I can imagine you’re tired.
worried about: Feeling uneasy or anxious about something.
She was worried about the exam results.
different customs: Various traditional ways of behaving or doing something that are specific to a particular society, place, or time.
It’s interesting to learn about different customs when you travel.
learn a lot from each other: To gain knowledge or skills through mutual exchange.
Friends from different countries can learn a lot from each other.
not ready for (something/someone): Not prepared for an event, situation, or person.
The surprise party was great, but I was not ready for so many people!
It’s a fun journey: Used to describe an enjoyable or interesting experience, especially one involving learning or discovery.
Learning a new language is a fun journey.

Grammar Points

1. Present Simple for Habits and Customs

We use the Present Simple tense to talk about things that are generally true, habits, or customs.

Form: Subject + Verb (add -s or -es for he/she/it)
Examples from dialogue:
- “we never open gifts right away” (a custom)
- “you wait” (a custom)
- “it’s just what we do” (a custom)
Other examples:
- I drink coffee every morning. (a habit)
- The sun rises in the east. (generally true)

2. Simple Past for Describing Past Events

We use the Simple Past tense to talk about actions that started and finished in the past.

Form: Subject + Verb (regular verbs end in -ed, irregular verbs change form)
Examples from dialogue:
- “I just tried to explain…” (a past action)
- “what happened?” (a past event)
- “She looked confused.” (a past action)
- “You almost fell over…” (an irregular past verb: fall -> fell)
Other examples:
- Yesterday, I walked to the park.
- We ate dinner at 7 PM. (irregular: eat -> ate)

3. Using “Why” and “Because”

We use “Why” to ask for a reason, and “Because” to give a reason.

Why (question):
- Why do you wait to open gifts?
- Why did she look confused?
Because (answer):
- Because it’s our custom.
- Because she didn’t understand.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Use words from the box to complete the sentences.

(right away, customs, learn a lot, imagine, worried about)

In some countries, it is a bad idea to open gifts ______.
Alice was ______ her friend thinking she didn’t like the gift.
Different ______ can sometimes cause funny situations.
When you make friends from other cultures, you can ______ from each other.
Bob says he can ______ Alice’s friend looking confused.

Answers: 1. right away, 2. worried about, 3. customs, 4. learn a lot, 5. imagine

Exercise 2: Answer the Questions

Read the dialogue again and answer the questions in simple sentences.

What is Alice’s cultural custom about opening gifts?
What is Bob’s cultural custom about opening gifts?
What did Bob try to learn from Alice before?
Why does Alice say Bob should open her gift if she gives him one?

Answers:

Alice’s custom is to wait, say thank you, and take the gift home to open it later.
Bob’s custom is to open gifts right away in front of the giver.
Bob tried to learn to bow instead of shaking hands.
Because her grandma will be watching.

Exercise 3: Make Sentences (Grammar Focus)

Part A: Change the verb in the brackets to the Simple Past tense.

Alice (explain) ______ her custom.
Bob (ask) ______ what happened.
Her friend (look) ______ confused.
Bob (try) ______ to bow.

Answers: 1. explained, 2. asked, 3. looked, 4. tried

Part B: Complete the sentences using Why or Because.

______ did you wait to open the gift? ______ it’s my custom.
______ did Alice worry? ______ her friend looked confused.

Answers: 1. Why, Because; 2. Why, Because

Intercultural friendships