How others see us

There is an interesting article on Yahoo about how foreigners view America and Americans and I can filly understand their views.  I have spent a great deal of time in other countries and sometimes I encountered things puzzling to me.  I was invited to a dinner an true to my upbringing I ate everything on my plate and did take a bit more of some foods and I finished those too.  I ate until I thought I would pop and I was surprised and hurt to learn that I had insulted the hostess  by leaving a clean plate.  Leaving a little food on the plate indicates that one is full.  leaving a clean plate says that one didn't enjoy what they ate. 
   In another country one waves their hand downward not from the top as Americans do.  Waving from the top signifies the calling of a dog and is viewed as an insult to the locals.  In another, children are not allowed to wear clothes, even diapers, until they are potty trained.  We would think that shocking to see naked children in public but the children of that country learn to "go potty' faster than any other children. 
    In America our children are encouraged to ask questions in school but in some countries, a question means that the student is stupid or the teacher is doing a poor job of explaining things.

  It isn't that our way is necessarily a better way  for often it isn't.  More often than not a different way of looking at stuff is just that:  different but no better nor no worse.