I inadvertently ran across this website http://www.dimensionsofculture.com/2010/10/cultural-values-of-asian-patients-and-families/ while looking for information on Asian culture. The website itself is for members of the medical community and deals with cross-cultural communication. I found the information very interesting as it addressed many questions I have had while working with Asian students and their parents. The article informs the reader about cultural normalties - how many Asians view time as expandable while Americans look at time as linear - 8 a.m. is 8 a.m., not 8:30 or 9 a.m. The site also explains the high context communication that is part of the Asian culture - meaning that body language, head nods, silence, eye contact, all play a part in how Asians communicate. Being verbal or a verbal response is not always given, but the meaning is wrapped up in other subtleties. I found this website to be highly informative and useful when talking directly to a student or a parent who has recently immigrated to the U.S.
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