#2: Barnga

When I was 16 years old, I studied abroad in Hereford, the UK. I had been to Korea and Shingapore, but it was the first time for me to go to Europe and stay there. The life in the UK was completelly different from the life in Japan.

The thing that I faced firstly was currency. The UK has 4 types of bill and 8 types of coin. It was so complex and difficult for me to understand at that time. Of course I enjoyed shopping every day. But I actually did not know the  appropriate way of using money. Therefore I always used big bills and got the change and I always have a lot of coins. I just did not know how to use the coins and I was embbarasing to mistake in front of casher.

I was staying with big host-family which has British father, Chinese mother, two lovely sisters and  two Chinese exchange students. They all were always warm to me so I asked them how to use coins at home. I was kind of embarassing because the sisters are elementary school students and I was a high school student. I felt like as if I was very childish. However, they taught me how to use coins so kindly. Then I got it completely. I thanked them so much.

This makes me think back to the first time I played the Bargna game with my table mates and my AIMS during the game.

First I used Assimilation, because I felt like I was alone in the new group. I thought I had to be one of this group. But it was easier  than I had expected because the menbers are so welcomed. 

Then I used Integration, because I had to know the new rules. Sometimes I ask questions by gesture, then they told me that. At the same time, I quickly began to realize the rules in the first game.

Questions 

1.Do you believe your life is like the game Bargna? How can you change it?

2.What’s the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you because of a language barrier/cultural difference?

3.Do you think that Tokyo is comfortable environment for foreigners?

#1: Passport & Map

My name is Riko Ishibashi. I was originally born in Saga prefecture and now live in Tokyo. My major is Chinese and cultural anthropology. I like dancing, watching films, and eating delicious stuff.

Do you know "Strengths Finder"? The "StrengthsFinder" is a Web-based assessment of normal personality from the perspective of Positive Psychology. You can learn what your natural talents are through this. I did it on last March, and my result is "Harmony, Individualization, Deliberative, Leaner and Achiever". Interesting, isn't it? You should try.

I decided to take this class because I want to know why Taiwanese are good to Japanese even though Taiwan used to be under Japan. I also want to know why Japan-Taiwan relationship is pretty good but Japan-China relationship have been not so good for a long time. What is the difference?

Tokyo                                           Taipei

                     

                 

In this class we think about these two cities, Tokyo-Taipei. The basic information of these two cities is below. The population in Tokyo is about 5 times as many as Taipei. And Tokyo is 8 times as big as Taipei. Taipei is a much smaller city than I expected because I thought that even Tokyo was one of very small cities in the world.

According to NHK WEB NEWS, 56% of Taiwanese said the country that they like the most was Japan. And it is said that 90% of students in Taiwan learn Japanese as the second language. 

The number of japanese who visited Taiwan in 2016 was 1,890,000. And the number of Taiwanese who visited Japan in 2016 was 3,000,000. It is very surprising.

Questions

1.Have you ever been to Taiwan（Taipei）?

2.What image do you have to Taiwan（Taipei）?

3.Do you know any background of this friendly Japan-Taiwan relationship?