A Lecture Given by A Graduate University Student

 On October 17th, the students had a lecture about understanding foreign cultures given by Mr. Futatsuyama, a graduate from Kyoto University who specializes in Asian and African cultures.

[Lecture Notes]

＊In his study, he conducts fieldwork mainly in small villages in Tunisia, a country located in northern Africa.

＊What he found in Tunisia:

    The culture is completely different from Japan’s. 

     Example: toilets have neither seats nor paper

　　　　　　　brides and grooms have separate wedding ceremonies

＊In conclusion…

It is important not only to accept foreign cultures but also to RE-construct our point of view or way of thinking based on what you found in foreign cultures.

[the participants’ comments]

＊I learned how important it is to try to understand foreign cultures.  Before the lecture, I didn’t try to do so very much.  But now I want to know more about foreign people and their backgrounds, and appreciate them.

＊I think I have to change my attitude toward different cultures.  I want to actually go abroad and see a lot of inspiring things, so that I can take a broader view.

＊I understood that things like lifestyles and concepts of love are very different from those in Japan.  It is a great thing to experience these different ideas by actually going there, and I wanted to go abroad like him.