Sex and the City 2 & The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: Cultural Differences

The first movie is much better than this sequel, but it has its good moments too. The ladies visit to Abu Dhabi is perfect to talk about cultural differences.




I. Work in pairs:

1. When you think about Middle East cultures, what comes to your mind?

2. How different from your own culture do you think the items below are in Abu Dhabi?

- Men's clothes

- Women's clothes

- Viewpoints about beauty and cosmetic surgeries

- The purpose of the clothes people wear

- The use of the Internet

- The food

- Family structure


3. Is your culture better than Middle East countries'? Or is it just different? Explain it.

4. How easily would you adapt to a such different culture? What would you change in order to be part of the society?


II. Watch the movie segment from the movie Sex and the City 2 and discuss the questions:



1. Describe the scene.

2. What can you say about the culture the American ladies are talking about? How do the American ladies see their culture?

3. How respectful are they?

4. What can you say about the items in exercise I #2, according to what you saw in the segment?

- Men's clothes

- Women's clothes

- Viewpoints about beauty and cosmetic surgeries

- The purpose of the clothes people wear

- The use of the Internet


5. Would you adapt your habits if you had to visit or live in Abu Dhabi? What would you never accept adapting?

6. Is it easier for an American to adapt to the Middle East cultural behavior or for an Arab to adapt to the American way of life? Explain it.

7. Does it make any difference if you are a man or a woman? Why?


Watch the segment from the marvelous movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and discuss the questions:







 1. Describe the scene.

2. The segment shows a British lady visiting her Indian hotel clerk relatives. How does the British woman and and the locals react?

3. What are some of the cultural differences and misunderstandings you could observe?

4. What should (not) the British lady do?

5. Would you like to visit a country such as India? Why (not)?

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - SEX AND THE CITY 2

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL