Hi,
Thanks for "thinking hard" for last week's question. Your responses were thoughtful and at times insightful.
This week's question is a prelude to our first essay, which will be a compare-contrast essay. For this week's question, think about the differences between U.S. culture and your own culture. What is the one difference that you have the most difficulty dealing with. In other words, which difference is still difficult for you to understand, experience, deal with, etc. Please explain your answer in detail You could write about body language, food, music, the way people drive, anything!
As a follow-up, you could also write about what you have done to try to overcome this difference or what you plan to do to deal with it.
I'm sure you'll all have some really interseting observations, so don't forget to read what other students have written.
Josh
Hello, Josh and everyone in class.
ReplyDeleteI think there are a lot of differences between the US and my own country; Japan, especially the way to communicate each other, so I'll try writing about difference of communication.
There is a specific reason why I think the most differnt part between the US and Japan is the way to communicate.
Most people in the US greet the strangers "Hi!" on the street or in the town very friendly, however, a few people in Japan greet the stranger. When I came here, I was really surprised at the situation that the strangers greeted each other like very closer friends. In addition, a man said "How are you?" and the other responsed. This is natural in the US but it is not familiar to me because I can hardly greet the stranger in Japan. In my opinion, only less people prefer that they tell the stranger or not close persons about their current situation in Japan. I guess It's a traditional in Japan not to talk a lot of personal and private things to others. Instead, many peole tend to talk to very closer persons even though they are on the street.
Actually, I'm still hard to deal with this greeting custome in the US for it seems difficult to express my present state in English simply. But, at the same time, this custome can make me improve my English. When responsing "How are you?", I need to think my reply quickly and this custome is opportunity to make new friends! In brief, I shuold assume people like my roommate because it's easy for me to greet, talk with, and tell about my condition and this is my available solution to communicate to people so far.
Hello everyone,
ReplyDeleteWithout doubt,there are a lot of difference in culture between U.S. and China.To start,food plays an important role in our lives.People in america preper raw food,especially raw beef.I cannot believe it.In china,we think it is so unhealthy.Second,people here are too optimistic.They are willing to say "hi" to everyone even though someone that they don't know.One of my friends is a native rdsident,she likes making friends with others very much.She always let me say "hi" to the person she knew just now.And shake hands with the strangers makes me really uncomfortable.I know it is for polite.But in China,if I take the initative to talk to a stranger,he may think that I want to get some benefits from him.It's very inappropriate.In my opinion,the most difficult thing to experience is that I cannot dry my clothes in the sun.They told me that it will have a bad influence on others snd it also will be a impolite sigh for the city.I don't think so.Almost every Chinese dry their clothes in the sun in the balcony or yard.We like the smell of sunshine and we believe the power of the sun.It is the most natural.Every day,when I do laundry,I really want to put my lovely clothes in the balcony to absorb the sunshine.However,I know I can't! When can I do so? Maybe after the day I come back to China......
Hello Josh and everyone!
ReplyDeleteThere are many cultural differences between America and Japan. For me, I found three main cultural differences: the short conversation, tip culture, and taking a bath.
First, I found a difference about short conversation with others. People ask “How’s it going?” or “How are you doing?” to everyone every time. I thought the people are really friendly, and it sounds I am friends with them. It is easy for them to stop walking and talk short conversation; however, it was tough for me to answer the questions. I didn’t know what I should say and why they ask me so. However, I know it’s really great culture.
Second, I am confused about tip culture. I am not familiar the tip culture because Japan does not have such culture. If the person wants money, I think they have to mention directly. Why I have to decide “how much tip is better for them?” in each cases. Still now, I don’t know the correct way to leave tip. If someone served a lot for me in restaurant or hotel, I don’t feel good because I have to think about tip after that.
Third, I would like to talk about taking a bath because it is really important for me. In Japan, I would take a bath everyday. I think this is Japanese culture, so I will explain our way of taking a bath. We can be warm through take a bath by soaking in a deep bath tub full of water. Then, we wash our hair and body outside the tub. The average time of taking bath is about 30 minutes or more. We can relax in the bath, and the time is good for rethinking. Now, I really miss the relax time because I just take a shower here in my daily life. Especially, I need to take a bath in such a cold whether.
I found a lot of differences, while I want to find more cultural differences.
Thank you,
Mai Negishi
Hi,Josh.
ReplyDeleteThe most difficult thing to deal with for me is a custom of shoes. Whereas American don't take off their shoes after came into house or rooms,we usually take off our shoes when we walk into house. Therefore,since I came here,I have felt umcomfort because we can't do these two things in U.S.:to sit,and to sleep on the floor. In Japan,we sit on the floor and do many things:eating meal,watching TV and playing games. We also sleep on the floor by using futon which is thick cotton coverd with cloth. Thus,Japanese lifestyle is really close to floor and I can relax when I'm sitting on the floor. However,my life in U.S. is totally differnt from this situation. So,my feeling about this is still unclear. Only one thing which I can do is don't forget this proverb:when you are at Rome,do as Rome does.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteThe difficulties between us and Saudi culture are the way people drive, food, and cloth.
Driving in Saudi Arabia it's same as here but the deference is the woman is not allowed to drive it does not mean that the woman the culture underestimate her because it will cause problem with that teen agree boys same as accidents. For the food most of the families eat rice for their launch as Kapsa and other type of rice. Here in U.S. people don't how to cook type of Saudi food. However, i can cook Saudi food at my apartment. Most of the people in Saudi Arabia wear Thob and the other part they were as American cloth pants and T-shirt. I usually wear Thob in Saudi sometimes pants and T-shirt. But now i get used to wear as American culture. All the difficulties juts want time to come over it. Be normal as you are at your home.
hi!
ReplyDeleteI think the most difficult culture is food culture. American people eat a lot of food. However, Japanese people do not eat too much, so Japanese size's "M" is American size's "S". First time, when I ordered "S" size drink, I thought it was "M" or "L"???? so, Food culture is the most different between American culture and Japanese culture. It is totally difference.
Hi
ReplyDeleteThe difference between my country, Japan, and U.S is driving system. First of all, the car in Japan is right-hand, while the car in U.S. is left-hand. These days I stared to thinking about getting driver license in here because I will stay in U.S. for a long time so that it is convenient if I can drive a car. Maybe two or three weeks ago, I had driving lesson from my American friends and it was weird for me. Actually I don't have driver's license in Japan, so I'm not used to driving with right-hand either. Although I'm not used to driving in my country's way, I feel weird and I get confuse when I turn or park. In addition, a traffic signal is little bit different. A traffic sign is written in English of course, so I is difficult to understand quickly. Also, some sign is written differently from Japanese one and it is take time to recognize each of them. Therefore, driving system is one of differences between Japan and U.S., and it still makes me feel weird and confuse sometimes.
Yui Onodera
There are fewer differences between my country and the U.S rather than I thought. However, there are some differences between Japan and the U.S. The difference that I have the most difficulty deal with is communication with American. There are two reasons for this: language and culture gap.
ReplyDeleteThe first reason is different language. I am not a good English speaker and listener, so I often do not understand what people say. It is difficult to listen, therefore I do not know what I answer or speak. For example, my roommates talk to me in English, but I can not understand perfectly what they say. Therefore, I sometimes feel a gap between me and my roommates.
The second reason is different culture. I think there is less privacy rather in the U.S than in Japan. I am often muddled up because a man and a woman make out with in front of people. I am ashamed when I see such situations.
For these reasons, I have the most difficulty deal with is communication with America
hey guys
ReplyDeletewill i am havinn problems with cultur in the us,in mexico ihave so many things to do in the weekend, like goign to a parties or for a walk.
but im missoula i can do that,and another thing is that the weather is very cold for me in mexico is hot all the time.I do not think I can say that iam do somthing to change it, but if you know how please tell me because i want to change that.