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? v.2

The saying ‘When in Rome, do as the Romas’ was inspired by St Augustine on his trip to Rome. I am of the same idea that people should adapt to the culture of the country they are visiting. However, I do not believe that culture exists without language. While travelling to another country for various purposes it is always better to adapt and adjust to the local way of living. This ensures for a pleasurable stay that doesn’t involve fear mixed with anxiety. To exemplify, when humans are subjected to unfamiliar place their initial response is fear and anxiety as no one has any knowledge of how safe the new environment is. But if they are well adjusted and have some local peers then this fear may even disappear gradually. This ensures for an enjoyable trip too. Language is culture and culture is language. They share a complex homologous relationship with each other. Culture is defined as shared beliefs and values of a social group. Language is used as a tool for exchange of information but also as a symbol for the power to change those values, perceptions and beliefs. Hence language symbolises cultural identity. To say that we want to learn a culture without learning the language is like saying ‘I want to lose weight without exercising. ’ There is no over-riding any step if we want to achieve something. For culture to be understood, language cannot be skipped. To sum up, one can only accomplish the success of learning foreign culture by adapting well to the new environment well enough to understand their dialect and mode of communication.