Intercultural Interests & Experiences

[Drohn]

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it?
I'd be happy to teach someone else about our culture (if they want racial abuse, disease and how we're all descendants of convicts). But... Notice how I didn't use proud to teach above... I'm not proud. Compare us to some countries, and yes, I am. But alone, Australia isn't exactly the best it could be.

I thought Australians were quite happy in general and proud of their culture/lifestyle. Is this true or do many others share your views? What is it that makes you feel this way?

I know people who have visited Australia and from their stories it was a great place with really nice people.

 

[WanderingWolf]

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it?
I'd be happy to teach someone else about our culture (if they want racial abuse, disease and how we're all descendants of convicts). But... Notice how I didn't use proud to teach above... I'm not proud. Compare us to some countries, and yes, I am. But alone, Australia isn't exactly the best it could be.

I thought Australians were quite happy in general and proud of their culture/lifestyle. Is this true or do many others share your views? What is it that makes you feel this way?

I know people who have visited Australia and from their stories it was a great place with really nice people.

Oh, believe me, we have a wonderful population... But nothing really outstanding that pushes us from other countries. We don't really have our own culture (when I was talking about the stuff before, I mean history... I'm stupid), just 50 of them mushed together. In Sydney, on 1 street you could probably find a Japanese restaurant, a Chinese store, an Australia Tourist Trap, an American Burger joint, a park inspired by plants from other countries and a Malaysian man selling toys made in Korea.

I know this happens in every single country on Earth, but for Australia, it just seems intensified. It may just be me actually experiencing it in Australia, rather than just studying it in with other countries.

We have a rich history, but our 'culture' is just other cultures driving over us, dominating if you will.

TLDR
If you want a basic understanding of many cultures at the same time, visit Australia

 

[Buzzword]

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?
- The Traditional Japanese culture, mainly because of how it seemed so neat (well, for most of the time)... Not neat but, kind of fresh from just 'millions of people being killed die to race, wars, wars, wars, truce broken, take over the land'

Not to mention the enslavement of the Ainu people, Ryukyu people, and for a time the Korean people, because reasons. Ancient Japan was kind of the jerk of the Pacific for quite a while.

Also, as terrified as I am of visiting Australia (what with everything wanting to kill you and Koalas spraying chlamydia laced urine at tourists) there are only three things I would be really out to see: sexy men, picking up the worlds SEXIEST accent (Perth accents primarily... sorry Qld...), and getting permission to climb Ayers Rock and not die.

 

[Mistryss Nite]

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?
- The Traditional Japanese culture, mainly because of how it seemed so neat (well, for most of the time)... Not neat but, kind of fresh from just 'millions of people being killed die to race, wars, wars, wars, truce broken, take over the land'

Not to mention the enslavement of the Ainu people, Ryukyu people, and for a time the Korean people, because reasons. Ancient Japan was kind of the jerk of the Pacific for quite a while.

Also, as terrified as I am of visiting Australia (what with everything wanting to kill you and Koalas spraying chlamydia laced urine at tourists) there are only three things I would be really out to see: sexy men, picking up the worlds SEXIEST accent (Perth accents primarily... sorry Qld...), and getting permission to climb Ayers Rock and not die.

Don't forget the Chinese, Philipinoes, and much of Asia and the Pacific. Google Unit 731...worse than Mengele.

 

[Haunted Water]

RE: You Laugh, You Lose

Australia is also a bit bad because of Nopespiders

 

[Drohn]

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?
- The Traditional Japanese culture, mainly because of how it seemed so neat (well, for most of the time)... Not neat but, kind of fresh from just 'millions of people being killed die to race, wars, wars, wars, truce broken, take over the land'

Not to mention the enslavement of the Ainu people, Ryukyu people, and for a time the Korean people, because reasons. Ancient Japan was kind of the jerk of the Pacific for quite a while.

We can forgive them for that since they gave us Pokémon.

I'm planning to go to Japan for my internship in February. I hope I will have enough time to learn the language while I am there. I would first like to be able to understand and speak it before even attempting to remember all the Kanji. Katakana and Hiragana don't seem like TOO much work to remember, but with over 10.000 Kanji signs I wouldn't even know where to start.

I read several people stating their interest in Japan. Are there others with plans to travel there or planning to practice the language?

Akwila, FOOD is one of the most important things for me when I travel. What vegetarian things can one find in Japan? I like seaweed, if that helps. For those who didn't try it, go eat some! There are really good ones.

 

[Blob55]

Country / State: England

What facts / opinions can you share about your country?
We're not all obsessive Tea drinkers.

Which countries that are not your own have you visited? Did you enjoy the experience(s)?
France, Italy, America, Jamaica, Antigua, Austria, Sweden, Germany, Japan, Barbados, Wales, Mauritius, Greece, Malta, Turkey, Sicily, Lesbos and other new Europe countries I can't remember the names of.

Which language(s) do you speak and how well do you speak them?
English - Traditional and Simplified.

Are you interested in learning other languages? If so, which? And why?
Japanese, because it's an attractive language and it sounds awesome.

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?
As long as it's not shoved down my throat like certain American holidays. (I'm looking at you Thanksgiving)

Are you proud of your own culture? Would you enjoy talking to others about it and helping them understand it?
Proud? No. But I would talking to others about it.

Do you consider yourself culturally aware? Can you separate cultural differences from personal differences?
Yeppers.

Do you have any other intercultural experiences you would like to share?
Now that I think about it, Video games are a great way to get cultural info without oversimplifying everything. I like playing Dynasty Warriors, even though I know most of the characters endings are fake, so it encourages me to look up what really happened.

 

[Mistryss Nite]

Not to mention the enslavement of the Ainu people, Ryukyu people, and for a time the Korean people, because reasons. Ancient Japan was kind of the jerk of the Pacific for quite a while.

We can forgive them for that since they gave us Pokémon.

I'm planning to go to Japan for my internship in February. I hope I will have enough time to learn the language while I am there. I would first like to be able to understand and speak it before even attempting to remember all the Kanji. Katakana and Hiragana don't seem like TOO much work to remember, but with over 10.000 Kanji signs I wouldn't even know where to start.

I read several people stating their interest in Japan. Are there others with plans to travel there or planning to practice the language?

Akwila, FOOD is one of the most important things for me when I travel. What vegetarian things can one find in Japan? I like seaweed, if that helps. For those who didn't try it, go eat some! There are really good ones.

They use a lot of tofu (yuck!) and miso soup should be vegetarian. Can you eat fish? If so, sushi! Onigiri is very good (rice balls usually with other stuff) -- but be sure to google what each kind has...some use fish flakes or have fish or meat inside. I love the kind with Nori Fumi Furikake (rice topping with seaweed and sesame seeds). Here's some Japanese vegan recipes that might help (I use her recipes all the time ^.^): http://justbento.com/category/vegan
Or there is: http://www.neverendingvoyage.com/vegetarian-survival-guide-to-japan/
Plus, Japanese curry is very good!

 

[Drohn]

Are you interested in learning about different cultures? Which cultures do you find most interesting? Why?
As long as it's not shoved down my throat like certain American holidays. (I'm looking at you Thanksgiving)

I never really thought much about it, but it happened several times that I heard Americans say Thanksgiving should be an international holiday. Many countries I know, including my own, have different (often multiple) holidays where they come together with the family and celebrate their holidays together. I love spending holidays with my family and I would have no issues adding more holidays to the list, but I am curious about why it's popular for North Americans to want it to be specifically this holiday. Could someone with more insight about the topic explain?

We can forgive them for that since they gave us Pokémon.

I'm planning to go to Japan for my internship in February. I hope I will have enough time to learn the language while I am there. I would first like to be able to understand and speak it before even attempting to remember all the Kanji. Katakana and Hiragana don't seem like TOO much work to remember, but with over 10.000 Kanji signs I wouldn't even know where to start.

I read several people stating their interest in Japan. Are there others with plans to travel there or planning to practice the language?

Akwila, FOOD is one of the most important things for me when I travel. What vegetarian things can one find in Japan? I like seaweed, if that helps. For those who didn't try it, go eat some! There are really good ones.

They use a lot of tofu (yuck!) and miso soup should be vegetarian. Can you eat fish? If so, sushi! Onigiri is very good (rice balls usually with other stuff) -- but be sure to google what each kind has...some use fish flakes or have fish or meat inside. I love the kind with Nori Fumi Furikake (rice topping with seaweed and sesame seeds). Here's some Japanese vegan recipes that might help (I use her recipes all the time ^.^): http://justbento.com/category/vegan
Or there is: http://www.neverendingvoyage.com/vegetarian-survival-guide-to-japan/
Plus, Japanese curry is very good!

I love tofu! I made tofu today. I'm also Asian (although I've never been in Asia) so I'm quite used to Asian cooking styles from my parents. My ancestors are from India, but the last couple generations of my family have lived in Surinam (South America) where many Asian and other cultures lived together and cooking styles got shared/mixed. My parents moved to the Netherlands when they were young with my grandparents and I have not yet left Europe (Japan will be my first time). My parents can make the most awesome dishes and use a lot of variety! Cooking is something that has been passed down for generations in my family (and many Indian families), but I have yet to learn all the things my parents do. I miss their food.

I don't eat fish, so I won't be able to eat sushi in Japan. Thanks for the links! Those dishes look amazing! Miso Soup also looks great on Google!

I can't wait to try some of them out when I'm in there.

 

[Mistryss Nite]

About the Thanksgiving topic, it's a part of the beginnings of American culture. It's related to the arrival of the pilgrims into America who shared their harvests (technically it was harvests that the Native Americans helped with) with the local Native Americans. Without help from one of these tribes, the pilgrims would have surely all died. So, the picture we often see is the one with pilgrims and Native Americans gathering around a table feasting on turkey and other foods. There seems to be much debate over the holiday and the history around it.

I don't personally think people outside of the US should really be celebrating it, unless they are from an American family. It's uniquely our own holiday. I'm sure there are other feasting holidays that non-American countries have and can add if they are desperate for another holiday. ^.^

 

[professorlight]

But why do they push it so much? I don't mean that in the sense that everyone should celebrate it, because, as you said, it's an american holiday, and only makes sense for americans; but I mean culturally.

 

[Mistryss Nite]

But why do they push it so much? I don't mean that in the sense that everyone should celebrate it, because, as you said, it's an american holiday, and only makes sense for americans; but I mean culturally.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean. Why do we push it on Americans? Non- Americans? For America, it's a national holiday and a time to pig out and see family. It has kinda taken on a life of its own after President Roosevelt made it a national holiday. It used to be a regional thing that some people celebrated, I believe. But, marketing plays a huge role. Plus, we, in recent years, started incorporating Christmas shopping into it. I didn't even know that many outside of the US knew about Thanksgiving, unless via tv and movies.

 

[professorlight]

I didn't even know that many outside of the US knew about Thanksgiving, unless via tv and movies.

That's what I meant by "pushing it". American media is very relevant all over the world, and the amount of times thanksgiving is present in all sorts of media is frankly staggering, and not just thanksgiving: presidents, history, culture and all sorts of american things are really widespread across the entire globe; I'd wager that many many people in non-american countries know as much, or more, about american history and customs than that of their own countries.

I don't know... it probably doesn't make sense, right? the media is american, and they talk about american stuff, so it's more like the rest of the world's fault that they consume it.

 

[Blob55]

Apparently England has the least amount of holidays!

We have:
Valentines Day (No day off)
Good Friday+Easter Monday (2 weeks off for Schools and Collages and 3 weeks off for Universities)
Halloween (No day off)
Christmas+Boxing Day+New Year (2 Weeks off for Schools and Collages and 3 weeks off for Universities)
Bank Holidays: (Most businesses take these days off)
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
- New Years Day
- Good Friday
- Easter Monday
- First Monday in May
- Last Monday in May
- Last Monday in August

Halloween and Valentines day aren't recognized as proper Holidays, but most do celebrate them.

Lesser non-Holidays: (In no order)
Pancake Day
Mothers Day
Fathers Day
April Fools Day
First Day of the Month
Christmas Eve
Probably some more I'm forgetting (I'll add them later)

 

[Mistryss Nite]

I didn't even know that many outside of the US knew about Thanksgiving, unless via tv and movies.

That's what I meant by "pushing it". American media is very relevant all over the world, and the amount of times thanksgiving is present in all sorts of media is frankly staggering, and not just thanksgiving: presidents, history, culture and all sorts of american things are really widespread across the entire globe; I'd wager that many many people in non-american countries know as much, or more, about american history and customs than that of their own countries.

I don't know... it probably doesn't make sense, right? the media is american, and they talk about american stuff, so it's more like the rest of the world's fault that they consume it.

Yes, Hollywood is definitely at fault. But, also, not all of the history and what not about America is true. In fact, it's quite unreliable!

And, Blob55, America has a lot of unofficial holidays, but not that many official ones. We also only get 1-2 days off for Easter holidays. It seems that many European counties get weeks off at a time for their holidays rather than a day here and there like America.
Edit: What is Pancake Day? It sounds delicious! ^.^

 

[Blob55]

Pancake Day is also known as Shrove Tuesday, but we call it Pancake Day here.

 

[Mistryss Nite]

Pancake Day is also known as Shrove Tuesday, but we call it Pancake Day here.

Oh, we call that Fat Tuesady or Mardi Gras in most of America. Mardi Gras seems more wild than Pancake Day though.

 

[Blob55]

Pancake Day is also known as Shrove Tuesday, but we call it Pancake Day here.

Oh, we call that Fat Tuesady or Mardi Gras in most of America. Mardi Gras seems more wild than Pancake Day though.

What does Mardi Gras even mean? Mardi = Tuesday and Gras = ?

 

[professorlight]

That's what I meant by "pushing it". American media is very relevant all over the world, and the amount of times thanksgiving is present in all sorts of media is frankly staggering, and not just thanksgiving: presidents, history, culture and all sorts of american things are really widespread across the entire globe; I'd wager that many many people in non-american countries know as much, or more, about american history and customs than that of their own countries.

I don't know... it probably doesn't make sense, right? the media is american, and they talk about american stuff, so it's more like the rest of the world's fault that they consume it.

Yes, Hollywood is definitely at fault. But, also, not all of the history and what not about America is true. In fact, it's quite unreliable!

I know, I read cracked. A good portion of columns are about obscure american history facts or how badass the american presidents were .

How the hell do you go pancake day -> mardi gras -> carnaval? I mean, pancakes, of all things?

 

[Athena]

We can forgive them for that since they gave us Pokémon.

I'm planning to go to Japan for my internship in February. I hope I will have enough time to learn the language while I am there. I would first like to be able to understand and speak it before even attempting to remember all the Kanji. Katakana and Hiragana don't seem like TOO much work to remember, but with over 10.000 Kanji signs I wouldn't even know where to start.

I read several people stating their interest in Japan. Are there others with plans to travel there or planning to practice the language?

Akwila, FOOD is one of the most important things for me when I travel. What vegetarian things can one find in Japan? I like seaweed, if that helps. For those who didn't try it, go eat some! There are really good ones.

A few things:

1) When you get to the point of learning kanji, the best order to do it in is the same order the kids learn it in Japan. You start off with the most common kanji and work your way up. In addition to textbooks and studybooks, there are also DS games that can help teach you and a few other things. Also, if I may echo the advice my Japanese teacher gave me: don't bother trying to learn to write kanji, at least not until you've pretty much mastered everything else in the language. A few are good to know (kanji for dates and things like that), but mostly you can type whatever is necessary, and so you won't physically handwrite kanji enough for it to be worth the time and effort spent on learning to write kanji properly.

2) My ex was a vegetarian and he stayed in Japan for a semester of his college, so I know something about his experiences. He actually had a lot of problems, because vegetarianism is something of a weird subject to the Japanese and they tend to put fish in almost everything and don't really think much of it. Tofu is very common, but it's not seen as a vegetarian thing and is served along with meat a lot of the time. Said ex did end up breaking and eating fish a few times (mostly for politeness) since fish is everywhere in Japanese cuisine, and he also prepared a lot of his own meals to make sure things were safe. You can google "vegetarianism in Japan" for a few blogs and articles with tips and such to help you out.