"Around the World in One Table"

Warm-up: If you could invite one famous person (alive or dead) to dinner, who would it be and why?

I. Vocabulary: Culture shock – surprise when you experience another culture. Custom – traditional way of doing something. Polite / impolite – showing good or bad manners. Taboo – something people avoid doing or talking about. Hospitality – the way people welcome guests.

Can you think of a custom in your country that foreigners might find surprising?

Discussion: In your country, what’s considered polite? What’s considered impolite or taboo? What is one thing foreigners often misunderstand about your culture? Have you ever experienced culture shock when traveling or meeting foreigners?

Example: In the Philippines, smiling a lot is normal, but some foreigners might think it’s flirting. Example: Guest in Japan → forgets to remove shoes. Guest in Middle East → refuses tea (considered rude). Guest in the Philippines → eats with hands, which is normal in some places.