It is because the new place and visitor’s own attitude that make foreigners, like Liu, feel uncomfortable.
As a foreigner, Liu need to overcome lots of obstacles. The first and the imminent obstacle is language barrier. Language is a bridge that connects others and yourself. You have to express what feeling is and what you want. Also, you need to understand what others mean and what they request as well. Otherwise, you won’t be understood and likely to be isolated. Liu is not really weak in English but, he lacks of enough confidence in merely speaking it out. Because of the attitude of inferior of himself, he refuses to communicate with others unconsciously. Therefore, he lost tremendous opportunities of making friends with American people. Another very important reason which force him to evade and finally to leave is, he felt despair in his academic career. Liu didn’t say too much and just kept reading and listening. When he gathered enough confidence to comment something, either for improving his language or for expressing his opinion towards professor’s lecture, he was given a directly sharp knock. A knock hitting his head, as well as his heart, which makes him completely lose all of his patience and confidence to continue his study or life there. Leaving for another new place to live and study may be a fairly good choice of escapism and probably he would get rehabilitated.
The first two months when I spent in the United Stated was fairly similar with Liu’s. I lived in a host family in Maryland. It is a Chinese family that I choose by myself. The reason comes to itself without saying. I was pleased with my family life buy I found difficult in studying in high school. Not because the academic reason, but because of the culture difference that restrained me from communicating with my peer classmates or my instructors. The reasons are almost the same with Liu’s. And I think all the foreigners especially the international students suffer the same embarrass.
If you are an immigrant, who purely work and live abroad, then you will be easy to adjust the new lifestyle and culture difference. But if you are a student studying in school or college, then the fact of matter is, you will find hard to enter it. One the one hand, you have to care about your comment if it offends somebody; on the other hand, people there are somewhat high level of quality, who will be unconsciously aware of your weakness of language. You will unconsciously feel inferior and be afraid to open your mouth, no matter for practicing English or for expressing your opinion, as well as requesting for something. This is why lots of international students tend to gather together---seeking for a comfortable harbor to cure the pain and wound mentally, no matter if they know each other or not. Even if they are strangers mutually, with the same mother language and the color of skin, they would feel more comfortable and sincere.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Nonverbal Communication
We live in a world with abundance of people, which means we have to interact with each other, no matter whether you are willing to do so. The simplest and clearest way either to let others know what you mean and what you want or to understand what others mean and what others want is using language to convey our thoughts and information. However, it is not appropriate, at lease in some specific situation, to use such an explicit and outside method to express our feelings. Therefore, nonverbal communication is necessary. Instead of saying nonverbal communication is another way of expression, it is more reasonably and logically defined it as a complementary method of human communication.
Gestures, eye contact, postures and facial expression are widely known as nonverbal communication. They vary from one culture to another. People from different countries may feel the first culture shock by this nonverbal communication.
For example, in the United State, people tend to use their hands to convey their friendly greet. They would like to hit you on your arm or your fist. When I entered my dorm, the first day my neighbourhood teached me how to greet with each other by using fists. It is not too stranger for me to accept this. It can be easily understood that good friends will stay closely and communicate in a relatively relaxing and casual way.
Eye contact seems to be the same even if it appears in different cultures. A wink between good friends always means that they have secret or something’s kidding, while this exists between man and woman is always considered as flirtation and footsie. However, lovers tend to flirt with each other to show their mutual love.
Gestures and hand signals are not so different in my culture and in the United State as well. I can use my own gesture or hand signals to convey what I mean to American people without any extra explanations and they completely understand what I am “saying”. When I came to the United State, I am poor in English. It is nonverbal communication especially hand signals which help me a lot to communicate with others.
In short, nonverbal communication is a kind of universal communicating tool. We can understand each other even easier than the explicit verbal language. Especially for conveying thoughts and feelings, nonverbal communication shows its advantages far more than language.
Gestures, eye contact, postures and facial expression are widely known as nonverbal communication. They vary from one culture to another. People from different countries may feel the first culture shock by this nonverbal communication.
For example, in the United State, people tend to use their hands to convey their friendly greet. They would like to hit you on your arm or your fist. When I entered my dorm, the first day my neighbourhood teached me how to greet with each other by using fists. It is not too stranger for me to accept this. It can be easily understood that good friends will stay closely and communicate in a relatively relaxing and casual way.
Eye contact seems to be the same even if it appears in different cultures. A wink between good friends always means that they have secret or something’s kidding, while this exists between man and woman is always considered as flirtation and footsie. However, lovers tend to flirt with each other to show their mutual love.
Gestures and hand signals are not so different in my culture and in the United State as well. I can use my own gesture or hand signals to convey what I mean to American people without any extra explanations and they completely understand what I am “saying”. When I came to the United State, I am poor in English. It is nonverbal communication especially hand signals which help me a lot to communicate with others.
In short, nonverbal communication is a kind of universal communicating tool. We can understand each other even easier than the explicit verbal language. Especially for conveying thoughts and feelings, nonverbal communication shows its advantages far more than language.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
being a different person befor and behind the public stage
Just as a sculpture needs carved, a man needs portrayed. In order to be outstanding and different, memorable and impressive, everybody will show out its special image after a careful grooming, especially for some situations. What we can see over those occasions are always not the original images, but the ones shown up after a wonderful makeover. People tend to show their public selves over public occasion to sculpture their special, unique, perfect image, and so do I.
In order to cater for others’ interest and favorite, some people will pretend to be addicted in their ongoing conversation. For example, during a music concert, no matter whether he is familiar with or not, some certain groups of people will pretend to be adept in those pieces of music and their authors to conceal their ignorance in music. Attending a party which is held by a less talkative host who is deeper and reserved, you may be careful of your words and think about whether it is the proper time to give out your personal opinion. Sometimes, you even need to pretend to be a shy person who is like a man with an axe to grind. On the contrary, if the host is outgoing and energetic, then less talk and deficient compliment only means you don’t fully respect the host which shows your impolite and bad manner.
To gloss over themselves, some people tend to curb their tempers. To hide their emotions, they can be hard to read and penetrated. They won’t laugh and cry fiercely, even if they are extremely delighted and broken-hearted. If they are in happiness, they will only give out a piece of light smile and then go back to calm. Similarly, if they fall in deep sorrow and misery, they will merely whimper for a while instead of crying out and blaming for the God’s cold-blood and helplessness.
In my culture, people won’t show their affection unreservedly in public. They will carefully express their own feelings. At most, they will give each other a hug and a light kiss. However they can give each other a soul kiss and do whatever they want at home. This huge diversity is all because they have to consider their public images and others’ comment.
In light of the above examples, people tend to sculpture their public selves which are different from private selves. Considering their public images, they have to carefully behave; being outstanding and impressive, they have to act differently; being welcomed people, they have to cater for others’ interest and favorite. All about these are for only one purpose, that is, to shape their positive public image and being themselves naturally in private.
In order to cater for others’ interest and favorite, some people will pretend to be addicted in their ongoing conversation. For example, during a music concert, no matter whether he is familiar with or not, some certain groups of people will pretend to be adept in those pieces of music and their authors to conceal their ignorance in music. Attending a party which is held by a less talkative host who is deeper and reserved, you may be careful of your words and think about whether it is the proper time to give out your personal opinion. Sometimes, you even need to pretend to be a shy person who is like a man with an axe to grind. On the contrary, if the host is outgoing and energetic, then less talk and deficient compliment only means you don’t fully respect the host which shows your impolite and bad manner.
To gloss over themselves, some people tend to curb their tempers. To hide their emotions, they can be hard to read and penetrated. They won’t laugh and cry fiercely, even if they are extremely delighted and broken-hearted. If they are in happiness, they will only give out a piece of light smile and then go back to calm. Similarly, if they fall in deep sorrow and misery, they will merely whimper for a while instead of crying out and blaming for the God’s cold-blood and helplessness.
In my culture, people won’t show their affection unreservedly in public. They will carefully express their own feelings. At most, they will give each other a hug and a light kiss. However they can give each other a soul kiss and do whatever they want at home. This huge diversity is all because they have to consider their public images and others’ comment.
In light of the above examples, people tend to sculpture their public selves which are different from private selves. Considering their public images, they have to carefully behave; being outstanding and impressive, they have to act differently; being welcomed people, they have to cater for others’ interest and favorite. All about these are for only one purpose, that is, to shape their positive public image and being themselves naturally in private.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Mother Tongue ^.^
Personally speaking, language used in different situation is absolutely diverse. We ought to know what we can say and what we can't.
In the auditorium, before the whole audience, the speaker always appears in a very formal way and speak very carefully. Even though they would like to use humour, they will be attentive in what humour they use and not to make any side-effect. In my opinion, the presidential election is the formalest ceremony. Candidates always give their audience lots of wonderful and brilliant speeches in a grave voice. The language they use should be the formalest. They won't make their voters think they are frivolous and skin-deep and not competent for the president by their flighty behavior and unformal speaking.
During the worship, people are extremely devout before the God. They sing the amens beautifully and they pray to the God from the deep of their heart. The priest confesses sincerely and Father preaches withe a trait of gravitas. Everybody in the church appears to be as the most formally as they can. It goes without saying that the language they use is as formalest as it can.
On the contrary, in a birthday party or during a celebration feast, people tend to show their nature. They don't need to pretend to be formal and serious before their close friends in such a light-hearted occasion. They can shout even cry if they want. They can speak out what they like without thinking whether it is proper or correct. They can be toxicated in the pure pleasure and the delight.
All in all, the language used in different situation is absolutely different due to the manner and respect.
In the auditorium, before the whole audience, the speaker always appears in a very formal way and speak very carefully. Even though they would like to use humour, they will be attentive in what humour they use and not to make any side-effect. In my opinion, the presidential election is the formalest ceremony. Candidates always give their audience lots of wonderful and brilliant speeches in a grave voice. The language they use should be the formalest. They won't make their voters think they are frivolous and skin-deep and not competent for the president by their flighty behavior and unformal speaking.
During the worship, people are extremely devout before the God. They sing the amens beautifully and they pray to the God from the deep of their heart. The priest confesses sincerely and Father preaches withe a trait of gravitas. Everybody in the church appears to be as the most formally as they can. It goes without saying that the language they use is as formalest as it can.
On the contrary, in a birthday party or during a celebration feast, people tend to show their nature. They don't need to pretend to be formal and serious before their close friends in such a light-hearted occasion. They can shout even cry if they want. They can speak out what they like without thinking whether it is proper or correct. They can be toxicated in the pure pleasure and the delight.
All in all, the language used in different situation is absolutely different due to the manner and respect.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Mother Tongue
It is obvious that the language speaking from different generations are different, even though they use the same one.
My father always gives me an impression of strictness and solemn. He skimps his words. Whenever he talks, he will try to use as least words as he can. However, at this situation, I am always being upset, for I don't know what he is going to talk about and whether the affairs he talks about is positive or negative. If something he mentions is bad and is related to me, then I will be in trouble. If things are positive, and no matter whether it is closed to me, I can never get even a "good". The language my father uses is as brief as possible. My mother is a talktive lady with whom the conversation would be extremely verbose, tedious, dull, and endless. She is always murmuring no matter whether the affair she mentions is important or not. When I go to school in the morning, I'd better do not tell her. If I say "goodbye mom, I'm leaving for school", then I will probably be 10 minutes late for my first class, for she tends to stop me from leaving and burst out endless words. Then she will ask me to put on one more cloth because the weather forecaster says it's going to be 5 degrees lower than yesterday. After I put on the cloth she assign and get ready to leave, she will ask me to be aware of the traffic and do not cross the road when the traffic light is rad. I am tired of her mutter but I can do nothing but being 10 late for my class only. I don't save words to my good friends, but to strangers or the people I am not very familiar with, I would probably be a little bit shy and be in silence. My litter cousin is 5 years old now. He is so and cute innocent that he doesn't know what he ought to say and what he ought not to. He wil point out that a certain art work is so ugly to the face to its painter and he will cry out the food tastes so bad before the host in a party. He speaks regardless of whether he is in a proper situation. For instance, he whispers even everybody is in silence around him in a very formal ceremony. On my parents' opinion, he is too younge to tell what and when he can speak.
In light of the above examples, I completely agree that the language used in different generations are undoubtedly different.
My father always gives me an impression of strictness and solemn. He skimps his words. Whenever he talks, he will try to use as least words as he can. However, at this situation, I am always being upset, for I don't know what he is going to talk about and whether the affairs he talks about is positive or negative. If something he mentions is bad and is related to me, then I will be in trouble. If things are positive, and no matter whether it is closed to me, I can never get even a "good". The language my father uses is as brief as possible. My mother is a talktive lady with whom the conversation would be extremely verbose, tedious, dull, and endless. She is always murmuring no matter whether the affair she mentions is important or not. When I go to school in the morning, I'd better do not tell her. If I say "goodbye mom, I'm leaving for school", then I will probably be 10 minutes late for my first class, for she tends to stop me from leaving and burst out endless words. Then she will ask me to put on one more cloth because the weather forecaster says it's going to be 5 degrees lower than yesterday. After I put on the cloth she assign and get ready to leave, she will ask me to be aware of the traffic and do not cross the road when the traffic light is rad. I am tired of her mutter but I can do nothing but being 10 late for my class only. I don't save words to my good friends, but to strangers or the people I am not very familiar with, I would probably be a little bit shy and be in silence. My litter cousin is 5 years old now. He is so and cute innocent that he doesn't know what he ought to say and what he ought not to. He wil point out that a certain art work is so ugly to the face to its painter and he will cry out the food tastes so bad before the host in a party. He speaks regardless of whether he is in a proper situation. For instance, he whispers even everybody is in silence around him in a very formal ceremony. On my parents' opinion, he is too younge to tell what and when he can speak.
In light of the above examples, I completely agree that the language used in different generations are undoubtedly different.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Introduce myself
Hi, everyone! I'm Moming Li, a freshman at UD from China. As a foreigher studying oversea, I am glad to meet you all and I am very proud to be classmates with you. I was born in China and I spent most of my time in my motherland. Of course I received my early education like elementary school, middle school and parts of high school in my hometown. Last year, I was luckily admitted by a international associatation and I proudly became a member of an exchange student. I lived in Maryland for about one year. During that period of time, I went to Walt Whitman High School. I truly experienced a different culture oversea and I deeply impressed by the friendly Americans peers and instructors. Therefore after 1 years in Maryland, I decided to received farther education in the USA. That's why I am here, in the university of Delaware, now.
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