2026 WeiJiang's Blog

 When I first came to Japan, I noticed something very different compared to Malaysia. In Malaysia, it is normal to invite friends to our house. Sometimes we suddenly ask our friends to come over, eat together, or just spend time chatting. However, in Japan, inviting someone into your home feels much more special and personal. I watched some videos about Japanese invitation culture, and I learned that many Japanese people do not easily invite others to their homes. One reason is because Japanese houses and apartments are usually small, so people may feel embarrassed about the limited space. Another reason is that Japanese people value privacy very much. Their home is considered an important private space that is only shared with close friends or family members. I also learned about the concept of “uchi” and “soto,” which means “inside” and “outside.” In Japanese culture, people slowly build trust before letting someone become part of their “inside” circle. Because of this, relatio...

 Here we go again one vlog one week! I want to mention that I wasn’t in the class last session, but based on what I read in the document and slides, I learned a lot about cultural awareness and communication between different cultures. In this lesson, the topic was Cultural “Other” Awareness and Cultural Perspectives. Cultural awareness means understanding and respecting the similarities and differences between cultures. Different countries have different ways of communicating, behaving, and interacting with people. By understanding these differences, we can communicate better and reduce misunderstandings or prejudice. One part of the lesson talked about how people act in social situations. For example, when riding an elevator with strangers, some people may smile, make eye contact, or start small talk, while others may avoid eye contact and look at their phones. I think this depends a lot on culture and personality. In Japan, people are usually quieter and more respectful of per...