“What is International Communication?”
Do you think Japanese are well known all over the world? I went to Canada for 8 months to study English last year. I didn’t care about my nationality because my goal in Canada was just to learn English and to make lots of friends.However, I felt shame myself in Canada as soon as I arrived there. Whenever I meet people for the first time, they asked me “where are you from? Are you from Japan?? That is so cool!! ”That is what people responded me.
One day, I was asked what your religion is. Then I could not answer anything and I stayed quietly because I had no idea about my religion and then the person said to me “Are you sure? You should know about your own culture.”
I felt sad, shame, foolish myself at the time. To be honest, I didn’t expect at all.
Religion is a part of life for many Canadian so it was natural to be asked like that question. I was so disrespectful to my own country because I don’t know anything about it. I also did not have any identity as Japanese. I thought again and again what means studying English? If I can speak English, is everything okay? No!!! Speaking English is just only a tool as communication. Real communication is to respond partner’s question and to say own opinion. I think that is real international communication.
Japan is getting popular in the filed of anime and healthy Japanese foods. Japanese politics also made a big change today. I have to be sensitive what is happening own countries politics, customs and entertainment. If you want to learn abroad, I would recommend you to prepare for answering question especially politics and religion and to have identity who you are.
