Class#10 Table Manner

Today we discussed table manners from all over the world. Please answer the following questions in your blog.



1.Have you ever eaten in a restaurant in a foreign country?

Where?
What did you eat?
Did you make any mistakes?
Please explain your experience.


2. Did you learn anything?



Answer


1.Yes, when I was 13 years old, I went to Canada. I ate hamburger. I didn't make a big mistakes of table manner. However, I sprised a hamburger size!!!! When I order s size hamburger, I imagine that I can get small hamburger. But waiter gives me a medium hamburger. First, I think that waiter made mistake. But I misunderstood. I guess that I can get Japanese's s size. However there is Canada!!! Not Japan!! Then, s size mean m size for me. I should understand differences. Japanese size and Canadian size are not same.



2.Yes, It is important to learn differences. I proud of Japanese culture. But Japanese culture is not common for foreigner. Then I am too. That's why if I go to foreign country, I should learn differences.

class# 8 wedding

1.Since Japanese weddings are expensive, do you think having a massive wedding like Korea or UAE is a good idea? Why?
2. What do you think about eloping? Is it a good idea or romantic? Why?
3. Have you ever thought about having a wedding in a foreign location like Hawaii? Would you do it? Why?Or Why not?
4.What is your ideal wedding?
5.What would you definitely do, wear or go to on that big day? Why is that important?
6. Have you ever been to a foreigner's wedding? What was your impression?

Answer
1 I don't think so. Because you and me. Marrige stile is not important than you and me.
2 It is romantic and I feel envious. because if someone oppose her she love him all the more. She love and believe him very strongly. Someone said that it is bad. Because generally they tend to divorce. But I don't mind like opinion. It's my life. I 'll try to do anything. I don't know sweet or not until I eat a apple.
3. I have no idea and I think I am ok wherever you be there. I think important to stay next to you. But I long to marry foreign location little bit.
4.I want to go honeymoon, and I need a lot of money for honeymoon. Then I don't want to spend a lot of money for wedding.
5.Dress and spend how much are not important. Because It's marriage. This means promise to love each other. I don't care about wedding stile as long as I be next to you.
6. I had never been to a foreigner's wedding.

class#7 superstition

1.Presentation by Ms.Camilla from Denmark.
I was surprised about the amount of fish and bread in their diet!
Since we spent so much time listening about the food and culture of Denmark, please comment in your blog.
a.Which part surprised you the most?
b.What kind of Danish food do you want to try?



2.Do you think it is important to talk about superstitions in cross culture communication class?Why?

3.Is communication affected by superstitions?

4.Do you believe in superstitions? If yes, what superstitions do you believe?
Why do you do, use, or believe in them?

Answer

Ms. Camilla's presentation is very interesting for me. First I suprised that Dane decoreate snacks on Christmas tree. I want to try that. but Japan is humid. Then, If Japanes try it, snack will be wet and insects will eat snacks. Danmark's season is almost all winter and not humid. Then they can do that. I think decorate tree by snacks only like Fairy story. But it is reality.Secound,I little suprised that Dane eat apple soup. I have never heard before. And I think that this is dessert isn't it. But it is different!!They usually eat apple soup as a meal. a.And I really suprised that Dane eat pork's skin on Christmas. Perhaps It is suprised the best. b.I want to try Dane's sweets. Especially, I want to try apple soup. “I was surprised about the amount of fish and bread in their diet!” Me too.I didnn't know that. Fish is good for diet. But indeed I think bread is dengerous food for diet people. If I eat bread, I 'll get fat. Bread is carbohydrate. I think carbohydrate is very deangerous for diet people. That's why I supreised too.

2.I think it is important. To study crosscultural communication is important to discuss a lot of subjects. Superstition is one of subjects. That's why it is important to talk about superstition.

3 Kind of. Some people believe superstition and affect sometimes. But others don't believe. And they don't affect their communication. That's why I answerd kind of.

4. I believe superstitions, but only good superstition. Because I believe good superstition, it makes me happy. And it gives me courage, spirit and power. When I was a junior high school student, I like that four-leaf clover. This mean that if you found four-leaf clover, you'll be happy. Then, I tried to found clover. But it is differcult to found four-leaf clover. It is easy to found three-leaf-clover. But to found four-leaf-clover is difficult. Then, when I can found four-leaf-clover, I am very happy. And when I upset, I always look pressed four-leaf-clover. And I can get courage and power.

In revers, I don't believe bad superstition. Someone said that if black cat across in front of you, you'll be poor. Sometimes I encounter this situation. But I don't mind. Because when I encounter bad situation like that, my mind changed. It's mere superstition. Not real.

I want to introduce a swallow's nest.A swallow's nest is a good sign. Swallow is a migratory bird.They come to japan from south islands.They tend to make their nest in front of houses. And next spring they will come back here again. Now Why is a swallow's nest goodthing? Because They eat insect pest. For example, mosquito and flies etc. So people think that the swallow is a useful bird. People said from in the past that if swallows make their nest in a house,the house won’t brunt down by a fire.Swallows don't make thire nests at an unhappy house. That's why swallow's nests are goodthing.　In revers, tradition said that　if people harm a swallow,people will become poor and unhappy. But I think most people destroy a swallow's nest. My mother is too. Every year, my mother destroys a swallow’s nests with horse. But I think my mother is happy.

class#6 Time

1. Please explain a time proverb in your culture.

2. What do the following proverbs mean:
a. Time is money.
b. A stitch in time saves nine.
c. There's no time like the present.
d.Let's meet at 4. If I'm not there by 5, leave without me at 6, and I'll be there at 7.



Answer

1. “Past is the past. Now is now.”　“Past is the past. Now is now.” 　This mean that now is now insistently. Even if you said that I can do the past, you coldn't get something and starting. you couldn't change the past. The sayings is no longer in current now. Even if you said I can do the past. Past is past. Now is now.

“Time and tide wait for no man.” This mean that time couldn't stop even if when it is inconvenient for people. Then people use it as warning. It mean that you should cherish now and you must do effort from now. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I think someone need this warning. Some women want to lose their weight. And they always say that “I will do exercise from tomorrow” when they are eating a lot of sweets. Next day, they say “I will do exercises from tomorrow” too. It is OK...but “Time and tide wait from no man.” They didn't do efforts from now. But they should do efforts from now. That's why someone need this warning.

a.“Time is Money”
This mean that time as important as money. If you have time and you'll waste of time. It is very ...what a waste. Because you couldn't get anything. If you have free time,you can do everthing. You can work, hung out with friend, relax and spend for your hobbies. You can learn something or refresh your body and mind. Time is very worth. Then, you shouldn't waste of time.

b.“A stitch in time saves nine.” This mean that if you sew today,1 stitch is enough. But if you sew later,you should need to sew 10 stitch. If you grudge on the small things,troubles become huge and you need a lot of time in the future. if you have to do something, you should do immediately. You must do now, otherwise you'll suffer from a big troubles.

I think I need this proverb. Sometimes my room clutter up with book, cloths and something. And when I clean up my room, I exhaust. Because I clean up my room from morning till night. If I put back soon, I don't have to clean up all day long. That's why I had better keep in mind that “A stitch in time saves nine”

c.“There's no time like the present.”(=Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today) (Smilarity:Make hay while the sun shines. This mean that.) This mean that if you make up your mind to starting something, you had better start at once. And when you'll think of something, at that time is lucky day. If I think to do later, I must be forgetting to think of that. Then, that's why there's no time like the present.

d.Let's meet at 4. If I'm not there by 5, leave without me at 6, and I'll be there at 7.　I never heard that. And I resarched it by the internet. But I couldn't found that. I guess that...maybe, people promise to meet someone. Then someone said that “Let's meet at 4. If I'm not there by 5, leave without me at 6, and I'll be there at 7.”　This mean that if I late, you don't have to wait long time. And we will meet later.

Class #3 The Language of cloths

＊Do you judge people according to what they wear?
Sometimes, Yes, I do.
But it is little bad I think. It is conprecated question for me.

＊Why?
Because cloths is a personal pacage. It can express little personality. But I want people judge contents a lots. Then I think little bad to judge by what they wear.

＊Do you think Japanese society puts an important on clothing when judge other people from another country?
I don't think so. We should judge content.

＊What colors are you wearing now?
I wear Black T-shirt.

＊Do they reflect your mood?
Yes, I am. Because I can calm down when I wear black cloths.

＊ What are some subjects that you will never discuss with a friend?
I think I never talk about politics with my friend.

＊Do you have different friends for different parts of your life?
Yes.　I have various friend.

＊ Do you if so, how are they different to you?
Someone is very breakfall, Others is very funny.

＊Are you talk about different things?
Yes, I think so.

Class #2 Death and Funerals

＊Do you have any international friends or family?
No I don't.
＊How would you express condolences to an America host family if they Grandmother died?
I don't know What should I do completely. But I think we should talk about her stories.


＊Have you ever been to a foreign funeral?
No, but I studied German funeral. While some Germans prefer to continue to use traditional burial rights, others have began to opt for cremation. Germans understood in the late 18 th century that cremation was more sanitary than burial. 19th century intellectuals of Germany preferred cremation to burials, because they thought it was better than the natural decomposition of the body and it was faster.　Nowadays, most graveyards have established crematoriums.As the churchs power over society and people gradually declined, cremation slowly became more popular.Germany continues to combine modern methods and traditional values to appease the ever changing population.


＊Why are Japanese designer label crazy?
I don't know. Sometimes I am angry when I buy something. Because contents and label are differet. Probably, Japanese love to wrapp and label crazy. I think that something need crazy label to attract to people.


＊Why does “Don't judge a book by it's cover.” mean to you?(Why is what you wear so important?)
“Don't judge a book by it's cover.”Because book's cover not always equal contents. Then I should look content and cover when I choose book. Cloths are same. Cloths are packagesame.Then, cloths are important. if someone wear good cloths, someone can attract me. And cloths express a person's inside. But cloths could'nt express a lots. My idea content is more important than appearance(cloths,etc) I don't want people judge appearance only. And I want someone judge my content a lot.　 “Don't judge appearance only.”

Class #1 Fall 2009

These day, Japanese tend to do wrapping almost all of things. For example, cookies, sugar, house, cloths and etc. Why are Japanese wrapping almost all of things? Is it important? I don't think so. But they were liked beautiful things by wrapping. And they think it is important like “tatemae”. I think It doesn't need. Because Eco is more important than “tatemae”. Real intention is more important.Than I hope to stop wrapping too many by people. But sometimes I had opposite idea. Because Japan is very humid. And we should protected food by wrapping. If we use wrapping means“tatemae”, I don't want to use. But if we use wrapping functional, it is ok.Sometimes is importnt“tatemae”. But if you care too much“tatemae”, and you become uncomfortable or hard.
This home stay video is the problem “tatemae” home stay family important “tatemae”. And they didn't say anythings. Then, home stay student doesn't important “tatemae”.It make home stay family hard. Nobody is bad. Simply, they had to say real intention.

＊where do you go when you die?
I don't think that when we die, we go to heaven or hell. I think when we die, our soul separete our body and become clear. And we go to special place. Special place give us(only soul) some trials to revive different body and life. That's why I don't believe to exist heaven and hell.

＊Why do japanese have death memorial service 1months, 1year, 3year, 7year, etc. after a person death?
I think we remember and pray(A person death rest in peace completely. A person death don't become ghost) a person death by this survice.