Before I took classes at CIE, I didn't have any particular experiences with international students. For me, they had seemed to be all the same "gaijin" and not any thing more. I didn't know what they think or how they live. But this time, because I took four classes at CIE with international students, I was gifted with several chances to know them. During this semester, I was really surprised many times by them. Today, I'll talk about the 2 best surprising things that I experienced at CIE.
What I was surprised the best is their attitudes for class. What they did in classes was really incredible for me. For example, in one class, a female American student sitting in front of me was eating "kakino-tane", which is Japanese snack made by rice, during the whole class. It was so noisy and I wanted the teacher to stop her from eating, but not even the teacher including other students too cared about her and let her eat. After class, I asked an American friend that is it OK to eat something in class, and she said that's no problem. I was so surprised ! If we do in a Japanese class, the teacher would surely say "get out of here" and the grade for the class will be bad.
The second surprising thing about international student is their way how to plan hanging out. If it is among Japanese people, we plan the time we'll meet and the place we'll go in advance, at least one day before.However, international students are different. They plan where they will go some days before, but concrete timeschedule or some other particularity are planned some hours before going . At first, I was confused and thought this plan won't be carried out because they don't tell me anything about it. Now, I realized that it's their way and although it is still confusing, I'm getting used to it. Also, I found this casual planning is very comfortable for me because I don't feel I'm restrained.
Through this semester, I have experienced a lot of culture shocks, but I guess Internatinal students have also had shock on Japanese culture. the culture shocks that I have experienced are not always bad. There were some which Japanese should take in.
this is the article about Japanese impression wrriten by Alan J. Wiren
the picture above is the typical class of Japanese university. Usually, in classes in Japan, no one can bring snacks or drinks in classes. This picture came from here ! http://kaitokudo.jp/04present/p1_10.html
I don't think you should generalize based upon these two examples. I would not allow students to eat loud and smelly food during class. And there are many ways to make arrangements for appointments...
返信削除I am glad you are seeing the differences. Be sure to take note of the context of the experiences you have with foreigners to begin to understand how and why they are happening the way they do. Don't be quick to (over-)generalize. But do look for patterns. And enjoy the experiences.
um.. from my point of view,
返信削除probably some of these students having bad systematic of habits which their teachers never paying more attention on their behave when they were still in high school.
Our teachers would stop or warn students eating in class as a disrespectful to the whole class and teachers themselves
Not all of them are bad-manners, just about what environment they grow up in has affected them.
As for planning gatherings, we either have well-organized planning around 1 to 2 weeks before in order to confirm who'll be present and suit some others who might be busy within the week.
"planned some hours before going" is very normal, like becoming a habit