Boymamのブログ

Bmam is going to tell you about one of her experience on
difficulty with intercultural communication.

*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。

Bmam had many friends before going to the States
(the United States of America).
The friends were from Australia, Britain, Canada, US and New Zealand.

Bmam enjoyed teaching them flower arrangement
and outings with them here in Nagoya,
visiting restaurants, museums,
shrines and temples,
baseball games and shopping.

But all of them have been back to their homes
for more than ten years ago.
(This is an old story.)

*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜


(Bmam flew from Narita to Brussels , and to Manchester by herself.)

Bmam visited a friend of those, Liz in Chester, England
form April 24 to May 15 in 1995 and in August, 1998.



(a butcher in down town Chester)


(a sign of Maiden Castle where Loyal family once visited)

One day in 1995, Liz planned a pub hopping for Bmam.
Liz tried how many pubs we could go in one night.


(Walfeld Gate. we walked on the top of this wall.)

Over 30 people joined the plan.
They are many British, some French, some Spanish
and one Japanese people, that was Bmam.



They visited more than ten pubs that night.


But all did not look drunken at all.
You know, Western people are usually stronger
to alcohol than the Japanese.

Only seven people remained at the last place.
It was almost two o'clock in the morning.
And all the seven went to an Indian restaurant.

When they were waiting for their dishes,
Francois, a young French boy asked Bmam,
" What do you think about the Chinese?"

Bmam answered diplomatically (carefully).
He was not satisfied with Bmam's response.
So, he asked the same question again and again.
He seemed to expect Bmam to answer something criticizing the Chinese.
But Bmam didn't do so.


Francois questioned Bmam furiously.
Bmam gradually got uncomfortable and argued, might be, in a lauder voice.

All the customers in that restaurant were all ears.

What's the outcome?

Liz suddenly shouted, " We are the children of universe."

Then, all the audience in the restaurant
clapped their hands with applause.

Francois shut his mouth. So did Bmam.

Later Bmam thought that she shoud have asked Francois
what to hear from Bmam.


( Thorntons confectionery; British favorite chocolate shop)
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Since then Bmam had a concern about Chinese people and the government.

As for appearance, the Chinese looks like the Japanese.
But it is very hard for Bmam to understand them well.

Those day in 1995, Chaina, (People's Republic of China)
was not a world economic power like it is now.

What China was before 2000.

Although Chinese government shifted its

economic policy
from central planning to market-oriented socialism in mid 1980s,
it was still under development in 1995.

On the other hands, the government crushed the pro-democracy protests
at Tiananmen-Square in 1989. (by page 752, The World Almanac)

Do you know the event?

At that crush, 5000 died and 10000 were injured.

As a result,
China was declined to host the 2000 Olympic Games by the Olympic Commitee,
because of the event, saying violating human rights.

*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。*゜*。

Are you with Bmam?
May be, Bmam talks too much.

Is it a bit difficult for you to read?
Sorry for that.

Bmam will talk to you later.
Be careful not to catch a cold.

By the way,
Bmam is going to have her computer fixed.

So she will not write articles for a while,
say, ten days or so.

But she can reply to your comments from another computer.

So leave your message in a comment box.
Bmam will be happy with your comments.

(^.^)/~~~

Bmam has not seen you for a while.
How are you?
Bmam visited Tanzania Day held in Nagoya.

Do you know about Tanzania?
Tanzania is located in Eastern part of African continent.
And it shares the border with Kenya.
Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is popular.

What kind of images do you have about African countries, there?
Bmam has the image; a lot of wild animal, deserts, spacy plains and jungle covered with greens.

Tanzania is exactly what Bmam images.
There are many national parks, such as Serengeti National Park, a reserve for wild animals.


At the festival, Bmam saw very bright pictures called "Tingatinga"

Bmam talked with an Tingatinga artist.
He painted many flowers and wild animals.
Bmam asked him about the flower's name in a picture.
He answered, "it's a flower, African flower."
What!?

Later, Bmam found that in Tanzania flowers don't have special names.
Because they are not useful.
While, animals have names.
Because they are edible, useful for living.

Bmam enjoys Tanzanian tea and coffee.
Asante (= thank you in Swahili.)

Bmam will be seeing you sooner.
kwa heri ( = sayonara in Swahili)
(^.^)/~~~