The Limits of Friendship:
What Do Friends Ask Friends To Do?

This exercise focuses on one key aspect of friendship: the responsibilities or obligations it incurs.

If the requests below were put to you by a close friend back home, what would your answer be? If "yes," put a "Y" in the space preceding the question; if "no," put an "N."

	Would you lend this person a substantial amount of money?
	Would you lie for this person in a situation where he/she was in trouble?
	Would you use your position or influence to help this person gain a special advantage over other people in getting a job in your organization?
	Would you serve as a go-between for this person in a difficult work situation?
	Would you let this person copy from your paper on an exam?
	Would you intervene in a family or marital despite if person asked you to?
	Would you agree to take care of this friend's child for an extended period during a family/personal emergency?
	Would you look after this friend's house while he/she was away?
	Would you give a positive recommendation for this person if you did not think he/she would be good in a particular job?
	Would you help this person do something illegal if he/she asked you to?

INFORMANT ACTIVITY

Ask a host country person, or someone who knows the local culture well, how he/she would answer these questions, and record the answers in the same way using Y or N.

	Would you lend a close friend a substantial amount of money?
	Would you lie for this friend in a situation where he/she was in trouble?
	Would you use your position or influence to help this friend gain a special advantage over other people in getting a job in your organization?
	Would you serve as a go-between for your friend in a difficult work situation?
	Would you let this person copy from your paper on an exam?
	Would you intervene in a family or marital despite if this friend asked you to?
	Would you agree to take care of the friend's child for an extended period during a family/personal emergency?
	Would you look after this person's house while he/she was away?
	Would you give a positive recommendation for this friend if you did not think he/she would be good in a particular job?
	Would you help this friend do something illegal if he/she asked you to?

If you answered "no" to any of the questions to which the host country respondent answered "yes," how would you handle these situations if they actually were to occur?

Back to Rules of the House

Next Page