Reading about nonverbal gestures, all I could think about are the differences in nonverbal communication across different social and generational lines. When I’m with friends, I can stare at them from across the room making a strange face to get their attention. I can just hold the hand of the friend next to me at lunch, or rest my head on their shoulders, and it’s perfectly acceptable. But if I’m with a stranger, I have to keep my distance and maintain eye contact and other formalities. I also think about when I was younger and my resting face was developing into one of anger or aggression and crossing my arms and it drove my dad up the wall. He thought I was being purposefully disrespectful, when really, I was just living my life. I used to get into a lot of trouble for “attitude”.

If I were ever to leave the country, I can only hope that I look American enough that people will assume I know nothing about how rude I’m being, and will explain it to me before I offend anyone too terribly.