How to act on the metro

Venturing into a new culture is scary for anyone. There can be different customs, different social rules, different transportation systems– not to mention a different language. That is a lot to navigate all at once.

Wherever I am, I try my best to think through what I’ve learned I should do in such a situation (be it from direct instructions or from observing those around me) and act accordingly. In my home country, I do this to fit in socially and help others feel at ease. However, overseas, fitting in has much higher stakes. If you aren’t aware of the different social norms in the new country, you could be communicating things by accident that could put you in an uncomfortable (or even dangerous) situation. Furthermore, especially on public transportation, standing out can draw unwanted attention towards you, which can also be dangerous.

Mirroring the behavior of those around you is essential. For example, on the metro in Rennes, you may notice that most everyone is looking at the floor silently with a blank expression. Being from a small city in the South of the United States, if my program’s directors hadn’t warned me about this ahead of time, I might have thought that everyone here was sad and unfriendly, and I might have tried smiling and waving at people to brighten their days (which is a common practice in my hometown). However, had I done that, not only would I have stood out, but I also would have made the other passengers uncomfortable. Moreover, depending on who I smiled at, I may have unknowingly invited someone over to talk to me.

Additionally, if you are ever in an uncomfortable or potentially dangerous situation (like if a stranger is talking loudly and approaching people), the same principle applies; look at how the other people around you are acting and follow suit. Most likely, they are avoiding eye contact and not reacting. This is typically done to discourage interaction and to avoid provoking the person. However, sometimes, the best thing to do is to leave the situation as soon as possible. This could look like exiting the metro car at the next station and switching to a different car, or even waiting for the next train. 

All this to say that if you are in a new place and everyone around you is acting differently than you’re used to, it is usually a good idea to play along. Safe travels!

Kayla BURRELL 

Furman University