Put your articles on a cultural difference here for the Writing 12 class to read (and for our class, too, of course). Have all work posted by Tuesday at 6:00.
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Coming for Supper?
“Will you be there in time for supper?” my aunt wants to know. Of course I will I think to myself, but stop in time to realize that what my aunt means is not the same as it is for me here on the west coast.
When I travel to Alberta, I need to know the difference between dinner and supper. In Vancouver, I’ve always used the terms interchangeably. Mostly, we say dinner, but supper is acceptable, too.
Not so in Alberta! There, you need to know that “supper” is the noon meal. Be prepared for a bigger than usual lunch, too, if you happen to be visiting a family farm.
My aunt places a beef roast into the oven before 10 in the morning; it’s nothing out of the ordinary to have beef and potatoes at noon. In summer, dinner is served after the men have returned from the fields, and the leftovers from supper make another appearance on the table.
Another difference is the number of times you’ll see beef on your plate at Alberta suppers and dinners. I can visit a relative’s house for the weekend and eat beef at three or four meals.
Canada is a multicultural country and, within each identifiable group, variations of culture occur. The differences between my Alberta relatives and myself are minor, but when it comes time to receive a supper invitation, I need to remember to show up at noon!
—240 words; first draft by Brad Hyde
Cultural Shock!
Five years ago, my two sons and I came to Canada. Before coming, we were just excited to live in Canada. It means that we never thought we would have some problems for different cultural. But while preparing to come to Canada, I had have a vague uneasiness which meant until that time, I hadn't experienced to live in Canada even visit.
After settled in Coquitlam, my older son attended at Glen Eagle Secondary School, and Brian who is my younger son went to Scott Creek Middle School.
I did not realized that why Brian talked while asleep every night. I thought he might become adapted in Canada.
In the morning, "Do you have some problems in school?" "Nothing."
At that time, my son and I could not speak English well and very limited -How are you? Thank you, Sorry.
One day, Brian's teacher wanted to meet me, I was extremely afraid, and my heart was pounding very fast because I could not understand English well. Thus, my sons had a guardian who could speak English fluently. He was supposed to help us in Canada. That's why I paid lots of money to him. However, he avoid my help and did not do his responsibility.
Thus, I met Tom who was my son's teacher was in his office. Tom asked me, "Why Brian ignored me with misbehavior? I warned many times but not listened." I could not understand completely, but I did not really believe Tom's saying because my son is a very polite and shy boy.
After got home, I asked my son about that, from then, Brian began to cry and shouted, "Mom, Tom is my teacher. How can I ignore my teacher?" I agreed with my son.
The next day, I went to school again and asked Tom, "How did my son ignore you?"
He told me with huff and puff, "When he stands at me, he did not pay attention at all, and he looked down. I asked many times,
Look at me! He did not."
At that moment, I wanted to cry out in my mind, but I tried to explain with my poor English speaking skills. "Don't misunderstand! That is not neglect attitude. Brian has been respecting you." like that.
Brian made a deep bow toward Tom.
In my country, when we stand in front of elder people, we should not see the elder's face and should bend our head. That is very polite and respect attitude especially toward teacher.
Later, this misunderstanding was solved clearly through the second meeting. I will never forget the incident.
That's a terrible cultural shock!
Hi Everyone,
Please keep your word count between 200 and 300 words. You may go over by a few (fewer than 50 over). Otherwise, please revise for conciseness before posting.
Thanks,
Brad
Chinese Happy New Year
Different countries have different cultures: however in the same country, province and county, but different villages,the cultures are different.
In my village,the first day of the lunar calendar is Chinese New Year,every one get up very early and waer new clothes. The first thing we do after we get up is say Happy New Year to the parents and the grandparents. Then, we koutou(knee down) to them and say "wish you health and thank your raising." It also means respect them. Usually the elders give the youngers money that we call "yasui" money, and it means the children is growing up.Also the elders say some thing to encourage the youngers to study or work hard and to be a good person.After that, they will together to eat breakfirst and talking happly. Finally, the youngers go out to say " Happy New Year" and koutou to the elders of the whole village. Tath is my village's culture.
In differently, my husband village's culture for Chinese New Year is totally different from mine even we are in the same county,and it is not so far.The first year when I married with him, on the Chinese New Year, I made a big mistake, and i felt shamed. In the morning, i got up very early, but nobody got up except me.Then, I called my husband to get up, but he said it was early to get up.I did not twnt to bother him, so i waited and waited. When it was about 8;00am, his mother got up and asked me why i got up very early: she looked a little unhappy. I told her about my family. She said that if I got up very early in the morning of the first day of the New Year, I would work hard and no time to rest in the whole year. That means my life is bitter.Oh, I could not believe it.When all of them got up, his parents did not wear new clothes that I bought for them. I asked them why, they said that they did not want to be old. I just wanted to laught. When they were ready to have breakfirst, I koutou to them. However, they were very angry and wanted to hit me,and his father said I did not have family education. I cried and asked them why, and where I did wrong. I really wanted to respect them. At that time, my husband came in from outsaid and saw me knee down on the ground. He pulled me up and asked me wath happend.His parents cursed him and told him what i did. He told me I could not koutou to his parents in the first day because it meant they would die in this year.I said sorry to them,and my husband asked them to forgive me since I was the first year to come.I hated that my husband did not tell me about their costume.Also, I really did not think about it was very different for the same thing. I knew they were superstitious, but I had to respect them.
You can see how important to know different cultures. That time was a lesson for me. After that, wherever I go, the first thing I do is to ask about their cultures or traditions. How do you feel about it? I hope I can respect others cultures.
Do I Have to…
The first time I learn how to fuel my car is in Canada. Before that I have been driving for ten years, but I had never fueled my car by myself. What I did was just sitting on my driving seat, and the fueling service is always there.
In Canada, no caddy in golf course. It is different from in Taiwan where the player has to hire a caddy by golf course regulation. Here I myself have to carry my golf equipment to go through the eighteen holes.
“I live in my parent’s basement, and I pay the rent.” My Canadian friend told me. She is single, 26 years old. When I was at her age, the same situation as her, I didn’t pay anything to my parents. Furthermore, both my parents and I didn’t think anything about the rent. I live with them free is naturally because that’s my home.
If you ask me what’s the cultural difference between Canada and Taiwan. I think there is more “Do it by yourself, if you can.”, more independent spirits in Western culture.
--186 words
Chinese Happy New Year
In my village,the first day of Chinese New Year,every one get up very early and waer new clothes. The first thing we do is;say Happy New Year to the parents and the grandparents. Then, we koutou(knee down) to them and say "wish you health and thank your raising." It also means respect them. Usually the elders give the youngers money that we call "yasui" money, and it means the children is growing up.Also the elders say some thing to encourage the youngers to study or work hard and to be a good person.After that, they will together to eat breakfirst and talking happly. Finally, the youngers go out to say " Happy New Year" and koutou to the elders of the whole village. Tath is my village's culture.
My husband village's culture for Chinese New Year is totally different from mine even we are in the same county,and it is not so far. On Chinese New Year,in the morning, they do not get up very early because if you get up very early on that day, you would work hard and no time to rest in the whole year. That means your life is bitter.Oh, I could not believe it. ALso, when they get up, the elders do not wear new cloth since they do not want to be old. I just wanted to laught. When they were ready to have breakfirst, the youngers can not koutou to the elders as that means they will die in this year, and they only koutou to their ancestors.In addition, they do not go out but stay at home to sleep. It is terrible for me. I really do not like it, but I have to respect them.
You can see how different the culture in different places.
Christmas Party
Last year, I participated in the Christmas Party of my husband’s company, which is like annual party before Chinese New Year in China. However, there are many differences between them, especially in culture.
When I first stepped into the hall, I felt the decoration of the party was very simple. There were no welcome words hanging across the gate and no formal greeting ladies with smile standing at the gate. In China, we have more luxurious decoration than here, for this is related to the face and reputation of the company.
Before the party starting, many people had begun to play poker and blackjack, as if I was around in casino. My husband explained, “This is one of the traditions of the company. ” “This is quite a big difference from China.” I said. Actually, in China, every department as a unit usually organizes some singing, dancing and comic dialogue. We enjoyed the performances while we were eating.
Eventually, the host announced, “Enjoying your dinner”. The dinner was a kind of buffet dinner. Almost foods were cold except meat. In China, we were used to have warm foods to eat, so I ate little at that night and drank a lot of hot tea instead.
That night everything was fresh and curious for me. I like this feeling. Canada as a multicultural country, you have enough space to keep on your own culture and meanwhile to feel the other different splendid cultural.
( first draft; 242 words)
Maybe He was Right
“Your marriage is free marriage or arranged marriage?” when I talked with Indian women, I was often asked with this question. For people in my age, an arranged marriage is like an antique displayed in a museum.
Bhuwania was my Indian buyer; I attended his son’s wedding in Bangalore. Before the weeding, Bhuwania and his wife went to Delhi and meet the girl’s family. They accepted her to be their daughter in law. Then the bride went to Bangalore and met his son. They were given two hours to stay alone. The second time they meet was the wedding.
I asked Bhuwania about the standards they picked their daughter in law. I was totally confused how he could put his son’s happiness on a girl whom they barely knew. “I knew her family’s reputation and she was raised in a big family. It means she was well educated about housework and she knows how to deal with other people.”
“But how could you know whether your son will like her? I think the personality like her hobbies and other aspects are also important.” I still could not understand “What if they are not happy in future?”
“Only god knows that; that is why all boys and girls need to learn how to respect each other and compromise before they get married. I observed her family and her mother, they all behaved properly, so I could tell they know how to teach her.” He looked at me and smiled “No one can guarantee they will be happy in future even in free marriage. You think you know this person, like his hobby or whatever, are you sure you will be happy in future?”
I thought about my husband and I—the couple who could argue for everything; maybe he was right.
Keeping Speed Or Giving a Break
I hoped I have never driven in China when I took the road test for driving license in Canada. It should be much easier to pass the test if I was a new driver. The traffic rules in China are very different with in Canada.
When I drive to approach a cross where the light is green in my direction, I need to keep speed to go through the cross in Canada; however, I have to give a break to reduce the speed to pass through slowly in China. It would make me look crazy if I pass through a cross in a regular speed.
In my mind, keeping aware to the environment and passing through a cross slowly is a safer maneuver than keeping speed. Nevertheless, my coach told me keeping the road traffic fluent is one of the Canada traffic rules. I would made the driver behind me confused if I taking a break suddenly to result a collision.
I have had more than ten years driving experience before I landed on Canada. I usually respond on road conditions naturally. In Canada, I have to remind myself “ No break----, no break----,” to change the driving habit. However, it is hard to remove a habit what formed in ten years practice. In my first road test, the tester wrote a note on my test sheet: “ unnecessary breaks were given.”
I believe I have changed my habit now. But I am not confident to drive in China any more.
-----259 words
Wind beneath the Wing
“My son is moving out!” a friend of mine back at my native country, mentioned sadly on the phone. The day she refused to face, has come. Parents like to keep their children in their nests; no matter their children are 13, or 30. This is what we grew up with, it is our cultural.
In Canada, cultural understandings are different. From the newspapers, TV, and some people I have met, it is reversed. Parents here are happy to see their kids take a lift whenever they are planning to. Some cases are, even though the parents were not sure about their children’s outcome, they watched them leave, not worried.
This is a new experience to me for which I will be happily indulged in. Children will have their own episodes to explore, and parents will have more time and space for themselves. Why not, Right? Everybody will get more chances and freedom to surf their own sky.
But what is family for, then? Family to me is “We quarrel, we fight, and we love.” This is the true meaning of it. Family is for better or for worse, you know there it is. Whenever you come back to, there is a light in it. Whatever you need it for, there it is. It just likes the wind beneath your wing.
Keep to the left
During forty years of my life, I always keep to the left when I walk down the street. It was a result of my childhood education. First experiences of my school were lined up straight and stood at attention. One months opening classes were learning the school rules. One of the most important rules was in keeping with left side walking.
When we broke the rule, the teacher gave a sound rating and a cane. The result of the study training in my young age, it was accustomed to me automatically like a robot. After my family immigrated to Canada, I am walking left side. Even though my brain wants to follow the different rules between Korea and Canada, my body doesn’t move very well. So many times I had experienced almost hit the other people. Whenever I walk the street with my kids, they talk to me keep to the right. Then I can do that with deep concentration, but it happens again for me when I am alone. It looks like a kind of small incident, but it can make big trouble under the unexpected situation. Therefore I have to change my body system even using by force. When in Rome, do as Romans do. (211 words)
Different education methods between Canada and China
When I visited my daughter’s classroom in Vancouver at first time, I was astonished by their desks’ arrangement. All students’ desks and chairs were arranged two circles; the teacher’s desk was in the centers. All the children were sat on the carpet listening to the teacher’s lecture. When the teacher provided questions and asked who want to answer the question, some students raised their hands highly and even stood up to make themselves outstanding. The teacher smiled and did not care students’ behavior – standing up or sitting down. Some students chatted and debated some import issues they thought. The atmosphere was very active and all the students seemed very free and happy from their faces.
However, you will never see the above active and magical scene in Chinese classroom, because everything was completely different from Canada. I took part in several classes when my daughter was in Grade 1 and 2. All the desks and chairs are orderly arranged 6 lines; each line included 6 rows, just like a square. The teacher’s desk was at the front of the classroom. All the pupils sat down quietly and straightly. If someone talked at the class, the teacher would pause and blame him/her. When the teacher asked somebody to answer questions, the pupils only raised their hand straightly and their elbows could not allow to leave the surface of the desks. If some naughty boys were exciting to stand up or raise their hands highly, then the teacher will criticize them strictly. All the students seemed very docile in classroom.
As parents, I really appreciate the Canadian active atmosphere in classroom and education methods, which can inspire children’s creativity and free jocund spirit. Thankfully, we were luck to choose to come to the native and free land.
295 words
Mahjong are Chinese’s Poker Game
It is a common game for Chinese to play the Mahjong. Mostly it needs four peoples to join the game. It may consider as gambling but we treat it like a social game like Bridge. It’s unusual to see any Caucasian playing Mahjong, but it is easy to see all the Asian face in casino everywhere.
When I was 7 years old, my grandmother taught me playing Mahjong game because they need extra person to make it 4.
4 persons will make sure the Mahjong will have equal chance of show up on the table. What I played in Taiwan, we got 16’s Mahjong instead of other Chinese playing is 13’s Mahjong. The rules are much simplified, but more difficult to ‘WHO”. “who” is the only way to win. You win and you must call out”who”, then you collect you chips by calculating how many “TAI” you got. The more “TAI” you got, the more money you win.
I had put my son in test of playing Mahjong as a method of learning Chinese. You have to overcome the barrier of knowing about 7 Chinese Characters which might look the same for the people who never learn Chinese. Once you overcome the learning of this seven Characters, you are half way to play Mahjong. The sibling will discuss all the family matters on the table. The winner has to buy us some good foods and drinks. If some friends get together, it will be a good place to exchange information of job market and other useful messages.
If you are interested in learning Chinese, I suggest you start to play Mahjong on line. It will be more fun for a kick starting, otherwise it will be too boring and complicated to learn the handwriting of Chinese characters.
Words counts:302
The Special Night
The last night of the year is very important to us to celebrate and welcome the new year . There are many things to do in that time like having a big dinner with family, cleaning the house, waiting the first minute of the new year. Everybody is busy and excited.
First, we have a splendid dinner with whole family at the last night of the year. Usually, we have 12 dishes for the dinner at least. Three of the most important dishes are fish, white and green vegetable, and ten mix vegetable. Those are lucky dishes to a family or personal in next year. For example, fish and remain are homonyms in Chinese, so people do not eat fish in this dinner because they hope they could keep many good things in the new year. If you eat white and green vegetable, you will be a stainless person, and you will have a magnificent and colorful life in the new year if you eat the ten mix vegetable dish. This is the most important dinner which we have been expecting every year.
After the abundant dinner, we clean the house and throw out all the garbage away that means we shall throw out all the bad things of the whole year . We also have to hide the shape tools like knife, scissors, and needle because we can not use and see those tools in the first day of the new year. People hope they could avoid some bad or dangerous things happen in the new year. We have to take a bath and dress new clothes to wait the new year coming. Every one is busy after dinner.
Finally, the first minute of the new year comes, we turn on all the lights and open all the windows because we hope the god of the spring could comes to our house. My mother will take a egg to test if the god of the spring is coming to our house. If the egg can stand up for a while that means the god of the spring is coming. Everyone will play the game or watch special TV show in order to stay with the beginning of the new day. People hope they could be a diligent person, so nobody will go to bed early this night.
Having a abundant dinner, cleaning the house, and waiting a new year are very important things to do at the last night of the year. We start to celebrate and welcome the new year from this night. It is a different culture with Canada. I think we obtain more lucky and fun in that night.
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