Class Number 8 Weddings

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 having a massive wedding is not bad. But I don't need it. Because I'd like to spend money for the haneymoon rather than the wedding.
I disagree the eloping. Because a marrige is not matter between only two people. If I marry someone, my family also become a family of my husband. So when we marry someone, we need permission of our family for happiness of everyone.
I think having it on a foreign location like Hawaii is good. My cousin and his wife held their wedding in Hawaii. It was wonderful. There were beautiful view, romantic church, blue sky, and sea. If I can hold my wedding there, I would have never been happy.
I think a wedding is very big and important day. Because it will be only once in our life.(Maybe...I hope it.) And we can become a heroine at that day. I want to wear white glitter dress, and I want my family, best friends and relative to celebrate our wedding. So I long to have a wedding abroad. But if so, I will be able to invite almost everyone. Then I will have my wedding in Japan, and I will go abroad on my haneymoon.

Class Number 7 Superstitions

Do you think it is important to talk about many superstitions in many coutries? Why? Is communication affected by superstitions? Do you believe in Japanese superstitions? If so, what superstitions, what do they mean and why do you, use or believe?

I think it's important to talk about them. Because each country have different superstitions, they are very funny.
But I don't think that communication is affected by them. Because they are just superstitions. Some people believe them, and some people don't believe them, that's all. We may sometimes talk about it as a topic. That doesn't change anything. It is not so important for our life.
So I don't believe Japanese superstitions. There are lots of superstitions in Japan. If I believe one by one, it's too much.

Class Number 6 Time

<1>Please explain a time proverb in your culture.
There are lots of proverbs in Japan. Among of all them, I think that time proverbs has an absolute majority.
For example, 「時は人を待たず」"Time can't wait for people"(I'm not sure that my translation is correct.)
It means that time flies, so it can't adapt for our reasons. I mean time is very important.

I think everyone accept these time proverbs.
I'm one of them. Because there's never enough time for me. A day has only 24 hours.
I expect that every people has a feeling like me. So, There are lots of time proverbs.

<2>Please explain what you think are the meanings of each of the 4 expressions.

1, Time is money
Money is as valuable as time. So we must not waste our time.

2, A stitch in time save nine
Taking actions in everything ahead, we can prevent troubles in the future.

3, There is no time like the present.
If you think doing something, you should start it in the same day. Making up your mind to do something, it is a lucky day. So we have not to defer actions.

4, Fashionable late
When people visit someone's house, they are about 15 minites late on purpose in America. Because it's manner. But when we visit someone's house, we have to visit on time in Japan.

Friends

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

I'll never discuss about my serious family problems with them.

2, Do you have friends for different parts of your life? If so, how are they different to you? Give me some examples.

Yes, I have. My friend likes studing very much. He is 3 years older than me, but he goes to the university even now. He'll finish his study when he'll be 27 years old.

Language of Clothes

1, Why are Japanese designer label crazy?

Japanese women like fashionable. We like to prise our belonging like wallets of designer label each other. We care looking. Anyway, designer labels satisfy us.

2, Why is what you wear so important.

Because we choose what we wear depend on where we go. When we are invited a wedding, we wear gorgeous dresses. When we go to a funeral, we have to wear dark color's clothes. Choosing clothes is one of the manner.

3, What does "Don't judge a book by it's cover." mean to you?

It means that we shoudn't judge people by only their looking. We can know people through communications.

4, Do you judge people according to what they wear? Why?

No, I don't judge people according to what they wear. Because I'm not so interested in it. It's important what people they are.

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

No, I don't think so. We shouldn't judge people by their appearances. And popular clothes are different depend on country. So our standards are different in fashion.

6, What colors are you wearing now? Do they reflect your mood?

I' wearing pink floral pajama.
No, they don't reflect my mood. Because I'm wearing pink floral pajama, but I'm not so happy now.

Death and Funeral

1. Do you agree with the site's description? What do you that can be called "wrapping"? Give examples and reasons for your actions.

I need "wrapping". Because beautiful "wrapping" makes me happy. And it's important to remain fresh for food. Each piece of cookie wrapped respectively. I think it's very sanitary.

2. Where do you go after you died?

If we lead our life as a good person, we would go to Heaven. But if we lead our life as a bad person(for example; sinning a crime, killing someone), we would go to hell. I think it's depends how our life it was.

3. Why do Japanese have death memorial services 1 month, 1 year, 3 years, 7 years, etc. after a person's death?

We have death memorial services regularly after a person's death, because we pray the dead's soul may rest in peace. And it's good opportunities to talk together about memories of the dead. In doing so, we keep reminding them.

4.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?

Yes, I have international friends and a fist family. If a family member died, I could do nothing but say "I'm sorry". I have no idea expect it.

5. Have you ever been to a foreign funeral?

No, I never been to a foreign funeral.

a.Where do you go after you died?
If we lead our life as a good person, we would go to Heaven. But if we lead our life as a bad person(for example; sinning a crime, killing someone), we would go to hell. I think it's depends how our life it was.

b.Why do Japanese have death memorial services 1 month, 1 year, 3 years, 7 years, etc. after a person's death?
We have death memorial services regularly after a person's death, because we pray the dead's soul may rest in peace. And it's good opportunities to talk together about memories of the dead. In doing so, we keep reminding them.

Final Homework

If you were working for the UN, which job would like to do using your English abilities? Why?

If I were working for the UN, I would like to work as member of the department of peacekeeping operation. Because I was born, and I' ve grown up in Hiroshima. And I've studied about the peace, wars, atomic bombs, and A-bomb victims. I've learned how horrible they are. Then I realize that we will never make a war again. But wars are happen even now in the world. So I'd like to tell how cruel it is to people know nothing about it. I think if I work there, I'll be able to do it.

Working with different culture

What kind of work place do you think you will work best in? Choose a country other than Japan and research and explain 1 aspect of their business culture that is different than Japan. Do you think it is a good practice? Why?
I'd like to work in America, and I'd like to work in Disney World. I really like Tokyo Disney Land, and then I'd like to go to Disney World in America very much. America is the birthplace of Disney. As may be expected of Disney's home, Disney world is much larger than Tokyo Disney land. The area which we couldn't go around all of it, even if we stayed there for a week. I'd be so happy if I work in such a place. Then, America is international country, there are many people come from all over the world. I will have lots of opportunities to talk other country's people, if I work there. And then, I can take advantage of my Japanese, because there are some Japanese tourists in Disney World.

This is my pie chart of my ideal partner's characteristics.

・Economic power -40%
・fun-20%
・kind-20%
・honest-15%
・look-5%



If I marry someone, the most important thing is his economic power. Because I can't live without money even if we love each other. And I like a hard worker.
Then his personalities are so important as well. The personalities I look for are fun, kind, and honest. I like enjoyable character to have around. And also I like kind and honest men.
Appearances are not so important for me. If I judge men by their looks, the relationship is going to be short-lived.

Blog comments

I'm so sorry to be late. I commented these blogs. Plese give me grades! Please!!

http://u-tangclan.blogspot.com/
http://pino-world-1204.blogspot.com/
http://hemhem07-jall.blogspot.com/
http://candy-cha-chann.blogspot.com/
http://luvyamuah.blogspot.com/
http://minikyon.blogspot.com/
http://gareth-ccc.blogspot.com/

Homework ~Class#Number7 Name and Addresses~

1.Are feelings, emotions and facial expressions universal across borders, happy, sad, etc..?
My opinion is yes. It isn't matter wheter people with same national background or not.

2. Try to name as many feelings as possible in Japanese. ( 10 minimum) Then, write the English translation.
・幸せな/happy
・悲しい/sad
・腹立たしい/provoking　
・楽しい/interesting
・驚く/be surprised
・困る/be in trouble
・ほっとする/be relieved
・おかしい/funny
・好き/like
・嫌い/hate
・ワクワクする/be excited

3. Are there any feelings in Japanese that cannot be translated into English?
Yes, there are some feelings in Japanese that cannot be translated into English. I often say "Yabai" and "Maji naiwa" . I have no idea about these feeling's good translations into English.

Homework ~Class#number6 "Greeting" ~

1. How do you greet members of your family? (mother, father, older brother, younger brother, grandparents, etc.)
When It is morning, I say "Good morning". When I come back home, I say "I'm home". Whem I go to bet, I say "Good night".
But I sometimes forget to greet members of familly.

2. How do you greet people that are important in society?
I present my compliment. When I greet people them, I make bow.

3. Do you greet people from the opposite sex in a different way?
No, I don't.

4. Do you hug anyone? If yes, who and when. If no, why not?
Yes, I do. When I stay in England, I hug my friends and host family. But I have never hugged anyone in Japan. Because I think it isn't Japanese habit.

Greeting

・How do you greet people in your life?
When I greet people, I say "Hello" by looking at their faces .

・Is it different for different people? How so and why?
Yes, it is different for different people. If I greet my friends, It's enough to say "Hello". But If I greet higher ranking people and older people, I need to bow. Because it's manner as a member of society.

・Do you touch people when you talk to them? Why? Or Why not?
My answeres are "Yes" and "No". Because it depends who I talk with. When I talk to my frisnds, I sometimes touch them. But when I talk to higher ranking people, older people, and people who I meet for the first time, I don't touch. Because it's overly familier. Some people don't like it.

How is my daily life affected by Buddhism?

There are the family Buddhist altar in my house. So, my family bend the knee to it every morning and evening. Because we pray and give my thanks to our ancestores and the Budda. The purpose is to pray for happiness and good health everyday. And we always keep flowers and offerings in front of the family altar. When we have some events, we visit our graves. For example, I went there before I went abroad, and I extend my best wishes for life of health and happiness in England. I thought " Why do I do that?". Because my grand mother and other familys do and taught me these habits. Buddism is part of my life.

What is culture? What is CCC?

I read a article.(http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200902050044.html)
I remembered a girl through the article. I met her when I was elemenrary school child. She was transfer student from Brazil. Naturally enough, when she just had came to Japan, she can't speak Japanese at all. And her appearance was unusual for us, she had got brown hair and eyes, she was much taller than us, because her parents were Brazilian. The first things, she wasn't friendly. Some classmates were prejudiced her. I find she was confuded with new lifestyle for now. She took all class like us except Japanese class. She took class for foreign student instead of Japanese class. But the class was only once in a day, so she took almost class in Japanese. It wasn't good enviroment foe her. She was only 9 or 10 years child, it was so hard. She could speak Japanese well several years later. I think she made effort as hard as she could. There are manyfactory in my city. So many workers come from foreign country in search of work, and some people come Japan with their family. If they are little children, They need receive education. We have to make good enviroment for them.