As I mentioned in my last blog, diverse cultures require open-mindedness and mutual respect. Embracing people's different ways of living, working, and interacting helps us connect more deeply, no matter where we come from. In my culture, we use eye contact mainly to recognize someone we know, not as a way to greet strangers. N odding and smiling, two warm gestures, are generally reserved for friends or people we are familiar with. When passing someone I don’t know, I always find myself looking at my phone, which masks the awkwardness of not knowing how to react. T his seems quite normal in my home country, but now I am getting used to smiling at others instead of hiding behind my screen. If it's such a nice way to show kindness, why not do it? Last week's class discussion also made me realize that i t’s hard to fully show our personality in another language. I arrived in Japan one month ago, and ...
Welcome back, my friends! 💜 This week, we explored the nature of conversations and discussions around us. The questions raised were quite typical, yet revealing. I was particularly surprised to find that one of us enjoys talking about politics. I had assumed our generation was largely indifferent to such topics. It turns out, that's my own stereotype. 💧In my culture, politics is more seen as something discussed by older men–who speak as if they know everything, even when they don't. Personally, I tend to reserve abstract discussions for close friends. I enjoy meaningful exchanges, but only when I feel a strong sense of familiarity and trust. That’s why I found one guy’s comment especially intriguing–he said he often talks about deep topics with people he barely knows, as a way to “test” whether they’re worth forming a deeper connection with. His idea is really constructive and thought-provoking. After all, it's lucky to meet someone with whom you share a kind of soul ...
Understanding our own cultural identity is the first step in building meaningful connections with others. It helps us recognize our biases, values, and communication styles before exploring cultural differences. Just as we discussed questions like "What kind of things do you mention when introducing yourself to others?" in class, we first reflected on ourselves based on our cultural background, and then we got to know other's opinions by listening. Naturally, this kind of communication made culture flow. When meeting others for the first time, introductory topics such as sharing one's name, hometown, and hobbies are similar in both my home country, China, and in Japan. Since these two countries are both located in East Asia, I believe they have some shared traits in emphasizing politeness and maintaining respectful distance. Behaviors like hugging or being overly expressive may be considered inappropriate and rude in both cultures. Similarly, the Japanese practice of...
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