It is useful to compare my culture to another culture to make my country better. It is also helpful for me to know my culture more deeply by changing cultures. Also, to change culture a few times has helped me to live in not only my country, but also in other countries more comfortably.First, American culture surprised me. Americans were very friendly when I met them. In Japan, we don’t greet strangers even if they are foreigners, but in America many people say “Hello” or “Hi.” I noticed that greeting makes people happy, so Japanese people should imitate American people. I was surprised at these cultural differences, but to notice this good point in another culture is helpful to change myself or my culture.
Second, I noticed that the size of furniture and people in Japan isn’t usual for other countries. When I went back to Japan, my house looked like a house where a dwarf lived. Japanese furniture is smaller than American furniture because Japanese people are smaller than Americans. Japanese furniture is useful for Japanese people, but I got used to using American furniture, so it was difficult to use Japanese furniture until I got used to using it again. I didn’t notice Japanese furniture was small until I went to America and came back to Japan because it had been usual for me. I realized Japanese people and furniture are small.
Finally, it is easy for me to live both in America and in Japan. I learned cultural differences last semester. When I bought food for the first time in America, I didn’t know how to count money, so I couldn’t know whether change was correct or wrong. There are 1, 5, 10 and 25 cent coins in America, but there are 1, 5, 10, and 50 yen in Japan. The kinds of coins are different. Also, we can distinguish each coin by color and size in Japan, but 5 and 25 cent coins are similar in America. It made it hard for me to use money. I know how to now, so to learn culture deeply and to know differences from my country has helped me to live in other countries more comfortably.
I noticed that something that is usual for me and in my country isn’t usual in other countries. To live in two different countries is good for us to learn another culture. Also, we need to learn about culture to live in abroad.