Internationalization equals entertainment!
from the 9/02 paper Ibaraki Report
 |
The winner of the Japanese Speech Contest tells us what he thinks about internationalization, Japanese-style.
Mr. Raymond TAN Lee Hun came to Japan 10 years ago, and he is now studying for his Masters Degree in Communication Studies at Ibaraki University. He won first prize in the Japanese Speech Contest held in Ōsaka in July. In this article, he tells us what the speech was about and shares his thoughts about real internationalization.
Why did you decide to come to Japan?
When I graduated from high school, I decided I wanted to live on my own to see how much I could achieve without relying on my parents. So, I thought the best solution was to go overseas. I chose Japan for several reasons. Japan as a country appealed to me. Also, because I am Chinese-Malaysian, I thought there would be a lot of common ground between Chinese and Japanese culture.
Did you have any Japanese language skills before coming to Japan?
No, the only word I knew was "Arigato-Gozaimasu" (ありがとうございます or "Thank you.") I could understand and write Chinese characters, but I had to study very hard to make myself understood in Japanese. When I first arrived in Japan, I studied at a language school in Nara prefecture for two years to learn Japanese. While I was studying I had a part-time job; it was there that I really started to learn to speak Japanese, as I had to struggle to make myself understood. If you don't speak the language aloud, you won't improve! When I came to Japan, I was surprised to find that few people could speak English. I had thought that English was the international language. I also had heard that Japanese mainly study English from junior high school.
Do you have many Japanese friends?
Yes, but we don't talk much on a personal level. We talk about films. TV programs, restaurants, and so on. They don't tell me their plans for the future or offer their opinions on political issues. I often meet many middle-aged women while participating in international activities, but their husbands and children don't seem to be interested.
The title of your winning speech was "Internationalisation equals Entertainment" (in Japanese, 国際交流と書いてエンターテインメントと読む). Could you explain it for us?
People have their own ideas, and sometimes our ideas clash, but the important thing is that we learn to appreciate differences. However, sometimes I find that people in Japan don't agree. For example, sometimes I am asked to cook Malaysian curry, but they always say, "Are you sure you have to use so much curry powder for the curry?" (="Don't make it so hot!"), "How about using meat without bones? It's easier to eat." (=Don't use meat with bones in it"). However, this is not a Malaysian curry, it's a JAPANESE STYLE Malaysian curry. Basically, I think that they just want to escape from their busy lives, so they use "Internationalization" as an entertainment to refresh themselves. Hence my title, "Internationalization equals Entertainment".
During my time in Japan I have stayed with some Japanese families through home stay schemes. However, I was usually left in the dining room while the mothers worked in the kitchen preparing meals. Usually I was left alone with the fathers who tried hard to engage me in a somewhat one-way conversation about their work, which was hard to understand as it usually contained a lot of technical vocabulary. The kids were rarely around as they were busy doing whatever. When I left, they probably gave a huge sigh of relief, "Oh dear!" This is not what I want to do while I am home-staying! My parents taught me how to cook, clean, and do household chores, so I would like to participate in the daily household routine, get to know the people; and learn more about Japanese life through doing things together; but I couldn't. When I am staying with a family, I would like to be treated as a member of the family rather than as a guest.
Perhaps, some Japanese misunderstand the meaning of HOMESTAYING?
That is another problem, in Japan, homestay families are often asked to be hosts, rather than volunteer to be hosts. So they feel if they don't act politely, and treat the homestay person as a guest, it may reflect badly on the organization organizing the exchange.
In your opinion, what is ideal internationalization?
I think we need to appreciate other people's opinions. We have different views, and it is not necessary to integrate them. Sometimes we give them, sometimes we take them. I can't really give any specific examples right now; we just have to keep talking in order to understand other people's points of view.
When you invite foreigners into your home, try to treat them like a family member rather than a guest. Allow them to become involved in the daily routine of the household. Steer away from one-way conversations, try to chat about things that may be of interest to both the speaker and the listener, and encourage international understanding.
