Blogs

I truly enjoyed learning about different cultural aspects of my peers' self-directed languages. In particular, Krystin's presentation on Hindu weddings in India was very informative as well as visually stimulating with colorful, expressive pictures.Firstly,  Krystin let us know that weddings in India are major events and usually last a full week and involve 500-1000 guests. The family is heavily involved in the entire process. 

Krystin explained to us that the actual ceremony is immersed in symbolism and ritual. For example, I did not know that the bride is often given a necklace (instead of a wedding ring), and the scarf of the woman is tied to the man’s headpiece. Therefore the bride and groom “tie the knot” in both a literal and figurative manner.

I especially appreciated how Krystin illuminated both the good and bad sides to Indian Hindu weddings. They are beautiful and grand affairs involving family and loved ones. Yet statistics have shown that, "Every 90 minutes a bride is burned in India. 107,000 brides are killed each year in dowry violence." Therefore it is important to note how gendercide continues to be a prevalent issue in India and other parts of the world. This was a great distinction to make for the thesis of her presentation.

1. doktor = f. hastane

2. öğretmen = e. okul

3. eczacı = c. eczane

4. kasiyer = a. market

5. tezgâhtar = ç. mağaza

6. postacı = g. postane 

7. garson = d. lokanta 

8. resepsiyonist = b. otel

genç = yaşlı

şişman = zayıf

mutlu = mutsuz

tembel = çalışkan

çirkin = güzel

fakir = zengin

uzun = kısa

dar = geniş

This week we are really starting to transition into speaking as much Swedish as possible in our group sessions. I feel pretty well prepared for this because I've been listening to a lot of Swedish books and watching Bron, the Swedish/Danish TV show. I think it won't be a problem to create sentences in Swedish because we've been doing so much practice. I do, however, think it might be a challenge to understand what Louise and Malory are saying in Swedish. But this is going to be great practice I think. Sink or swim!

I have also been learning a lot of grammar particulars outside our sessions and making sure I understand the sentence constructions that I'm reading. Making my own sentences using the grammar rules is helpful. Also, I was listening to a Swedish song the other day and recognized every word in the chorus. I was very proud! Also, I'm getting to the point where I can have a basic conversation about my day and ask my boyfriend about his day (in Swedish) so that's been pretty neat.

That said, the more I learn the more I feel as if I will never stop learning! I was texting my boyfriend the other day in English (and he is entirely fluent) and used a word that he had never heard before that I thought was pretty commonplace. So this just made me recognize that learning a language is a constant and never-ending process so I can never really say that one day in the future I will have learned all of Swedish because that's just not possible!

This week we got a chance to hear presentations about different aspects of students' target language cultures. The presentation about Indian weddings was fascinating given how lavish, valued, and expensive weddings are in Indian culture. I thought Kristen did a really good job of making comparisons between how much typical Americans vs. Indians make, but yet the amount of money Americans vs. Indians will spend on a wedding is huge. I also found it interesting to hear about the rituals associated with weddings such as the red dresses and the stepping patterns that a couple will take with different prayers said after each step. Kristen also did a really great job tying the topic of weddings to female justice issues via the concept of dowry deaths. I had no idea that men got paid to marry women and that they would be willing to kill if the amount of money wasn't sufficient.

Alan's presentation on Korean table manners was also really unique. It was very obvious that Korean is a culture that denotes a lot of respect towards elders as all table manners seem to rely on watching when the oldest person sits, what pace the oldest eats at, etc. I am a very fast eater so I thought the idea of having to keep pace with the oldest person at the table's eating pace would be challenging for me because I'd be tempted to eat a lot faster. The etiquette of receiving a drink and pulling up one sleeve was also something I'd never heard about and certainly something different from American culture.

This week we watched everyone present on a various topic in their target language’s culture. I enjoyed learning more about the Hindu Wedding practices that take place in India. It was surprising to hear how much money people spend for this event. We learned that the median income family will spend $34,000 on the wedding celebration. It was interesting to learn that the bride’s family pays for the entire wedding and they are responsible for paying the dowry to the husband’s family. This is a week-long celebration and the ceremony is made up of seven stages. There are around 500-1,000 guests in attendance. Although the dowry is outlawed, it is still practiced heavily today. Because of this, women are seen as a drain of resources to one’s family and they are seen as a negative contribution to one’s family. We learned that every 90 minutes, a bride is burned in India and that 107,000 brides are killed every year due to dowry violence. This presentation was very interesting and left me thinking more about the gender divide in India and how much of that is based on the wedding ceremony. 

1. Sen nerelisin? 

Ben Amerika'dan duyuyorum.

2. Evli misin?

 Hayır, ben evli değilim.

3. Siz Türkiye'de misiniz?

 Hayır, ben Türkiye'de değilim.

4. Yorgun musun?

Evet ben yoruldum.

5. Dersten sonra boş musun? 

Hayır, tabii ki sonra dersim var.

6. Bu akşam neredesin?

Yemek salonunda.

7. Çalışkan mısın? 

Evet ben çalışkan değilim.

8. Aç mısın? 

Evet ben açım.

9. Kaç yaşındasın? 

Ben 20 yaşındayım.

10. Hasta mısın?

Hayır, ben hasta değilim.

Adı: Emin 

Soyadı: Akcay

Adres: Gül Mahallesi. Yedince Sokak. No: 39 Emek/Ankara 

Telefon no: 05255609782

Geliş tarihi: 21.3.2014

Oda numarası: 320

Gün sayısı: 4

Resim 1'de yatak, yastıklar, traktörler, koltuk, lamba, ayna, ve pencere.

Resim 2'de yatak, koltuk, yastıklar, okul sırası, lamba, ve kupa.

Resim 3'te aynalar, çiçekler, koltuk, hali, yastıklar, lamba, ve çekmeceler.

Resim 4'te yatak, yastıklar, resimler, hali, okul sırası, koltuk, lambalar, ve dikmek.

Artifact #1

This week, we had presentations about each person's target language. I thought everyone's topics were all very interesting. I didn't realize how much work goes into preparing a house for a guest in Pakistan. I wonder whether this sort of process is the same throughout Pakistan, in which people from different social classes do this or only one particular class do it or is it done in certain parts of Pakistan.

I thought India's lunch messengers were really interesting. I didn't know that messengers would bring their lunches to them. It seems to be a really cheap form of delivery, but I do wonder what form of transport these messengers use. If the clients aren't bringing their lunches because of a lack of space and hindrance to getting on public transport, do these messengers have the same issue when delivering the lunches? Do they use the same transportation as the clients or something else? How many lunches do one messenger deliver? But overall the concept is great since food preparation can take a long time.

What is the fascination with western culture in Asian countries? It seems like light, fair skin is the number one desire for any Asian. Why is this so? It's so sad to see how social media has changed people's perception of themselves. While people can easily change their figure, skin tone is a different issue. It's harder to do so. It's definitely contradictory views. Western societies see dark skin color as pretty which is the complete opposite as non Western societies. But when thinking about this, it makes sense why this is so. People with pale skin color probably do not necessarily want it since they already have it. The same goes for someone who has dark skin color but doesn't want it. The real problem I see is that societies would judge a person poorly based on the color of their skin. They show preference for people of a certain tone, which is absolutely degrading for others. While judging a person by their appearance and beauty is not exactly ideal, it's better than being judged by skin tone. It just shows that India as well as other countries have a lot of work to do in order for all colors to be accepted as beautiful.

Last week I really enjoyed the cultural presentations. The one I found most interesting was Michelle's presentation on the food in Israel. Through her presentation I learned that there is a lot of diversity in the food in Israel, but that traditionally, the food is Mediterranean, ie. dates, olives, grapes, etc. I also learned that unlike the States, where dinner is the biggest meal, lunch is the most important meal and usually students are given 2-3 hours to go home for lunch. Religion also has impacted the food in Israel. Being predominately Jewish, it is less common to have pork on a menu, and most restaurants offer most or all Kosher selections. The coolest thing about the food, is that 70% of the food consumed by Israelis is produced in Israel. That is very appealing to me as I am a big fan of locally grown, organic products.

This next week in Hindi, I want to learn the basic colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, black, white, brown), body parts (hand, arm, feet, leg, head, hair, face, lips, ears, nose, mouth). To do this, I will look up the words for each of these colors in google translate, then I will put them into my flashcard App, and review them with myself and my tutor. I also want to be able to comfortably greet and ask how my Hindi partner is doing. I will do this by practicing the phrases I have learned, "Namaste!, Aap Kaisee hai?". 

When greeting someone, Koreans always bow. The same goes for when saying farewell to someone. Shaking hands is allowed but is usually done by men. When shaking, Koreans put their left hand on their right forearm to show respect. Never address Koreans with their given names, you have to address them by their professional titles. If I was to address someone who is a few years older than me, I would say unni to an older girl and oppa to an older guy. Using words like this man, that man, guy, fellow, etc are considered demeaning and not showing proper respect to individuals.

Touching is acceptable only under certain situations. Being touched by a stranger is unacceptable though as it is seen as being rude and impolite. On the contrary, touching a friend is allowed. Eye contact with older people is avoided as it is a sign of respect. If this is done in a business setting, they see it as a challenge. Whenever passing or receiving something, Koreans always use their right hand supported by left hand or both hands. Pointing with an index finger is never appropriate. If it's necessary to point, Koreans will point at the sky.

Building trust first is important among Koreans, which can only be done by establishing a relationship. A relationship and trust must be laid as the foundation for any conversation. Drinking and eating is the main way of building relationships with Koreans. Therefore when invited to eat, drink, or go out, always accept. Saying no to this is considered rude and an insult. Koreans avoid saying no, so yes doesn't mean that it is a yes. Never pour your own drink, but do pour others drinks. Refusing a drink is an insult. Talking at dinner is not common. Appearance is very important to Koreans. They always dress nicely or modestly. They tend to speak honestly especially when it comes to appearances. Additionally they will ask a lot of personal questions about someone's life.

Koreans hit their knees when they have come up with a new idea. Smiling is not very common in public. Any sort of communication is brief and to the point. Koreans view your treatment of their business card as a reflection of how you would treat them.

When reading about individualist and collectivist article, the U.S. is definitely an individualist country. Most Americans care only about themselves and act in a way that ultimately benefits them. On the contrary, most Asian countries are collectivist, South Korea including. Koreans view coworkers as part of a family. Therefore as a group everyone will go out to eat and drink together. It's an insult to your coworkers and the company if you refuse to hang out with them. Bonding time is absolutely crucial to Korean firms.

To show respect to your elders, Koreans bow every time they greet or say farewell to someone who is older. Touching is acceptable but only during certain times. In a business environment, touching is not acceptable. Koreans don't usually make eye contact with people unless they are friends or when it is necessary. In a business meeting, eye contact is avoided. Personal space must be honored for Koreans.

Koreans work the longest hours by far. They value their time and money. It explains why they also drink a lot. They have to let out so much pressure. Being late is considered rude.

I'm confused on the part about internal and external. Does it relate to religion? I think Koreans believe that their successes are based on their own effort. There is no outside force that controls whether they are successful or not. Nothing can stop them from achieving something if they work hard for it. What does locus of control mean? While most people would love to believe that they have good luck, it's not practical to think in this manner. Like what is said in most stories, your destiny is not set, it can be changed if you put your mind to it.

Koreans communicate directly, with low context. They are very honest and will speak their minds if necessary. They care a lot about appearance and so if someone is not looking right or good, they will directly tell the person what is wrong or how they should change.

This week we had presentations in class. I really enjoyed learning about the different cultures and customs. I was very surprised to find that plastic surgery is very common in Korea especially for pop stars. Also, the fact that not only females, but males are very concerned about their appearance. I found this interesting because my topic was about beauty in India and how dark skin is not considered attractive or beautiful. I did not know that there is a similar problem in Korea in terms or looking a certain way.

I also liked learning about K-Pop and how popular it has become world wide. I enjoyed watching the music video and learning how much work goes into being a pop-star in Korea.

Fatima's presentation on getting a Pakistani house ready for guests was something I could relate to. Many of the customs she discussed are similar to my own culture. My culture shares commonalities in bringing food over and talking continuously at the door.

I loved the idea of the lunch messengers in India. I was very surprised that I have not heard of them before. It is such a wonderful idea that the men are able to eat home cooked food that their wives make through the help of the messengers. It is amazing that they rarely make any mistakes in delivering the food.

110%20hindi%20intro-greeting.band.zip

110%20hindi%20intro-name.band.zip

A)   Current Abilities

1. basic auditive and speaking skills

B)   Goals

1. Small Talk
2. Asking the way
3. Buying food at the market/ bazar
4. Telling small stories
5. Learn more vocabulary
6. Being able to understand Bollywood movies (plot and basic conversations)

C)   Tasks

     1. identify typical phrases- learn phrases on omniglot.com and practice with language partner                                       

2. identify vocabulary and phrases- practice with my language partner and memorize phrases with flashcards

3. know what is sold in an Indian market and how payment is made (bargain or fixed prices?)- learn vocabulary (Indian vegetables, fruits, spices, numbers(1-10, 20, 30, ... 100, 1000)) and practice dialogue with language partner

4. focus on storytypes: What did you do during the holidays? How was your exchange semester? What did you do yesterday night? How was the party?- ask learning partner for help and memorize basic phrases (I danced with friends. We went to a famous club. I had a great time. etc.)

5. choose topics (numbers, feelings, weather)- memorize via ankisrs.net

6. identify frequently appearing phrases and vocabs- Watch Hindi movies with subtitles/listen to songs with lyrics and write phrases and vocabs down, practice them 

 Non-verbal communication is considered to be very important when talking to Indians. 

Thus, it is essential to follow certain rules described below:

First, men should not touch women for greeting or meeting in public nor vice versa.  

Second, shaking hands for greeting is acceptable although saying 'namaste' while slightly bowing your head with folded hands is prefered. This shows respect for Indian customs.

Third, showing affection in public is not proper.k

Moreover, it is rude to point at someone with a single finger. One should use the whole hand or the thumb.

Also, the left hand is considered to be unclean and one should never touch another person's head since this part of the body is holy to Indians.

In addition, when an Indian shakes his head in a slope looking like the infinity sign, he wants to say 'yes' whereas if an Indian says 'I will try', he acutally means 'no' in a polite way.

What is more, if a person is offered a 'chai' or a beverage, refusing it is impolite and could be interpreted as an offense.

This is similar when having food. The plate must always be clean since leaving food on the plate is offensive. 

To adress the time aspect: Meeting with friends or even business people is difficult. It might be true, that someone comes half an hour later than scheduled or does not show up at all. Another fact that explains some of the above customs is that India is focused on its past. That means it lays greater emphasis on traditions and long-term relationships. 

The presenations hold in class on Feb. 11 were fascinating. The topics ranged from South Corean cuisine to the concept of Beauty in India. Surprisingly all speakers were girls except me which I found quite interesting from an observer's point of view.

I liked Gargi's explanation right at the beginning of her presentation a lot. She concluded that from a country's cuisine one gets useful information about the country's geopgraphy and its climate. One point I missed, but which I remembered from my intercultural competence class back in Vienna, was this: The kind of a country's main grain, being its most important food, determines its mentality. This is either individualism or  collectivism. Since in most Asian countries people eat rice, they usually are collectivists due to the fact that planting rice needs lots of people whereas planitng wheat can be done by a few.

Moreover, I learned much from presentation about South Corea. I did not know that the cosmetic industry is so big over there and that especially men are concerned about their physical appearance. Also the distinction between discos and night clubs was interesting although I found it somewhat sad why girls go to the nightclubs. They seem to be exactly like a bordelle except they are free.