Introduction to American Life

My first reaction upon finding this booklet for international students was intellectual delight - what a great ressource for other visitors and immigrants! Funded by the State Department and written by NAFSA - Association of International Educators (no idea how they figure that acronym), it has sections on time, communication, status and hierarchy, the rule of law, regional diversity in the US, and relationships with family and friends. My second reaction was more an aha! moment - way to be a low-context culture, USA!
Americans like to have as much information as possible upfront. We like how-to guides, instructions manuals, detailed contracts with plans for every conceivable contingency, agendas, menus, and syllabi. We like to know ahead of time what's going to happen, and the transfer of information needs to be very explicit (as opposed to reliant on people picking up on social cues).