IE3 ICC Seminar: Lesson 9

6/12/2015

Hi everyone,

We had a very busy lesson today, especially since you got your second letter from your Cambodian partner.

Cultural Dimensions Review:
After you read your letters and discussed your partner's cultural practice, we used Hofstede's cultural dimensions
to compare Cambodia and Japan, and to review last week's material. Some key points from this activity included:

Cambodian is a collectivist country; it has an agrarian-based economy.

Due to the country's poverty, there is a short-term orientation. Survival is from day-to-day, so long-term goals are not a priority.

Uncertainty avoidance is high; teachers are expected to be "all-knowing."

Gender roles are highly defined in Cambodia; women are either "virtuous" or "unvirtuous."

Cambodia is a high power distance society. Cambodians are expected to pay respect to those in higher status, such as monks.

Letter #3 Theme:
We spent some time brainstorming culture-specific vocabulary that you might have to use in your next letter. For this letter's theme, you'll be writing about your educational experiences and institutions. You can also write about favorite memories and teachers.

For your letter, include the following:
a. greeting
b. recent news
c. topic: education in Japan (2 pages)
d. answer your partner's questions
e. ask your partner 3 questions
f. closing

U.S. Cultural Patterns:
For the last part of class, we learned how American culture developed and spread throughout the United States. We didn't get time to use Value Orientation Theory to compare the U.S. to Japan, so please complete the worksheet for homework. We'll use it to review the material in next week's lesson.

Homework:
1. Research your presentation topic

outlines due June 15 before 12:00 noon

2. Blog Comment #8
3. Value Orientation Theory worksheet

Complete the worksheet and bring to class next week. We will use this for a review.

4. Reading pp. 127-157 (ch. 6) and worksheet

Please download the worksheet at the end of the summary. This will be your "reflection topic" for this week. I'll collect the worksheet at the beginning of next week's lesson.

Blog Question #8:

What cultural practice did your partner explain? Summarize the key points.
Which Japanese practice is this most similar to? How are the practices similar and different?

*Write 150-200 words.
*Use capitalization, punctuation & spelling correctly.
*Submit by Monday, June 15 by 6:00pm.

Language as a Barrier worksheet ch. 6
File Size:	69 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Value Orientation Theory worksheet
File Size:	65 kb
File Type:	pdf

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10 Comments

IE3S-Jumpei

6/9/2015 06:42:22 pm

My partner introduced the same cultural cultural practice as me. It was called "Bon Om Touk" translated as The Water Festival in English. This festival takes three days and consists of having boat races, concerts and so on. Throughout the festival the big purpose is to appreciate the moon and numerous amounts of people from all over Cambodia come to join. People who attend this festival also eats a traditional rice bowl dish called "Ak Ambok", which is a mixed bowl with rice and coconut.
Nothing similar is held in Japan but breaking up into pieces, I found out that in terms of the purpose to thank the moon, Tsukimi - a cultural practice held in August 15 or 16 observing the full moon while eating a traditional round shape snack, similar to rice cake- would be the closest to Bon Om Touk. The difference is very clear. Bon Om Touk would thank the moon as a festival style, maybe making big noises. However I believe people who practices Tsukimi regards "silence" and would have fun relaxing in that silent atmosphere.

IE3S-Yumi

6/11/2015 01:40:45 am

The cultural practice my partner explained was Water Festival. It is a festival a lot of people from every province in Cambodia come on the bank of the river called Tonle Sap River, and have a competition rowing the boats on the water in front of the royal palace. It`s in the middle of November and lasts for three days, which people can get holidays. People celebrate the days to appreciate their ancestors who did a fight for their own country and won. They also appreciate for the land they have and live in. Before the main ceremony starts, people invite monks to pray although the festival is not a religious ceremony. Many people love to watch fireworks after the rowing-boats competition.
I think it is kind of like National Foundation Day in Japan on the point that we show an appreciation to people who created the base of Japan. But it is not like a festival, it`s more formal. I thought it is nice and fun to have it like a festival and watch fireworks too.

IE3S-Saya

6/13/2015 02:10:48 pm

The cultural practice my partner talked about was the Khmer New Year. It is celebrated for three days from 14th to 16th of April. April is the end of the harvest season, and since most of Cambodians are farmers, it is the most important time of the year. They are able to get money from their harvest and are free from farming. On the day before the event, every family help each other clean up the house, put up decoration, and prepare fruits, drinks, flowers, cakes and so on, on a big table placed in front of their house. On the day of the event, families cook delicious food and dress up in Cambodian traditional clothes. After that, people bring and offer food to the monks and to their ancestors.
When I was reading the letter, I thought the Japanese New Year is similar to this. In Japan, New Years is also an important event and many people look forward to it. Just like Cambodians, Japanese people clean up the house and make delicious food. However, I thought the idea of preparing food for people other than your family is different from the Japanese event.

IE3S-Takahiro

6/13/2015 09:41:44 pm

In Cambodia, more than 70 percentage of their population is making a living as farmers. And then there is a cultural ceremony for the farmer called Bon Chroat Preach Nongkoal, which mean Royal Ploughing Ceremony. At the ceremony they pray for a good harvest. This takes place in front of the National Museum, which is next to the Royal Palace. Representing of all Cambodians, their king cerebrates this ceremony and their queen sows seed, and the field is elaborately plowed three times, and then the royal servants drive the royal oxen to seven golden trays containing rice, corn, sesame seeds, beans, grass, water and wine to feed. Throughout this festival, they wear colorful Khmer traditional costume.
In Japan, too, there are many festivals that celebrate the bounty of the harvest, particularly of rice in local areas all over the country, almost all of which are practiced in local shrines through Shinto faith.

IE3S-Yuma

6/14/2015 03:45:47 am

My partner explained to me about Cambodian festival which is called Bonn a haul Chhnam Khmer. It lasts for three days in April.It is the end of the harvesting season.People celebrate this festival to change the old year and welcome new year.A few days before Khmer New Year Day,people clean their house,buy some new things and prepare food,flowers candles,and drinks in order to sacrifice to the new angel.They offer monks food to dedicate to the spirits of the ancestors and pray for them.During these three days,people visit their hometown or the place they want to go.Mu partner and her mother went to Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom.I think This festival is similar to Japanese New Year events. The similar points are we go back to our hometown,play traditional games called karuta and hagoita, and eat traditional food;osechi. The difference is their festival is connected to the spirits of their ancestors,but we have that kind of festival in Obon.

IE3S-Kentaro

6/14/2015 03:14:33 pm

My Cambodian partner introduced me how to celebrate New Year's Day in Cambodia, which was a bit similar to the one in Japan, but was kind of different from it. In Cambodia, people celebrate Khmer New Year, which takes three days to finish the festival. It falls on April 13 or 14, when the harvesting season ends. They clean their house on the first day, and prepare fruits and drinks to offer the New Year's angel, who will protect the people. Also, people cook food and bring them to the pagoda to offer the monk. Then, they enjoy Khmer traditional game there.

In Japan, too, we celebrate the New Year's Day, cooking special dishes. However, I realized that people in Cambodia celebrate it to show respect to others like New Year's angel and the monk on that day, while in Japan, we wish just our happiness or prosperity. In addition to that, in Cambodia, April 13 is equivalent to Japanese New Year's Eve, and the next day, April 14 is equivalent to Japanese New Year's Day. This difference is really interesting to me, since I thought that January 1 was the very beginning of the year for all the people in the world. Knowing this, I've got more interested in Cambodian culture, so I'll try to be familiar with it from now on.

IE3S-Kohei

6/14/2015 04:42:26 pm

My Cambodian partner introduced one of Cambodian festival, called "Bon Om Touk", water festival in English. He said they celebrate it every year. This festival was held for celebrating the honor of the victory of Cambodian naval against Champa naval in 12th century during Jayamara vann VII king. However, nowadays, this festival is for just fun and entertainment. It is usually held for 3 days and a lot of boats come from everywhere in Cambodia for racing and they compete to be a champion of the year.
In Japan, we also have this kind of festival all over Japan. In those festival, they often chose the man who won the first prize as a most happiest man in the year. We often call the happiest man "Fuku-Otoko" in Japanese. Since my partner wrote little about this festival, I don't know exactly but much of this festival is similar to ours.

IE3S -Misato

6/14/2015 06:14:54 pm

My partner explained about Chol Chhnam Khmer. It means Khmer New Year Festival. It is celebrated to receive the old Angels and replaced by the new Angels. Before the festival people prepare by cleaning every corner of their houses, and decorating inside the house with special things such as lights, drinks and fruits and flowers. On the first day of the festival people prepare foods and offer them to the monk at the pagoda to pray for the relatives of the family. On the second day, people play traditional games, and also do "Seong Phreah" meaning "take a bath for the Buddha." Children ask their parents to be the gods and take a bath for them and and ask them forgiveness for the things children did wrong before.
I thought preparing for the new year is similar to what we do to prepare for the new year in Japan. However, in Japan it is more focused on how nicely we welcome the new year. It is important for many Japanese to get together with family and have a relaxed day. In comparison, Cambodian people celebrate the days for others, angels, monks and gods. I thought taking a bath and asking for the forgiveness represent the Cambodian culture of respecting older and higher status.

IE3S-Manami

6/14/2015 06:54:21 pm

My Cambodian partner told me about the new year. This cultural practice stars from 13th of April and ends on 15th of April. It used to to be in January but it is the busiest time for farmers, so they decided to do it in April when the harvesting season ends. On the first day they prepare foods and decorate. For good luck people wash their faces in the morning, their chests at noon and their feet in the evening with holy water. On the second day some people make offering money for the poor. On the last day Buddhism people usually make special water that is mixed with power, flowers and perfume. They take this water to Buddhism statues and make a wish. At home children take the water and wash their parents or grandparents to show their respects.
I found that the Cambodian new year is a lot different from our new year. One thing that is similar is that people make offering money but to their kids or relatives. The way Cambodians celebrate is very traditional and unique. It might be because they strongly believe in their God and the power of the religion affects a lot to their every day lives.

IE3S-Sayaka

6/14/2015 06:57:18 pm

My partner, Reaksa told me about a popular festival called "Kathena Tien", which means "Offering To The Monk". It's a longest duration celebration and it starts from the first day of waxing moon in November to the last day of the full moon in December. And this festival is celebrated every year by all the Buddhists joining together in one group and share what they have.
They also have a parade which many people go to see especially children, because it's the only time for them to see a big toy called "Ting Mong".
I came up with a event similar to this which is in July 7th, which called "Tanabata" in Japan. There are lots of big toy showed at a street in Tokyo. It's not performed by Buddhists, although I think that is the most similar one that I've ever seen.

IE3 ICC Seminar: Lesson 9

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