Essay

The Importance of Intercultural-Communication (by Michiyo)

A few years ago, I began my volunteer job as an interpreter at Fukushima International Association. The opportunities to communicate with foreigners have gradually increased. During the first year, it was all I could do to introduce Japanese culture. Recently I have noticed some important things through my experiences. When I try to communicate with the people from other countries, it is really important to know their culture. For example, when I introduced Shodo, or calligraphy done with a brush and ink, I had to explain about Koukotsubun, or characters inscribed in a bone and tortoise-shell, as the oldest calligraphy form. First I had no idea how to explain this effectively. One year I did it by comparing with Egyptian hieroglyphs. In only a few minutes, I could explain very quickly and successfully. The other important thing is to know what an English word actually means in the native's culture. If this is not considered, the English word itself might cause a misunderstanding. I'd like to talk about my blunder.

Several years ago, I took twenty-three Canadian students and two teachers to Minka-en, an exhibition of Japanese traditional farmer's house, Mt. Azuma, and Mochizuri kannon. On our way to Mochizuri, there was a lot of time, so I began to teach some Japanese conversation sentences. For example, Konnichiwa, Arigatou, Sayounara, and so on. The students were so excited passing the portable microphone one by one. Mochizuri was coming soon. I had to explain about it as a Buddhist temple and romantic legend connected with Buddhism before we arrived there. I told them we would finish the Japanese conversation class and have Japanese history class. However, they didn't stop chatting, so I said, "Shizukani. Shizukani. " in Japanese on purpose. Most students stopped talking because they could not understand what I said. Then I taught them that Shizukani in Japanese means to be quiet in English. At that time I said," Shut up" with a loud voice. Then an unexpected thing happened. They all fell dead quiet. Even the two teachers did the same. One of the teachers took the microphone and seriously told the students that I was going to explain about the temple and that would be the most sacred place for Japanese people. I felt the atmosphere had totally changed. Anyway, I began to talk about the romantic legend associated with Mochizuri ishi in the strange silence. That night I asked one of the students, who stayed at my house for five days, why they had changed so quickly. According to him, the students and the teachers thought that I got angry because I used the word "Shut up." That word has a strong meaning. I didn't know that at all. I used that unconsciously because my former English teacher had used to say that whenever the junior high school students including me had not stopped chatting. I didn't know at all what "Shut up" actually means in the native's culture. Maybe my former English teacher didn't either. I was really embarrassed about my mistake. I blamed my teacher. However, it was too late. The next day, when I met the students at their farewell party, I told them I had not got angry and I had just asked them to be quiet. The students surrounding me smiled, and one of the students told me," Sasukene. Sasukene." I was really surprised. Sasukene, which means "don't worry", is one of the Aizu dialects in Fukushima. He had learned that word in Aizu before he came to Fukushima. Anyway I felt relieved a little. Through my experiences, I really thought about the importance of intercultural-communication.

The difference of the way of thanks (by Mikio )

 I think there is the difference of the way of expressing the feeling of thankfulness to others, between Japanese and native English speakers.

When many Japanese people meet someone, they often say as greeting, “Thank you very much for the kindness you extended to me the other day.” or “I’m appreciating your treating me every time”. On this case, it is not important whether or not there really has been any real “osewa” done!

For example, when we meet someone with who we enjoyed a drinking party the night before, we usually say once more the next morning, “Thank you very much for last night.” But it looks different from native English speakers’ way of thinking. Thanks are expressed at the end of the party the night before and usually that is enough. Japanese think we are really appreciated when someone says appreciative words again. If we have not heard any words at a later date, we wonder wether the person was not satisfied with the treatment at the party, the night before.

I have hosted some native English speakers in my house. We enjoy hosting with them and are unwilling to part from them every time after delightful days. When they leave my home, they say their hearty thanks and gratitude in words. But we rarely ever get a thank-you letter from them. Japanese are satisfied for the first time when we get letter from them after they return home. If we have not got any letters, we wonder whether they were not satisfied with our treatment. But native English speakers maybe think that thanks are expressed at the end of the homestay and that is enough.

 I think that the way of expressing feeling of thankfulness is based on the difference of the way of thinking. Many Japanese people go back in time and express thanks for something that was done for them in the past. Whenever we meet someone, we usually think in our mind, “I wonder if I have something to thank someone for?” Meanwhile, I get the impression that native English speakers are more reasonable than Japanese. They don’t go back and forth in times as often as the Japanese.

I think that this difference sometimes gives rise to misunderstandings or gaps between foreigners and Japanese. Then what should we do to resolve these misunderstandings or gaps?

 My answer is that we should make an effort to understand and respect these differences each other. My favorite English idiomatic phrase says, “imagine yourself in the someone else's shoes”. (If we put on an other’s shoe, we might catch an athlete's foot infection!!) Joking aside, if we put on an other’s shoe, we can come along and become happy with each other.

 Foreigners should understand the Japanese way of thinking and learn how to express the Japanese way of thanks. Japanese life is more comfortable that way. When in Rome, do as the Romans do! When in Japan, do as the Japanese do! Meanwhile, Japanese should understand foreigner’s reasonable thinking and not expect repeats of foreigner’s thanks. Don’t take it amiss or feel sad if you don’t have any thanks from foreigners again. They have already expressed their thanks enough.

 Lastly, if you can make the effort to understand and respect these differences in each other, you can put your differences aside.
 Let’s put on an other’s shoe!