I thought about this because I noticed that after having been on this board for quite a while I became aware of the fact that the American culture is far more different from the European than I ever suspected. I've visited often enough, but I think I would only understand the culture if, like my sister, I would have lived out there most part of my life. Also in France, there are those little, yet very important cultural, social differences you only really will get at when you live there for a long time. ( and still up to a point)
Quite right! This is why I don't read for pleasure in Spanish. I know I will never really "get" a lot of what is assumed readers know, or have experienced, and I know I will miss out on truly understanding the work, because of my lack in cultural knowledge. Now having said that, I
would attempt a work set in Chile, as having lived there a full year, I have at least a smattering of cultural understanding that might stand by me well enough. Do I avoid works written about Australia or South Africa because I haven't experienced those cultures, even though they may be written in English? Maybe I do, except non-fiction. I have had enough parlance with UK culture to feel comfortable. :0)
