Our culture shapes our perspective. In the United States, for example, our culture influences how we see the world and how we understand different situations. After having lived in Chile for over a month, I have come to realize that living in another culture means many different things. Cultural perspective shapes the way in which people see the world and other people in their community.
Initially, I found it difficult to understand the perspectives of other Chileans on certain topics or to resonate with certain viewpoints, mostly because I have not lived through the history of this country the way in which native people have. I have learned that different perspectives are born from history, customs, governmental systems and more.
I've also learned that one's perspective is intertwined with society. For example, when I arrived in Chile, I noticed right away that Chileans speak very directly to one another. They describe much of what they see, exactly how they see it. In America, we are less likely to do this. For example, Chileans may refer to a girl as grande (big) when describing someone or even gordita (fatty). In American culture, refering to someone as "fatty" or "large" would be considered rude.
