Understanding Conversations in Different Cultures
Unfortunately, I was not able to join the class last week. However, after reading the lecture slides and discussion questions by myself, I found the topic really interesting. The lesson about conversations and discussions made me think more deeply about how people communicate differently depending on culture, personality, and social environment. Even though I missed the class activities, I still learned a lot from the materials and reflected on my own experiences communicating with people in both Malaysia and Japan. One thing that interested me was the difference between casual conversations and discussions. Conversations are usually used to build relationships and make people feel comfortable, while discussions are more focused on exchanging opinions and ideas. In some cultures, especially Western countries, people are encouraged to express their opinions directly. However, in Japan and many Asian countries, harmony and politeness are often more important than open...