The Extension program is drawing to an end. We have only a month and a week left before we leave Spokane. I experienced various things through the classes, especially Learning Culture Day. I've learned tons of intriguing things, and they actually made me tolerant. So I'd like to note about one of my most impressive sections, the teenage diet section. There are two main reasons it was the best in my opinion.
First, at that time, I surely learned that there are some cultural or situational differences about body images and teenage dieting. In actual, I emphatically looked forward to coming that day because I had wondered about that before that day. For example, I gained over 7 kilograms during last semester, but I was not so self-conscious about that in Spokane. However, when I go back to Japan, my family was surprised to take a look at me at the airport, and they all said to me that I gained a lot and I should have been on a diet. It was unexpected because nobody had said to me I gained a lot until then. Following this, I met one of my best friends this summer, but she laughed at me when she found me. She couldn't noticed me for an instant, even though I was with her almost everyday when we were junior high school students. Consequently, I gradually realized that my taste of body image had changed. That's why I looked forward to coming that day. During the LCD, I could digest not only differences between the United States and Japan but also differences which our guests experienced. They said that body images are changeable depends on the situation. I think it is very true. Interestingly, I was totally uncomfortable in Japan but now I'm not self-conscious about weight.
Second, it was very pleasurable for me that many guests said the most important thing is to be myself. As I mentioned, I learned that there are many different values about body images or dieting depends on the person. However, still, I was thinking that to allow differences is sometimes very hard to us, because if we find differences, we might feel inferior. But the guests told us that even we feel inferior, we have to try to love ourselves. For instance, when I compare our differences, I always tend to think that one side is good, and another side is not good, yet we shouldn’t think like this way because nobody can be the same. At that day, the guests strongly stated “we don’t have to think that way.”, therefore I was really glad to hear their opinion because thinking that way often makes me sad and unhealthy. Their opinion is really different form mine, and it made me comfortable somehow.
In conclusion, I learned lots of interesting opinion through the LCD. I changed some of my opinion as an effect of that. I noticed that to be myself is really important and be different from others is not bad. There are varied opinions and cultures in the world, and we have to learn more and more, again and again as much as we live.
First, at that time, I surely learned that there are some cultural or situational differences about body images and teenage dieting. In actual, I emphatically looked forward to coming that day because I had wondered about that before that day. For example, I gained over 7 kilograms during last semester, but I was not so self-conscious about that in Spokane. However, when I go back to Japan, my family was surprised to take a look at me at the airport, and they all said to me that I gained a lot and I should have been on a diet. It was unexpected because nobody had said to me I gained a lot until then. Following this, I met one of my best friends this summer, but she laughed at me when she found me. She couldn't noticed me for an instant, even though I was with her almost everyday when we were junior high school students. Consequently, I gradually realized that my taste of body image had changed. That's why I looked forward to coming that day. During the LCD, I could digest not only differences between the United States and Japan but also differences which our guests experienced. They said that body images are changeable depends on the situation. I think it is very true. Interestingly, I was totally uncomfortable in Japan but now I'm not self-conscious about weight.
Second, it was very pleasurable for me that many guests said the most important thing is to be myself. As I mentioned, I learned that there are many different values about body images or dieting depends on the person. However, still, I was thinking that to allow differences is sometimes very hard to us, because if we find differences, we might feel inferior. But the guests told us that even we feel inferior, we have to try to love ourselves. For instance, when I compare our differences, I always tend to think that one side is good, and another side is not good, yet we shouldn’t think like this way because nobody can be the same. At that day, the guests strongly stated “we don’t have to think that way.”, therefore I was really glad to hear their opinion because thinking that way often makes me sad and unhealthy. Their opinion is really different form mine, and it made me comfortable somehow.
In conclusion, I learned lots of interesting opinion through the LCD. I changed some of my opinion as an effect of that. I noticed that to be myself is really important and be different from others is not bad. There are varied opinions and cultures in the world, and we have to learn more and more, again and again as much as we live.