Salvador NavaWLC 400 Major Capstone

MLO 5: Cultural Immersion and Language Internalization

LESCANT Photo ProjectLanguage – The cultural effects of Language go beyond the simple matter of speaking different languages. This area includes issues such as being identified as an insider or outsider, who decides which language to speak, the position of power based on language use, and linguistic ethnocentrism (we all think our language is somehow the best). Photographs in this section also show the way language is used in different cultures. Sometimes cultures differ because of language differences. These include attitudes about your own language, insider relationships for those who speak a foreign language, decisions related to which language is used, and how to speak in ways that others will understand you.

(Left, Plus Mint) This was a very delicious mint chocolate that came to stores around summer time. It was actually very fitting as it left one feeling refreshed after eating it. I found the way English was used on the wrapper very interesting. Overall it makes sense, but there is something funny about the word choice.

(Right, You Can’t Choice) This is a picture of some merchandise at an animate store in Japan. The product was a box that had a random charm or toy in the box. The sign was trying to communicate that you don't have a choice was to which charm you will get when you buy one of the boxes. Despite the awkward choice of words, they were able to convey their message.

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Salvador NavaWLC 400 Major Capstone

(Left, More Than One Language) This is a photo of a sign at a park in Yokosuka. I found it interesting that they displayed the sign in more than one language, which is not that uncommon in Japan. At least for signs they want foreigners to pay attention to. If one lives in Tokyo one can find many signs that are displayed in more than one language. Particularly stores where they may expect a lot of foreign clients, I noticed that Akihabara had a lot of English signs in certain stores. Akihabara in general seems like a tourist spot, so there are always lots of foreigners around that area. This isn’t the only park I found with English on it in parks. The fact that it has French on it makes it a little different from the rest of the signs which usually only display Japanese and English.

(Right, Fireworks in Kitasenju) This is a picture of an event that a Japanese friend organized for a bunch of Japanese students and study abroad students. It was a very wonderful event and I met many new friends through it. I chose this picture for language, because I remember that while I was there I had learned some new words that I had not known prior to attending this event. It was also towards the end of my study abroad, so I felt like I was really at the top of the language compared to when I first came to Japan. I was also able to keep up a conversation with some of the new Japanese friends I made thatnight.

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Salvador NavaWLC 400 Major Capstone

Environment – This includes such things as the physical traits of a location (e.g., size of an office), the effects of climate, topography, population, and the use of space. It also includes the perception the use of technology in changing the physical surroundings. Photographs in this section show some of these physical items. This includes the physical reality such as size, surroundings, population density, climate, food, topography, etc. This includes such things as the physical traits of a location (e.g., size of an office), the effects of climate, topography, population, and the use of space. It also includes the perception the use of technology in changing the physical surroundings. Photographs in this section show some of these physical items.

(Left, Shrine in the City)

This is a garden that can be found in Yushima Tenmangu. Lots of people visit this shrine, especially during examination season, as this shrine is devoted to a scholastic god. The shrine right in the middle of the big city is very beautiful, it exhibits lots of natural scenery; it is a stark contrast to all that is around it. I feel like this was a very common thing around Tokyo, as I always found all these little natural nooks in

the megalopolis. It was very interesting to and astounding to find both of these forces coexisting within the same place. Usually I would think of nature in a more secluded way. I separate it from the city, but here it is actually in the city.

(Right, Night Scenery in Yokohama)

This picture was taken in one of the tall buildings in Yokohama, Kanagawa. The lights of all the buildings in the city look very beautiful. The Ferris wheels illumination makes it look even more beautiful. Even though this is not Tokyo, this type of scenery is very common and easily findable. I was used to seeing buildings that were very tall, especially in areas such as Shinjuku, Ueno, and Ikebukuro. I recommend this scenery to everyone, it is beautiful in person.

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Salvador NavaWLC 400 Major Capstone

(Left, Snow)

It was interesting to experience snow for the first time in Japan. I walked outside one night and saw it fall and accumulate on the garden under my dorm. It looked really beautiful, and the garden still looked beautiful despite being covered in snow. This was the first time I Experience snow in my life, and it was a very fun experience. I was also able to make a snowman and play around it the snow

with all the other exchange students. However it was also very cumbersome at times, as when I would have to walk to school I would sometimes trip on the ice that froze over the night, and the fall would hurt a lot. It was interesting to see some people; especially shop owners clean the snow right outside their shops.

(Right, Nature in Kyoto)

I went to Kyoto with a friend. It was really fun, and I also noticed a lot of nature that was mixed in with the buildings. It really reminded me of the fact that a lot of Japanese gardens often have a feeling of symbiosis with nature, while they are made by humans they are often made to be harmonious with nature. Such that in this picture we can see a manmade structure that has a tree branch growing right through it. This whole idea really brings that whole concept home.

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Salvador NavaWLC 400 Major Capstone

Social Organization – There are many ways that society can be subdivided into groups: kinship and family, education, class, religion, occupation, and gender. Tendencies towards individualism versus collectivism also fall under this category, as does how we use our free time. This refers to how society is put together. This includes family, education, role of women, class systems, individualism, religion, etc.

(Left, Club)

This is a picture of some of the group members that were part of club I wasin. We meet on a weekly basis, and we often watched movies, went tokaraoke, and went on many excursions around Kanto. The Japanese people inthe club were the people who organized most of the events, every now andthen me or some other study abroad student would organize something too.

This group effort to make excursion and events for our club really showsintercultural communication and organization.

(Right, GIO Farewell)

This is a picture of the farewell party that the Global Initiatives Office threw for the study abroad students. The GIO has been continuously hosting and arranging several events for the foreign exchange students. Their efforts to accommodate us always amazed me. They always helped us whenever we had trouble with anything. I feel like this shows an aspect of social organization, a part of Japan that works towards expanding their cultureand making sure it reaches many people and many other cultures.

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Salvador NavaWLC 400 Major Capstone

(Left, Irish Parade)

This was a parade that occurred in Shibuya. I don't know who organized it,but it was a very big parade, several streets were shut down for it. It goes to show that there are many groups out in Japan that do make their presence known, and it just isn't the Irish, there are many other groups out there who are also organizing several similar events. This kind of parade is organized every year, and one

of the clubs that I was during my time at Toyo always attends this parade. It was very fun participating in this event. I think it was also a great way to demonstrate the international exchange that is going on in Japan.

(Right, Fireworks II)

The fireworks from this event were organized by the city. It was a very beautiful presentation of fireworks. I find it amazing that these government organizations are constantly organizing events for people. This is especially true of festivals, or matsuri. They are constantly held across many towns and cities across Japan. All of these events are organized by the people living in those places. The effort it must take for people to get together and organize these events must be very time consuming, and for it to happen constantly every year is amazing.

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Salvador NavaWLC 400 Major Capstone

Context – Context refers to how much people depend on overt communication (e.g., the actual words spoken, the items written, or rules followed) versus a communication that relies on stored information gained from personal relationship and interactions. Thus “low context” cultures depend less on the context while “high context” cultures rely on stored information for their communication. Issues related to face-saving and politeness is often tied to our understanding of Context. This refers to how directly people communicate ideas and words versus how important it is to build a “context” within that communication. Low context cultures focus on the actual words that are spoken, the rules that are written. Those words and rules determine appropriate behavior. High context cultures focus on the situation and shared knowledge, which is what will determine appropriate behavior.

(Left, Washing One’s Hands)

This picture was taken at a festival event during the summer in Nezu. I actually lived very close to this shrine. I saw people wash their hands atthis station right before entering a certain part of the shrine. I just stayed and watched a little bit, and then I proceeded to do the same. There wasno verbal or written communication involved. This can be applied to many situations that I encountered while I was in Japan. I was able to

learn how to do several things by just simply observing other people do them before I did them. I think this is a great experience and I was able to apply it to many other facets of Japanese culture while I was abroad, and I can continue to apply it to situations even here in the states.

(Right, Omikuji)

This was at a shrine called Yushima Tenmangu. It is a shrine that is dedicated to a scholarly god, so this place receives a lot of traffic during test taking season. I bought an omikuji and opened it to find out that I received the best luck. I was able to buy an omikuji because it didn't require any kind of complex interaction. It was actually simple, all I had to do was put money in a box and draw from a box.

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Salvador NavaWLC 400 Major Capstone

(Left, Temple in Asakusa)

This is a temple in Asakusa, towards the end of this picture is a giant crate-like object where one throws in money and makes a prayer. I stood andwatched people do this for a while, and then did so myself. There were also Japanese students along with me so I asked them how to do it. I was able to gather lots of information on how to go about praying at this temple just by

looking at other people do it.

(Right, Ridiculously Expensive)

These stickers that we found in Nakano Broadway were extremely expensive.You don't need to understand how much the ratio between yen and dollars were to know that it was expensive. From the atmosphere of most of theshops around, especially the shop that these stickers were in, there were alot of collectibles left and right.

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Salvador NavaWLC 400 Major Capstone

Authority – Definitions and expectations of authority and power are based on culture. Issues related to decision making, use of titles, leadership style all fit in the category of Authority. This category also included Power Distance, related to how much subordinates may influence and interact with their superiors. This category deals with the role of authority figures and how power and decision making is accomplished. Authority also looks at leadership style and the relationship between bosses and their subordinates.

(Left, Leadership)

This is a statue in Yokosuka. It was part of a museum on a battleship. I don't remember who exactly the statue is of, since at the time I only read it and I've since then forgotten who it is. But this picture shows how important this guy must have been especially for this museum, he must have had some profound existence during the Russo-Japanese war. But not just here, all over Japan you can find statues of many prominent

figures. At Toyo University there is a statue of Enryo.

(Right, Ueno Station)

The metro system, the lives of many depend on it. Many people use the trains in Tokyo to go to school, go to work, to go to events, and to hang out with friends. It is a very intricate and very detailed system that can seem very intimidating at first, but after living there for a while and using cellphone technology one is able to conquer this system and use it to their own advantage.

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Salvador NavaWLC 400 Major Capstone

(Left, Ema in Kyoto)

I took this picture while I was in Kyoto. These ema boards really struck a chord with me. I found that interesting and I was instantly drawn to them upon seeing them. Japanese must believe in some higher power or some authority enough to the point where they will write down their wishes on a board and then hang it on this wall. Some of the ema boards are very beautifully decorated with designs. Some

people use their talent and draw on them as well. I found the handwriting on many of them to be very beautiful.

(Left, Making Sure)

This is a picture of a bunch of bad fortunes tied up on a string by people. People who received a bad fortune will usually tie up that fortune on this string. By doing so, they are warding it off and canceling it. This is a custom. Once again, I see authority in this picture in that Japanese must believe in some form of higher power that is somehow helping them get rid of the bad fortune that they may have received.

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