" The course is about why people behave the way they do," says Jon Ackley, an associate professor who teaches "Introduction to Intercultural Communication" at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The first question Jon Ackley asks students in his "Introduction to Intercultural Communication" class at Virginia Commonwealth University is how many of them identify with a culture.

Students from foreign countries invariably raise their hands.
Americans never do.
They say they don't really have a culture.

Ackley quickly counters. "I say, 'Yes, you do. You believe in hard work, you believe in delayed gratification [for careers], you believe in the importance of fast food [as a time-saver], you see time as a commodity . . . "And on it goes.

The very real distinctions are revealed during this international business management course.

" The course is about why people behave the way they do," Ackley said yesterday while sitting in his office at VCU, where he is an associate professor in the business school's department of management.

The lessons go from the basics -- Saudis speak standing close to one another, while American speak from more distance -- to larger concepts such as the different roles of words, women, work, authority and uncertainty.

Of the 39 students in Ackley's recently ended spring-semester class, nine were born in other countries (Spain, the Philippines, Italy, Somalia, Australia, Iran,Venezuela, Germany and Kenya).

Six others had studied or worked abroad (in Italy, Spain, Hong Kong, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and England). Most of the rest had at least visited foreign countries.

So, many had an outsider's view of Americans.

In an intriguing exercise, Ackley asked the students to complete this sentence: "If you're an American, you . . ."

Sounds like comedian Jeff Foxworthy's "You may be a redneck if . . . " routine, doesn't it?

And indeed some responses were funny. But many were perceptive -- and maybe eye-opening to the rest of us. Ackley, after getting permission from the students, shared a few.

Some speak to our perceived arrogance:
• "You complain when gas prices rise, though you have no idea we get gas cheaper than almost everyone else."
• "You have clothes made in countries you've never heard of."

Some are probably stereotypical:
• "You drive a Hummer in the suburbs."
• "You wait 20 minutes in a McDonald's drive-through rather than go inside for five minutes."
• "You drink Diet Coke while eating a Big Mac."

Some seem to speak more of a technological gulf:
• "You think home cooking is sticking something in the microwave."
• "You use a credit/debit card for a $1.63 purchase."
• "You e-mail your neighbor about having dinner together rather than walking next door."

Some are clearly cultural:
• "You get uncomfortable if someone to whom you're talking is closer than 2 feet from you."
• "You ask, 'How are you?' without caring about the answer."
• "You see different meanings of the words 'survivor,' 'apprentice' and 'idol' than the rest of the world.

And at least one, submitted by an international student, was poignant:
• "You pick your spouse."

By the way, Ackley doesn't actually ask "If you're an American . . . " He asks the students "If you're a U.S. American . . ."

That's because the rest of the world sees all of North America and Central America and South America, too -- as being the Americas.

In other words, in some senses we're not the only Americans.

But then you may be an American if you think we are.

Contact staff writer Ray McAllister at rmcallister@timesdispatch.com or (804) 649-6333. His column runs Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Responses may be printed from time to time.