David's Class - Summer 2013.2 - WeeK 3: THE NAMESAKE

[DavidC]

This week's movie depicted a classic American story of emigration (leaving one's country to permanently live in another country) and immigration (coming to a new country to make a home there.) I would like you to imagine yourself on this journey that generation after generation of new Americans have made. You may already have thoughts or feelings you would like to share. If not, use one or two of the following questions as prompts to write for 15 minutes or so about the topic.

1. What is the biggest difference between your culture and American culture?
2. If your parents came to live in America, what might they miss the most about their culture and society?
3. If you decided to live in America permanently and married an American and had children, what would you most want your children to understand about the home you left behind?
4. The immigrant experience has shaped American culture in many ways. What is one way you think America has benefited?
5. If you could choose one value or tradition from your culture and society to teach to America, what would that be?

[Ayae2013]

Hello, David.

5. If you could choose one value or tradition from your culture and society to teach to America, what would that be?
I would choose "respect". "Respect" is the Japanese value which has two meanings. The first meaning is to have respect for seniors and superiors. In Japan, it's important to respect seniors and superiers inside and outside school and workplace by using honorific words and being respectful to them. In addition to this, Generally, Japanese people respect those who are elder than them, even if they are strangers. Therefore, most Japanese people treat the old with respect and they use honorific words to someone who looks older than them. The second meaning is to avoid harming or interfering with others. Japanese people are usually quiet in the meeting or the discussion, because they have grown up in the culture of "respect". They don't want to interfer and destroy the peaceful atmosphere, so they try to act harmoniously with others. Of course, there are some people who clearly express their opinion, but most people put priority on the harmony of the group they belong to. The value of "Respect" is peculiar to Japan and important, so I would like to teach it to America.

Ayae Maeda

[goerlin]

Hi, David!

1.
I think the biggest different between my culture and American culture is the respect to parents and elder people. What I mean is not just being polite and have good manner or behavior when they are around, but also to respect their opinion and suggestion. For instant, I learned to play piano since I was a child, not because I like this instrument but because my mother wanted me to. She said she come from a poor family so she never had the opportunity to learn what she wants; therefore, I should learn the piano though I don’t really like it. In Taiwan’s society, people seldom can make their own decision when they are children. Even as an adult sometimes, you cannot make your own decision, such as getting marry to the person you want or where to buy your own house etc. Parent interfere almost everything. Unlike American, parent respects their children’s decision and let them plan their future, which enable them to become responsible for themselves.

2.
If my parents come to live in the states, they might miss the lifestyle back in Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan. Taipei is very small and crowded, yet very convenient. You don’t need to drive a car to go buy milk or food, there are convenient store everywhere! And you could do almost anything in 7-11. Printing, faxing, pay the bills, food and midnight snacks… etc. In America, it’s very inconvenient if you don’t have a car.

Goer Lin

[Saki1992]

Hello, Mr. David.

1. What is the biggest difference between your culture and American culture?
I think Japanese people tend to be modest and refrain from showing their thought and feelings. It is because, as Ayae says, we think harmony is very important. However, in America, the Japanese culture may sometimes leads misunderstandings that we Japanese people don't have opinion or don't try to take part in. Actually, I have heard that a foreigner says, "I don't know what Japanese people are thinking." So, we have to change our attitude. We have to avoid being too modest. It is hard for me, but some Japanese people may feel comfortable because they don't have to hesitate to say their opinion. It depends on person to person.

2. If your parents came to live in America, what might they miss the most about their culture and society?
As Goer Lin says, here in America, it's very inconvenient if you don't have a car. My parents are not good at driving, so it will very difficult to live here. In this movie, I could see similar scene. The woman (I forget her name!) drives slowly, which looks very dangerous.

5. If you could choose one value or tradition from your culture and society to teach to America, what would that be?
I think Japanese hospitality is wonderful! Clerks of stores always smile and keep stores clean. The best example is the Tokyo Disney Land! Please come and enjoy there!

Saki Kosaka

[Faris]

Hi,

The idea of immigrating to another country and living in it for good is daunting. In other words, it is difficult for me as a person used to live in a tight, strong family relationship to leave my native land. However, the future is a mystery that I do not know about. The destiny might force me to live in America and make my living here. If it is so, I would like to raise up my children - to some extent - the way I was raised, but I know that this is near to be impossible than anything else. If that was true and I lived here, I would miss certain things. My family will be the main thing I will miss since I have been raised in a community that values family relationship to a great degree which the American society might lack.

[Atsunori2013]

Hi David,

1. What is the biggest difference between your culture and American culture?
<America> - <Japan>
group - individual
indirect - direct
traditional - independent

Those three cultures are really different between America and Japan.

2. If your parents came to live in America, what might they miss the most about their culture and society?
I think my parents might miss the most about our culture is a bow.
Here in Japan, whenever we do something with someone, we do bow a lot.

3. If you decided to live in America permanently and married an American and had children, what would you most want your children to understand about the home you left behind?
I would want my children to understand about the sense of modesty.

4. The immigrant experience has shaped American culture in many ways. What is one way you think America has benefited?
The immigrant experiences have invented so many something new; for example, Yahoo and Google.
These services change not only America but also all over the world.

5. If you could choose one value or tradition from your culture and society to teach to America, what would that be?
I would like to choose the samurai spirit(Bushido).
Although Moral and Education in Japan gradually change along the society change, Bushido always strongly affect Moral and Education.

I really enjoyed watching The Namesake. I learned a lot from the movie.I am looking forward to today's new movie.

Atsunori

[evinpinar]

Hi,
I've been in US for only 2 months and I have no idea about a real american family's daily life or culture. However I know some about the relationships between students in the college. I am a college student in my country, Turkey and it is easier for me to compare the people and their behaviours. First difference I realize is the people's attitudes toward their friends. In my country, once you meet someone and become friends, this person becomes kind of one of the members of your family. I think we have closer and more candid relations. Also, in our families, mom, dad and the childrens have a strong connection. Although many children leave the house at age 18 for university, they keep talking, maybe everyday maybe once a week. And If they keep living together, the parents never want a fee from their children unlike some American families. Also, today the families are nuclear; but they have strong connection with their former families, grandmothers and grandfathers for example. At least twice a year, they gather together, whole family and fulfil their longings.

Pinar

[Sadamasa]

hi,
1. What is the biggest difference between your culture and American culture?
we japanese have to care about the other people too much.
but, american people seem dont care about whatever you do.

2. If your parents came to live in America, what might they miss the most about their culture and society?
maybe taking bath or hot springs....

3. If you decided to live in America permanently and married an American and had children, what would you most want your children to understand about the home you left behind?
politeness

5. If you could choose one value or tradition from your culture and society to teach to America, what would that be?
hospitality, self-sacrifice

[alice03015]

Hi, this is Alice.
This movie not only talks about a story which connects with name, but also get in touch with family, marriage, love, grow up, death and culture's conflict. It involved everyone will have experience and face to them during each levels.

3. If you decided to live in America permanently and married an American and had children, what would you most want your children to understand about the home you left behind?
I would want my children understand what politeness, modesty, and sociality are.

[Nasser2013]

There are many big differences between my culture and american culture
Specifically when it comes to the tradition, and religion.