Greetings!!

① How do you greet members of your family? (mother, father, older brother, younger brother, grandparents, etc.)

◆In the morning,I usually greet "Ohayou gozaimasu(おはようございます)other, father.
　However, I sometimes say "Ohayou(おはよう)" to them.
　And, I say it to my young sisiter.

◆When I leave home, I say "Ittekimasu(いってきます)" to my family,
and they say "Itterasshai(いってらっしゃい)"　to me.

◆When I get home, I say "Tadaima(ただいま)"　to my family,
and they say "Okaeri(おかえり)" or "Okaerinasai(おかえりなさい)".

◆Before we go to bed, we each say "Oyasumi(おやすみ)" or "Oyasuminasai(おやすみなさい)".


② How do you greet people that are important in society?


◆I think that they may be bow at first.

◆They usually have a polite tongue.


③ Do you greet people from the opposite sex in a different way?

◆I greet almost same way the same sex and the opposite sex.

◆However, I do not do familiar with the latter than the former,

because the same sex is intimater than the opposite sex.

④ Do you hug anyone? If yes, who and when. If no, why not?

◆No.

I do not hate hug, but it is not custom.

Greetings

How do you greet people in your life?

When we greet someone who meet the first time, we bow or shake hands.
And, when we see our old friends after a long separation, we sometimes hug.
I think how to greet is depends on time, place, occasion and an objects.


Is it different for different people? How so and why?

My answer is Yes.
When I went to England, My host family kissed each other as greeting before went to bed or left home. However, it is not custom in Japan.


Dou you touch people when you talk to them? Why or why not?

Yes, I do.
However, when I do it, it depends on place, occasion, an objects and my feelings.
So, I do not do someone who I do not konw well, because I think it is rude manner.
And, I do not want to be touched by them.

Buddism

How is your doirly life affected bi Buddhism?
What do you do and why do you do it?

①In Japan, we call the time which is on August 13 to 15 “obonn”. We put some wreath of decorated cucumber and eggplants on household Buddhist alter. I think this is treatment for ancestor. These cucumber and eggplants are animal vehicles. Cucumber is like horse and eggplants is like cow. Our ancestors go back to our house by them.
②In this time, we burn fire before the door or garden lantern. I think this is sign for our ancestors to back to our house.
③In Japan, we fold our legs under ourselves in temple. I think this is etiquette to Buddha.
④In new years day, we write many new year cards, but we do not do the next year when someone who is one of our family circle dead. I think the reason we do not do is not so good things we say “happy” to them.
⑤The day, we keep vigil when someone die. We do not have to run out of fire. This is to pray for the souls of dead in peace.

Cross Culture Communication Problems

The Problem is Cultural

Ssuraji thinks there are two issues about ethnic separatism causes strife.
One is what is good for the student who is not quite at home in English and the other is good for America and American society as a whole.
She immigrated 15 years ago to America with her child. The reason was building a better future for them. They came from a place where there are more than ten languages, so, her native language was different from the national language which was used in education and official work. She always felt disadvantaged in these situations. So, when it was time for her kids to go to school, she thought that they will be confused about the official languages in the U.S. So, she started talking to them in English at home. However, they cannot try to be what they were back home. They have to sacrifice certain things to gain others. Similarly, it is for all parents of migrants to decide for themselves what they want the best for their children. There is a lot of resistance in some migrants to learn English. So, she thinks this will only disadvantage their children.
The second issue is the social strife that regards the different ethnic groups as the same nation groups. The only way to prevent is to prevent split in the society. Language is probably one of the most polarizing issues. She thinks America needs to have everyone speak same language.


The New York Times
March 11,2009
Educating Immigrants : Voices of Experience

http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/educating-immigrants-voices-of-experience/?scp=1&sq=education%20immigrants%20:%20voices%20of%20Experience&st=cse