Monday, December 03, 2007

Class #8 Homework




Since Japanese weddings are expensive, do you think having a massive wedding like Korea or UAE is a good idea? Eloping? Having it in a foreign location like Hawaii?What is your ideal wedding? What would you definitely do or wear or go to on that big day? Why is that important?



I think it is a good "economically" idea, but I dont like it. Wedding is a kind of biiiiig ivents in my life, so I dont want to be obstructed by others. Eloping is okay, but their family might be not happy. Having a wedding in a foreign location is good for the person inquestion, but it might be a trouble for bride and bridegroom' relative and friends. because they have to pay lots of money (traveling expenses, some gifts and so on) Thats pain!! but, I yearn to it a little. Whats my ideal wedding? I really want to be celebrated by my family and friends. Thats the biggest point for me. Also I want to wear both wedding dress and kimono(shiromuku). The wedding day is memories at life isnt it? I will make the day the most happiest wedding in my life. As I told, wedding is one of the most important ivents in whole life, so we need to celebrate them solemnly so that suitable clothes and right behavior are demanded to us on that day. If someone who is drunky man spoil the party or wreck the happy mood, the day might be the worst day for bridal couple. Thats why, wedding is important.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Superstitions Homework
We talked about many superstitions in many countries, but do you think it is important to talk about them? Why?Is communication affected by superstitions?Do you believe in Japanese superstitions? If so, what superstitions, what do they mean and why do you do,use, or believe in them?Next class is weddings, presentations by Philippines and Mongolia.





Do you think it is important to talk about them? Why?

Yes, There are a lot of superstitions in our life. we often hear about that from our grandparents or parents. some of supersitions are very connected with nowadays so its important for us.


Is communication affected by superstitions?
Yes, sometimes.

Do you believe in Japanese superstitions?
If so, what superstitions, what do they mean and why do you do,use, or believe in them?
Yes, I do. When you dream on December 31th, if you have the dream of white snake, you would be rich in that year so I try do that the end of years, but I never dreamed of white snake.

Homework #3

Monday, October 29, 2007

Homework #3

Questions
1. Do you judge people according to what they wear? Why?

Yes, I do. I think cloth is a part of identity. When you meet the person who has never seen ,
how can you judge him? Perhaps you will see his cloth or what he has. if he wear the dirty cloth, you try to wrap it up the situation. if he has a Rolex, you think he must be rich definitely. this is why what you wear is a kind of information for making a decision.

2 Do you think Japanese society puts an importance on clothing when judging other people from another country?

It depends on the person. I have no idea. But I dont make up my mind the person's personality by clothing

3. What colors are you wearing now? Do they reflect your mood?

RED and BLUE
Yes, they do. But I like black very much, because black color makes me slim haha!



1. What are some subjects that you will never discuss with a friend?

Parents income. I dont have good sujects now...



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. They are completely different from me. Age, fashion and lifestyle etc, so I choose topics very carefully and use polite words when I talk with them, because most of them are much older than me. And also they go to different places. I sometimes enjoy playing golf, fishing, party, windsurfing with them. these are really great experiences for me.

Homework #1 #2

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.2. Preparation for the next class "Death and Funerals" Answer these questions in your blog;a. Where do you go when you die?b. Explain why do Japanese have death memorial services 1 month, 1 year, 3 years, 7 years, etc. after a person's death?



Question2

A: Where do you go when you die?

I want to go to the heaven. but some people say ''when we die, we go over the Sanzu liver.'' Maybe the reiver is called in English ''Acheron'' However, we dont know much about the Hereafter. It is one of the most mysterious things and nobady know the truth. It is very difficult question for me to answer, because I've never died. haha!!



B: Explain why do Japanese have death memorial services....?

I do not think that it is only in Japan. Perhaps other countries also have similar services.
I guess, such service is to respect the ancestor at bottom. I think the reason with only the odd number at the cycle, it is a figure that cannot be divided any further. we are always connected with the ancestors, so as not to forget the ancestor, we do the service.





Homework #2
Please answer the following questions in your blog: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 consolences to an American host family if their Grandmother died?b. Have you ever been to a foreign funeral?2. The language of Clothes (preparation for next weeks topic):a.Why are Japanese designer label crazy? Why is what you wear so important? b.What does “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” mean to you?Good Luck!

Question 1

A: Do you have any international friends or host family? If so how would you express...?

Yes, I have host mother in America. Perhaps I will pass on the bare fact. I just want her to know.

B: Have you ever been to a foreign funeral?

No, I haven't. I dont want to attend it, because funeral is always sad.

Question 2The language of clothes

B1:Why are the Japanese designer label crazy?

I think Japanese yearns to English. we just have a simple image"English logo is cool than Japanese one" As an example, years ago, ''I LOVE NY ''T-shirt temporarily became popular among young women even though they did not love NY very much. Besides many Japanese dont know about the meaning of English logo. One day, one of my acquaintances wore nice T-shit with English logo,and it says "twinkle twinkle twinkle stars" but he is over 30 years old man, I couldnt help laughing. I guess that such a lot of people are in Japan. The label's meaning is not so important for such Japanese. A sense of values like that might be a cause of crazy label.

B2:Why is what you wear so important?

Because what you wear is a part of idenity. Also it becomes a kind of judging material when we try to know each other. Especially, the fashion occupies the key role to the student of the pubescence like us. In Japan, you can see the person who walks with brand-name goods(Gucci, Prada, Luis Vuitton, and so on ) here and there. Many Japanese think having a brand goods is cool. Brand has a strong power in Japan.

B3: What dose "Dont judge a book by its cover " mean to you?

I like this phrase. It is one standard for me to judge things without prejudice. (To see through the essence of things. )

Lesson 6 Name & Address

Question 1
Yes, it is. I think that most people can understand their feelings by facial expressions all over the world. I think facial expressions are one of the way of comunication with other people.

Question 2
嬉しい→happy
悲しい→sad
怒る→angry
面倒→bother
つまらない→boring
面白い→funny
疲れる→tired
いらいらする→annoy
つらい→painful
快適→comfortable
嫌い→hate
むかつく→disgusiting

Question 3
I have no idea. But actually I sometimes can't tell my feeling clealy.

Family Life

Question A When do children usually leave home?
I think it depens on their situations. Generally speaking in Japan, 18-year-old people tend to leave home basically. Because many high school students go their each ways after their graduation. Some people go to school from their house. but other people go out their hometown and live in different places which they have never been to. Also, the same could to be said of people who take work as new employees. I think 18 years old to be one turning point. (New school, New daily life and New situation)


Question B How many people live in your home?
There are five people in my family. My father, mother two younger sisters and two lovely dogs.


Question C Do you have a head of the family?
Yes, I do. My father wears the pants in my family. He has a power of decision in our family basically.


Question D Who dose the housework?
I think many mothers do housework wholly. Also, there is an old practice in Japan. "Doing housework is women's duty." It is very strong custom from ancient days. But the custom changed so that the world changed. These days many men tend to do housework. Women in Japan may need the man who can do housework so I think that that kind of women increase from now on.


Question E Who runs the family?
Ithink that both mother and father. Because two power is stronger than one power. I think supporting each other is the best way to live happy.


Question F How many rooms do you have to sleep in?
We have each rooms to sleep in except my father. He slept with his wife in their bedroom before. But now he moved to living room. I don't know why he sleeps in there. Perhaps there are big TV and his own computer.

Class#4 Islam

Class #4 Islam

Did her speech change your views of Islam?
I enjyoed her speech very much. The idea to my Islam changed after I had heard her speech. The idea to my Islam is not good because there is an image of terrorism and the war when I hear of Islam. However, my idea changed hearing her story this time. I felt that Islam was very delicate and sacred. Moreover, I thought that Islam is very wonderful religion with the history. It is a little that we think about Islam in usual life. So I was glad to hear such a wonderful story today.

Question 1: How do you greet people in your life?
We always bow each other when we meet, and If we greet the person of the first meeting, we say 'How do you do?'or 'Nice to meet you'' inevitably. we rarely kiss or hug like Americans when we meet. We Japanese do not originally have such a custom. Japanese shows deference to the other party by bowing.

Question 2: Do you touch people when you talk to them?
I think It's depends on the person. But Basically, I think that when we talk to close person, (friends, family and his girlfriend or her boyfriend) we often touch them. because we can mutually obtain the sense of intimacy by doing so. Also we can feel each other to be close. I think that touching people is know each other.

Class #3 Buddhism
Question 1. How is your daily life affected by buddhism? What do you do and why do you do it?

There are many events about buddhism in Japan. For example, ohakamairi. It is one of the old traditional events in Japan. All Japanese visit their graves to respect their ancestors in obon or higan. In addition, we always eat toshikoshi-soba on December 31th every year. It is very auspicious food. Because the noddle is very long. We wish to live long from now on like the noddle of soba. That is why we eat soba. Toshikoshi-soba is a symbol of long life in our country.
Finally, I introduced some Japanese traditional cusutom about Buddhism. I dont know about Buddhism so much, I think that some Japanese don't interested in buddhism at all. But in this time, I found that the buddhism is affected in various ways in our daily life.

Question 2: The next class will be about Islam. Check the newspapers for the next 2 weeks and find articles about Islam. How are they talked about? Do you feel negative or positive about Islam because of these articles?

03/14 from Izza

Boarding has been refused by the Islam invocation. Religious discrimination and the U.S. Co. bringing a case
As for considering the prayer of Islam, and "Suspicious activity" the refusal of boarding to the airplane, it was assumed that it undertook religious discrimination, and Arab-American person's six leaders of Islam caused the appeal to request compensation for damages etc. from U.S. airline US air WAIS in a federal district court in Minnesota state on the 13th. Boarding was refused though abnormality was not found by the security inspection, and it was restrained to the police temporarily according to the petition though six people planned starting after it attended the conference on the leader of North America Islam held in this state Minneapolis on one's way back from the airport on this ground with the US air WAIS machine last November. It is insisted that boarding be refused to the petition because it was informed, "Suspicious activity" other passengers that four of six had lifted up the prayer of Islam in front of the boarding gate. The US air WAIS : according to Reuter. ｢Judgment after the entire behavior of them is seen. The agreement of a local judicial authorities is obtained. ｣It objects.

I think that we should learn the religion and the custom of a different more country. Also people in other countries need to know them. because it is a matter of course for us, but for other people not so. I think if we have knowledge, such a fight can be avoided. Actually, it is difficult to learn religion of other countries without knowing the religion of the home country. But if we receive others with wider view and sympathy,we will be able to narrow each other's distance than now.

Article http://www.iza.ne.jp/news/newsarticle/world/worldnews/43292/