Class #14 Politics and Reflections

If I were working for the UN, I would like to work at UNIC, UN information center as a translater. So, I'd like to translate articles about what Japanese people think about the UN into English, and show them to the other country.

Working with different cultures

I don't know what kind of work I will best in.

Then I'll introduce one aspect of different buisiness culutures between Japan and Germany.

In Japan, basically, worker in company start to work from 9:00 to 17:00.

On the otherhand, in Germany, the buisiness culture is flexible, for it is usual that they are late more than 1 hour! And also, some people go home around 15:00 in some cases.

Unbileavable !!!

I think Japanese is too serious...

#12

Feelings

1.Are feelings, emotions and facial expressions universal across borders, happy, sad, etc..?
I think these expressions universal.
happy---smile.
sad---cry, look at the ground
angry---frowning face

2. Try to name as many feelings as possible in Japanese.
うれしい　　　 delightful
たのしい　　 joyful
くやしい frustrated
こわい afraid
なさけない miserable
しんどい hard feelings
しあわせ happy
ここちよい comfortable
めんどくさい bothered
たいへんだ oh, no!
どうしよう oh my god
おどろく suprised
あんしんする relief
うらやましい enviable
ざいあくかん guilty feeling
こうふん heat
なやむ worry
きんちょう nervous
まよう dither


3. Are there any feelings in Japanese that cannot be translated into English?
きょうしゅく
おかげさま
おそれいる
うちひしがれる（？）

I think there are more feelings in Japanese like above and vice versa.
In that case, we might have different mentalities.

Greeting

1. How do you greet members of your family?
-I just say "ohayou". I don't bow to my family!

2. How do you greet people that are important in society?
-I say "ohayougozaimasu" with bowing and smile.

3. Do you greet people from the opposite sex in a different way?
-No. I do the same way.

4. Do you hug anyone? If yes, who and when. If no, why not?
-Yes. When I meet forigners' friends, I do that.
But in Japan, I don't because it depends on cultures.

World Religions --How to Great--

1.Is it different for different people?
--Yes.
EX) "Ohayou." to family and friends. I sometimes wave my hand.
"Ohayougozaimasu." to teachers and acquaintances.

2. Why?
--It is natural.


3. Do you touch people when you talk to them?
--No, I rarely do that.

Why?
--I do not know.
They don' t do that to me, too.

Buddhist Activities

1.Buddhist cuisine
This is the dish which is not used meat and seafood.
It comes from Buddhist policy that warns against butchery.

2.Ikebana
Ikebana is a part of Japanese culuture which express sensitivity.
It comes from flowers offered before the tablet of the deceased.

3.The word of "Esyaku"
The Buddhist meaning is to clear up Buddhist scriptures.
The Japanese one is to make a bow.

4.The word of "Kakugo"
The Buddihist meaning is to disabuse and become enlightened.
The Japanese one is to give up and make a dicision.

5.Obon festival
This is a Buddhist festival to recognize ancestral spirits.
Also, this is an event to have feeling of thankfulness for repaying an obrigation.