My classmates’ presentations were all very interesting and informing. The informing part came from the facts that they shared; the interesting part was how they presented those facts. I could sense their interpretation and interest in the culture by the certain facts they chose to emphasize and through their actions, gestures, tone, and other subtle ways they gave the information.
I often hear that Germany is known for their beer culture, and well I guess that wasn’t a stereotype. But, I didn’t think that there was another level of sophistication beyond that. The fact that German Carnival is a nationally recognized event dedicated to dancing, alcohol, and other festivities shows that it isn’t all about drinking but rather the social aspects. They’ve even started educating foreigners about cultural norms during the carnival, which means it’s such a big deal that it’s making foreigners curious. And, that’s a good sign because it’s promoting diversity.
Coming from an Asian background, I could draw many parallels between Korean culture and my Chinese culture as I listened to the presentations. But I’d say the popular culture is something very unique in Korea. South Korea is well-known for their skincare products, pop music, and TV dramas, and it seems (to me at least) to be one of the most modernized Asian countries that doesn’t give in too much to western influence. In other words, they have interpreted the modern times in their own way and that’s reflected in their cultural products (i.e. art, fashion, music, etc.).
I’ve always been a fan of folktales and Greek mythology, so hearing about Pakistani myths was fun. I like when the main character is the villain, because then the story is less predictable and the villain gets to be portrayed as someone with human qualities. Plus, I don’t like having happy endings all the time.
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