Intercultural differences can be an interesting phenomenon to observe. It helps us to know more about others’ cultures, and it is always a good way to foster new friendships by showing interest and indulging in their unique practices.
I have had ample opportunities to observe differences in cultures since my university life because I stay in a multi-cultural hostel. For me, it is an invaluable experience as students from different countries and walks of life gather in a same hall and get to know each other. Being hall residents, we have a lot of activities to bond us together, and naturally we get to know people from other countries.
I have observed one interesting difference between the practice of Chinese from my country and those from the Republic of China. I have observed my friends from China preparing dumplings when Chinese New Year was approaching. According to the culture of my country, we prepare cookies and rice cakes to celebrate this important occasion.
Their practice of cooking dumplings for the celebration aroused my curiosity. I attempted to ask if they knew anything about New Year cookies and rice cakes, and apparently there were no such practices in their hometowns. It was an enjoyable experience when I learned to make dumplings from them while I shared the delicacies from my hometown with them.
From this example, we can see the deviation of cultures from place to place, even though we are celebrating the same occasion. Without communication, we may never know the existence of other unique practices. While exploring these interesting cultures, we are able to know more about our friends from other cultures, if not fostering invaluable new friendships.
Hi Edward!
ReplyDeleteStaying in hall has also opened my eyes to the various different cultures in the multi-cultural "population" in hall! No doubt there might be some habits that we might find unpleasant, it is important to know that such differences arose due to intercultural differences and we should be accommodating towards people from different cultures!
Looking past these differences can actually allow us to learn more about other cultures, such as those you have mentioned in your blog post - learning to prepare dumplings from our friends from China!
I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed yourself during your experience interacting with people from different cultures. Thumbs up!
Cheers,
Qianwen
Hi Edward,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that if one did not take the initiative to find out more from our foreign counterparts, we will not be able to understand the cultural differences and thus, unnecessary conflicts that could have been avoided might arise easily.
I'm surprised that you'd take the initiative to get to know your Chinese friends better from something as simple and trivial as celebrating Chinese New Year. Personally, I would not have noticed because I'm so used to having the same traditions every single year so I'd assume that they have the same traditions.
Thanks for pointing out that even minor cultural differences are worth investigating and appreciating.
Regards,
Mel
Hi Edward,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that observing intercultural differences is interesting and is a good way to foster new relationships with people. Being receptive about them is an important step in developing such relationships.
I find it fascinating that, despite being from the same race, our cultures differ quite vastly. However, being Chinese allows us to be easily receptive towards the different cultures, in your case, the cooking of dumplings instead of rice cakes and cookies. Personally, I love to eat the dumplings and it is also common in my family that we have boiled dumplings during Chinese New Year. We therefore adopt certain cultures sometimes without consciously knowing it.
I thought that it was a good experience to learn to make dumplings and it shows that being receptive lets you see and learn more, as well as being more appreciative of your own culture. Your exploration definitely would broaden your perspectives and general knowledge too!
Cheers,
Siyuan
Dear Edward,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that without communication, it is hard to foster good relations.
Have you thought that food is one of the best ways to bring people together? Sharing food with a stranger or offering someone food at your table tells them that you are welcoming of him or her. I believe that this has a biological origin as primates in the wild usually show signs of guarding their food resources against strangers and conversely, sharing these resources with their own tribe members.
Kim Soon