Music saves culture shock!?

Hi, guys!

In last class (Wednesday), we learnt about culture shock!

In that class, almost everyone came to Japan just 3 weeks ago, and some are first time to come to Japan, so I think some students already experienced culture shock.

Of course, I did experienced in America!!

Everyone is bigger than me.....

Every American talks tooooo fast to understand.....

Food is tooooo much and oily for me ......

Traffic system was sooooooooooo bad in Pullman (the city I stayed)......　haha

Lots of things were different for me in America!!

And, in the end of the class, teacher talked about how to cope with culture shock, and he gave advice to listen to music!!!

That's what I really did in America!! I think I could not survive with music there!!

Music really healed my heart;-D

I LOVE MUSIC!!

Before I went to America, I was really hooked by American pops and rocks like Avril, Greenday, and so on. BUT, suddenly I stopped listening them and became to love J-pop like Sukima-Switch, Kobukuro, and Johnny's.

They are SUKIMA-SWITCH. Their songs, especially "BOKU NOTE", "KANADE", " ZENRYOKU-SHONEN" were really cheered me up.

While I stayed in America, I sometime really felt down and even regreted coming.

But, looking back to those days, the experiences I got there( including culture shock) were really worthy for me. And, it was really good opportunity to touch different culture and know more about my Japanese culture through music.

NO MUSIC, NO LIFE!! ;-D

Univarsal Studios Japan!!

Hi, guys!!

Yesterday, I went to Universal Studios Japan~~~;-D

Unfortunately, the weather was not good, I really really had a good time with my funky friends!
In USJ, from September to October, they are celebrating Halloween.

There are a lot of jack-o'-lanterns and ghosts everywhere in USJ!!! So cute!!

Then, one thing comes up my mind!

Why Halloween is celebrated so much in Japan, even thought it is different culture??

I think Japanese people became to like celebrating Halloween so much in these days, maybe these 5 years. Of course, I had known Halloween since a little kid, but I did not celebrate like this.

Then, I searched what is Halloween in wikipedia. I don't know whether it is believable or not...

According to Wikipedia.....

"The modern holiday of Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain (Irish pronunciation: [ˈsˠaunʲ]; from the Old Irish samain).[2] The festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture, and is sometimes [3] regarded as the "Celtic New Year".[4] Traditionally, the festival was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, now known as Halloween, the boundary between the alive and the deceased dissolved, and the dead become dangerous for the living by causing problems such as sickness or damaged crops. The festivals would frequently involve bonfires, where the bones of slaughtered livestock were thrown. Costumes and masks were also worn at the festivals in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or placate them.[5][6]"

Hummm, Halloween is the festival of Samhain and also the end of harvest!

I didn't know that!!

In Japan, we don't wear costume, walk around to visit neighbors to get some candies, and curve pumpkins.....

That is not true Halloween~~~~~~~!!!!

Recently, Japanese culture is mixed, mixed, and mixed with many cultures.

And, it's really influenced by Western culture because of longing, I think.

I also think both Japanese and Western culture are cool and respectable.

And, it is good thing to accept together, but more important thing is that we have to know about its background and origin.

Anyway, I had a great weekend in Universal Studios Japan;-D

Happy Halloween!!

Today's class!

Hi!!

As I said in last blog, I had a class today ( actually, yesterday!).

What we discussed in the class was a little bit difficult to understand to me.... My poor English...

The most difficult question was that what other people should know about your ( Japanese) culture to understand you.

And then, one student from Turckey explained that her culture is touch culture, so Turkish do not hesitate to touch other people ( even though he/she is stranger)!!

I was really surprised this fact because my culture is totally opposite!!

Japanese people do not ( or avoid) touch other people, do they?

Then, suddenly teacher asked us( my friends and me) what we though while we stayed in the U.S.!!! At first, one of my friend answered, and then, he asked ME!!

OMG~~~!!!!

I became really narvous because I am really easier to be narvous, but I tried to say something!!

I think I made many many grammatical errors, but I think I did do my best!! haha

Class was kept by talking about culture shock.

I felt again that there were various culture in the world.

In the end of the class, Prof. showed us a funny short movie.

I don't what it is, but really funny!!

Here is the link of it: http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=bNF_P281Uu4

Actually this is not what I saw, but same kind;-D

When I saw this video, I felt the world is connected and all people is the same!

Good night;-D

Relaxing~~~~

Hi!!

It's nearly 1:00 am, but now is the time to relax with candles for me:-D

Tomorrow( actually today), I have the most difficult class called Intercultural Business Communication in Japan.....

As you can see, it is not Japanese class!!

Everything is ENGLISH~~~~!! Everyone speaks toooo fast....

Sometime I can not understand what they are saying~~!! haha

That's why I need relaxing time~~!!!

Although it is really hard class, it really recalls me of my studying life in USA.

Yeah, I had stayed in the US for 1 year. hehe

Anyway, we have studied " What is culture?"since last class.

And, I have to think about " Well-meaning clash" for next class.....

Hummm......Difficult question.....

I wish teacher won't ask me~~!! haha

Just joking;-D

I'll try my best!!

Welcom to My bolg!!

Hello, people who read my blog~~!! I'm Kanako;-D
And, Thank you soooo much for coming to my page;-D


I have never written blog, so this is my FIRST blog in my life!!
Of course, I didn't know how to set up and use it, so it took loooooooooong time to come to this page.... The most difficult thing was deciding the title of my blog!!!
I think it took an hour!! haha


Anyway, I got my blog!! Yay!!
From today, I try to keep updating (maybe) twice a week!!
I think I gonna write about a class I am taking( Intercultural business communication in Japan), my job-hunting activities, my cross-cultural experiences, and so on!!


Please check it out;-D


*Caution*
I'm really poor at English grammar and English composition, so I will make many many mistakes in my blog....
I am happy to be corrected, so please feel free to do so;-D