Blog#3: The reflection of Unit 1

I have gained a lot of knowledge through learning about culture and cultural identity. If use a very short phrase to express the essence of this unit, I will choose Hot Pot. Hot pot is like a multicultural world, different cultures are like different food. All food can be cooked alone in the pot, and can also be cooked together, but each food is unique and will not be replaced. I learn about culture through reading, watching videos, taking classes, and group discussions. One of the fastest ways for me to learn is to connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds. I am glad that there are so many different cultures in our class, including Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Mexican, Colombian, Turkish, and so on. I've seen how culture shapes our views and behaviors because I interact with them. For example, when we meet our friends in China, we shake hands, while in Japan, they like to bow. The "aha" moment was when Sophia from Vietnam was sharing her poster with me. I was surprised to find that there are too many similarities between my culture and her culture. We both have the same traditional festivals, similar national costumes, traditional customs, and eating habits. However, before that, I had always believed that culture is static and unique and that the cultures of each country are mutually exclusive. I learned about culture shock in class, but I didn't know what culture shock was before. I had a lot of confused, embarrassing, and sad experiences in Unite Stated that I thought were just my own emotions. Now I realize that it was a culture shock, and I taught my families who don’t know the culture shock. I also learned about cultural relativism. As I learned more and more about culture and cultural identity, I had to face my misunderstandings and prejudices about culture. My cultural background shapes my worldview, so when other cultures are different from mine, I am closed and excluded, and I feel that my culture is good. I reflect a lot now. I think it's important to keep an open mind. I will understand, appreciate, and learn from different cultures. For instance, in China, when I received someone’s praise, I would be shy and self-deprecation. But now I learn American culture, I will happily to accept the praise and say Thank you when I received the praise from others.