1.Since Japanese weddings are expensive, do you think having a massive wedding like Korea or UAE is a good idea?
Although weddings may be expensive, I do not think I would like to have a massive wedding. I do not think that there is anything wrong with a massive weddings. I just think that if I get married I want it to be just me and my wife. I think that if I got married in a massive wedding, maybe it would not feel as special.
2. What do you think about eloping? Having a wedding in a foreign location like Hawaii?
I think that eloping is fine. I think that if that is what makes people happy then they can do it. Personally, if I get married, it will probably be in Hawaii and not in a foreign place.
3.What is your ideal wedding?
My ideal wedding would be a small wedding in a church or garden or somewhere relaxing, with just a few guests. I know that this is not possible though because I have a big family.
4.What would you definitely do, wear or go to on that big day? Why is that important?
To be honest, I have not really thought seriously about what my wedding would be like. I guess I would wear a black suit. As of now, I cannot think of any kinds of things I would to on that day.
5. Have you ever been to a foreigner's wedding? What was your impression?
I have not been to a foreign wedding before. I am interested to see what weddings are like in other countries or even in the mainland U.S.A.! I have only been to weddings in Hawaii.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Homework - Superstitions
1. Do you think it is important to talk about superstitions in cross culture communication class? Why?
I think that it is important to talk about superstitions. Superstitions vary from culture to culture and and even within a country. When we talk about superstitions, we can learn about each others culture. For example, I have heard many of the Japanese superstitions that were talked about in class. This shows that Hawaii has a strong influence of Japanese culture. If you talked to someone from California or Texas, they probably will not have heard of these superstitions.
2. Is communication affected by superstitions?
Yes, I think communication can be affected by superstitions. If two people from different cultures are together, one person may do something that to them means nothing, but it may affect the other person. For example, if two people, not from Japan, pass food to each other chopstick to chopstick, a Japanese person may not feel good about it.
3. Do you believe in superstitions? If yes, what superstitions do you believe?
Yes, I do believe in superstitions. I do not walk under ladders and I also practice certain Japanese superstitions such as, I do not cut my nails at night.
4. Why do you do, use, or believe in them?
I am not sure why I believe in certain superstitions. For instance, when I see a black cat, I think about the superstition, but I do not necessarily take it seriously. Although in a case such as passing food chopstick to chopstick, I will definitely not do it. I think I believe in certain superstitions because my parents taught them to me when I was a child. If I learn about them when I am a bit older, maybe I will not to believe in them.
I think that it is important to talk about superstitions. Superstitions vary from culture to culture and and even within a country. When we talk about superstitions, we can learn about each others culture. For example, I have heard many of the Japanese superstitions that were talked about in class. This shows that Hawaii has a strong influence of Japanese culture. If you talked to someone from California or Texas, they probably will not have heard of these superstitions.
2. Is communication affected by superstitions?
Yes, I think communication can be affected by superstitions. If two people from different cultures are together, one person may do something that to them means nothing, but it may affect the other person. For example, if two people, not from Japan, pass food to each other chopstick to chopstick, a Japanese person may not feel good about it.
3. Do you believe in superstitions? If yes, what superstitions do you believe?
Yes, I do believe in superstitions. I do not walk under ladders and I also practice certain Japanese superstitions such as, I do not cut my nails at night.
4. Why do you do, use, or believe in them?
I am not sure why I believe in certain superstitions. For instance, when I see a black cat, I think about the superstition, but I do not necessarily take it seriously. Although in a case such as passing food chopstick to chopstick, I will definitely not do it. I think I believe in certain superstitions because my parents taught them to me when I was a child. If I learn about them when I am a bit older, maybe I will not to believe in them.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Homework #5
Proverbs
1. Time is money.
To me this means, if you waste time, you are also wasting money. For example, if you are working for a business and you just sit around all day, you are not contributing or making any money for the company.
2. A stitch in time saves nine.
I think this means that you should deal with problems early before they become bigger problems. If you have one small problem and you do not fix it, slowly it will get bigger and bigger and more difficult to solve.
3. There's no time like the present.
I am not really sure what this means but my interpretation is that the present (right now) is very special and important and people should appreciate it. Every event/moment/etc. is unique and it can never happen again...
4. 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 have actually never heard this proverb before. I think this just deals with human nature and the fact that time is something that just seems to pass very quickly so it is difficult to match time/schedules with someone else. Honestly though, I have no idea what it means!
Superstitions
Since I was a child, I heard that it is bad luck if a black cat crosses your path while you are walking. I have also heard that it is bad luck to walk under a ladder or to whistle at night.
1. Time is money.
To me this means, if you waste time, you are also wasting money. For example, if you are working for a business and you just sit around all day, you are not contributing or making any money for the company.
2. A stitch in time saves nine.
I think this means that you should deal with problems early before they become bigger problems. If you have one small problem and you do not fix it, slowly it will get bigger and bigger and more difficult to solve.
3. There's no time like the present.
I am not really sure what this means but my interpretation is that the present (right now) is very special and important and people should appreciate it. Every event/moment/etc. is unique and it can never happen again...
4. 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 have actually never heard this proverb before. I think this just deals with human nature and the fact that time is something that just seems to pass very quickly so it is difficult to match time/schedules with someone else. Honestly though, I have no idea what it means!
Superstitions
Since I was a child, I heard that it is bad luck if a black cat crosses your path while you are walking. I have also heard that it is bad luck to walk under a ladder or to whistle at night.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Homework #3
1. Do you judge people according to what they wear? Why?
Yes, I usually judge someone I do not know by the clothes they are wearing. If someone is wearing a school uniform, I can guess that they are a high school or junior high school student. If someone is wearing a business suit, I can guess that they are a businessman or business woman. When people wear certain types of clothes, it gives off a certain impression. If you are wearing torn up jeans and a dirty shirt, either you do not care what others think of you or you want to give that impression. On the the other hand, if you are wearing designer brand named clothing, you probably want to give off the impression of status and style.
2 Do you think Japanese society puts an importance on clothing when judging other people from another country?
I am not sure if this is true or not... I think when people are exposed to people from a different culture, the first impression of the other person is their appearance.
3. What colors are you wearing now? Do they reflect your mood?
Right now I am wearing a blue and gray shirt, gray pants, and black shoes. I do not think it reflects my mood.
Next week we will discuss friends, please prepare by answering the following questions:
1. What are some subjects that you will never discuss with a friend?
I have a few friends that I can literally discuss anything with. Other than those few people, there are many topics that I would not discuss with others. I would usually not discuss certain aspects of my personal life and things like salary/money. In my opinion, I think that if you are not really really good friends with someone, you would not usually discuss things that make you feel embarrassed because of the fear that the person you are talking to will judge you or look at you in a different way.
2. Do you have different friends for different parts of your life? If so, how are they different to you? Do you talk about different things? Go to different places? Give me some examples.
Yes, I have friends for different parts of my life. I have a few best friends that I can tell anything to, I have friends that I just hang out with but do not discuss things on a personal level, I have friends from my part-time job, etc.
These people are all different in my life but they are all very important. When I really need to talk to someone about something important or if I am going through a rough time, I will go to one or all of my best friends to talk about it. When I hang out with my other friends, we go to the beach or go out to eat but we do not talk about very personal subjects, we usually just joke around. I also have friends that I made at my summer part-time job. These are people that I work with and get along with but we do not hang out much outside of work.
Yes, I usually judge someone I do not know by the clothes they are wearing. If someone is wearing a school uniform, I can guess that they are a high school or junior high school student. If someone is wearing a business suit, I can guess that they are a businessman or business woman. When people wear certain types of clothes, it gives off a certain impression. If you are wearing torn up jeans and a dirty shirt, either you do not care what others think of you or you want to give that impression. On the the other hand, if you are wearing designer brand named clothing, you probably want to give off the impression of status and style.
2 Do you think Japanese society puts an importance on clothing when judging other people from another country?
I am not sure if this is true or not... I think when people are exposed to people from a different culture, the first impression of the other person is their appearance.
3. What colors are you wearing now? Do they reflect your mood?
Right now I am wearing a blue and gray shirt, gray pants, and black shoes. I do not think it reflects my mood.
Next week we will discuss friends, please prepare by answering the following questions:
1. What are some subjects that you will never discuss with a friend?
I have a few friends that I can literally discuss anything with. Other than those few people, there are many topics that I would not discuss with others. I would usually not discuss certain aspects of my personal life and things like salary/money. In my opinion, I think that if you are not really really good friends with someone, you would not usually discuss things that make you feel embarrassed because of the fear that the person you are talking to will judge you or look at you in a different way.
2. Do you have different friends for different parts of your life? If so, how are they different to you? Do you talk about different things? Go to different places? Give me some examples.
Yes, I have friends for different parts of my life. I have a few best friends that I can tell anything to, I have friends that I just hang out with but do not discuss things on a personal level, I have friends from my part-time job, etc.
These people are all different in my life but they are all very important. When I really need to talk to someone about something important or if I am going through a rough time, I will go to one or all of my best friends to talk about it. When I hang out with my other friends, we go to the beach or go out to eat but we do not talk about very personal subjects, we usually just joke around. I also have friends that I made at my summer part-time job. These are people that I work with and get along with but we do not hang out much outside of work.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Homework #2
1.Death and Funerals:
a. Do you have any international friends or a host family? If so, how would you express your condolences to them if a family member died? If not, then how would you express condolences to an American host family if their Grandmother died?
If I had to express my condolences to a Japanese friend, I would ask another Japanese person what the best thing to do is. I would want to know about the correct things to say.
b. Have you ever been to a foreign funeral?
I have been to one Japanese funeral in the past. When I was studying abroad in Nagoya, one of my professors passed away. Her death was very unexpected. One day she did not come in to work and we found out a few days later that she had passed away. All of the international students were informed about the funeral but none of us actually had any idea what to wear or what to expect. All of us dressed the best we could with the clothes we had and went to the funeral. At the funeral, all of the men were wearing black suits and the women were wearing black clothing. This service was a Catholic service held in Japanese. I am not familiar with Catholicism and because it was held in Japanese, I really did not know what was being said. I just followed along with what the others were doing. I stood up when they stood up and I sat down when they did. It would have been helpful if we had known specifically what to wear and what to do during the service.
2. The language of Clothes (preparation for next weeks topic):
a.Why are Japanese designer label crazy? Why is what you wear so important?
I think that designer label goods are in Japanese culture. I think that it is the norm to see models in magazines and on television wearing and using brand name goods. I think it is also because people try to keep up with the latest trends and styles. I think it is also important to dress appropriately depending on the norm in Japan. It is a type of conformity.
b.What does “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” mean to you?
To me, this phrase means that you should not make a judgement or form an opinion about something that you do not know much about. What you see on the outside of something or someone may not reflect what is on the inside.
a. Do you have any international friends or a host family? If so, how would you express your condolences to them if a family member died? If not, then how would you express condolences to an American host family if their Grandmother died?
If I had to express my condolences to a Japanese friend, I would ask another Japanese person what the best thing to do is. I would want to know about the correct things to say.
b. Have you ever been to a foreign funeral?
I have been to one Japanese funeral in the past. When I was studying abroad in Nagoya, one of my professors passed away. Her death was very unexpected. One day she did not come in to work and we found out a few days later that she had passed away. All of the international students were informed about the funeral but none of us actually had any idea what to wear or what to expect. All of us dressed the best we could with the clothes we had and went to the funeral. At the funeral, all of the men were wearing black suits and the women were wearing black clothing. This service was a Catholic service held in Japanese. I am not familiar with Catholicism and because it was held in Japanese, I really did not know what was being said. I just followed along with what the others were doing. I stood up when they stood up and I sat down when they did. It would have been helpful if we had known specifically what to wear and what to do during the service.
2. The language of Clothes (preparation for next weeks topic):
a.Why are Japanese designer label crazy? Why is what you wear so important?
I think that designer label goods are in Japanese culture. I think that it is the norm to see models in magazines and on television wearing and using brand name goods. I think it is also because people try to keep up with the latest trends and styles. I think it is also important to dress appropriately depending on the norm in Japan. It is a type of conformity.
b.What does “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” mean to you?
To me, this phrase means that you should not make a judgement or form an opinion about something that you do not know much about. What you see on the outside of something or someone may not reflect what is on the inside.
Homework #1
There are 2 topics for homework. Both must be answered in your blog:
1. Reflecting about today's class: Today we discussed the Japanese concept of "wrapping". Do you agree with the web site's description?What do you do that can be called "wrapping"? Give examples and reasons for your actions.
Coming from America, I do somewhat agree that "wrapping" is quite common in Japan. Saying this, I do not mean that "wrapping" is not present in America, I just mean that it is not as prevalent.
One of the main examples of "wrapping" that I immediately thought of was the "wrapping" of food and other goods in Japanese stores. Food is very neatly placed and "wrapped", for example a bento box. Also, boxes of other kinds of food or sweets are "wrapped" very neatly. After buying something in many stores, the store worker will seal the bag with a piece of tape before giving it to you.
Another example of "wrapping" that I thought about was the image that most Japanese people "wrap" their emotions. From my impression and experience, Japanese people tend to try and not show emotion and feelings. This may or may not be true, it was just an opinion I created after being around Japanese friends and living in Japan for a while.
2. Preparation for the next class "Death and Funerals" Answer these questions in your blog;
a. Where do you go when you die?
I think this question can be answered in many different ways depending on what each persons beliefs are. I think that people go to heaven after they pass away.
b. Explain why do Japanese have death memorial services 1 month, 1 year, 3 years, 7 years, etc. after a person's death?
I am not sure if it is true, but I have heard that in Japan, odd numbers are lucky and even numbers are bad. For example, the number four is bad. I am guessing that in Japan death memorial services are held on odd number periods of time for good luck?
1. Reflecting about today's class: Today we discussed the Japanese concept of "wrapping". Do you agree with the web site's description?What do you do that can be called "wrapping"? Give examples and reasons for your actions.
Coming from America, I do somewhat agree that "wrapping" is quite common in Japan. Saying this, I do not mean that "wrapping" is not present in America, I just mean that it is not as prevalent.
One of the main examples of "wrapping" that I immediately thought of was the "wrapping" of food and other goods in Japanese stores. Food is very neatly placed and "wrapped", for example a bento box. Also, boxes of other kinds of food or sweets are "wrapped" very neatly. After buying something in many stores, the store worker will seal the bag with a piece of tape before giving it to you.
Another example of "wrapping" that I thought about was the image that most Japanese people "wrap" their emotions. From my impression and experience, Japanese people tend to try and not show emotion and feelings. This may or may not be true, it was just an opinion I created after being around Japanese friends and living in Japan for a while.
2. Preparation for the next class "Death and Funerals" Answer these questions in your blog;
a. Where do you go when you die?
I think this question can be answered in many different ways depending on what each persons beliefs are. I think that people go to heaven after they pass away.
b. Explain why do Japanese have death memorial services 1 month, 1 year, 3 years, 7 years, etc. after a person's death?
I am not sure if it is true, but I have heard that in Japan, odd numbers are lucky and even numbers are bad. For example, the number four is bad. I am guessing that in Japan death memorial services are held on odd number periods of time for good luck?
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