Reaction to Fisher

Reading through Fisher’s text, I realized that we humans are widely different in having perception from high-tech machines. A video camera can record exactly what are in front of the camera, but cannot select what to record or give meanings to the objects. (I know recent cameras can recognize human faces and even smiles. But they always recognize faces, only faces.) Humans, however, can perceive nothing avoiding psychological process. Our eyes do not see anything. Our brains do. We select, evaluate, and interpret what come through our eyes standing on our past experiences and personal emotions. Thus, our perception is very different. It often causes problems such as communication breakdown and misunderstanding. Therefore, I think it is important to realize that each person’s perception is very different, though we tend to consider our perception same.

Reaction to Barna

Reading Barna’s text, I could clearly understand what are the main causes of making intercultural communication difficult. In my opinion, the fourth stumbling block called preconceptions and stereotypes is the most serious problem of all six. Stereotypes are usually created by media, provide people strong impression, and are believed naturally without doubted by majority of people in a group. They control many people easily with strong power. Therefore, stereotypes are dangerous and difficult to be solved.

Through the discussion in my group, I found that the six stumbling blocks are related to each other. None of the difficulties caused by intercultural communication is so simple. We should have diverse points of view and consider several stumbling blocks at the same time.

Summer Reading Reaction

In summer, I read "Girl With a Pearl Earring" by Tracy Chevalier.

When I read the short summary of this book, it seemed interesting I wanted to know the ending of it.
I was also attracted by the painting on the front cover of the book.

A 16-year-old girl Griet, whose father has been a tile painter, works as a maid in the Vermeer family. The master Johannes Vermeer is a painter, and has a wife Catharina and many children. They hava another maid Tanneke. At first, Griet's task is to clean Vermeer's studio and what an ordinary maid does such as cooking, cleaning, and washing. She comes to know Pieter, the son of the meat stall. Griet has a talent for colors, so she gradually becomes Vermeer's assistant.
Two years after Griet comes to his house, van Ruijven, Vermeer's patron, wants Vermeer to paint Griet, so he decides to paint her. She is painted secretly waring Catharina's pearl earrings, however, Catharina comes to know about it and gets really angry. Therefore, Griet decides to leave Vermeer's house and marries with Pieter the son.
When a decade has passed, Vermeer dies and gives Griet his wife Catharina's earrings. She changes them into money and keeps the story secret to her family.

My favorite parts of this novel are Griet shows her talent in colors again and again. For example, when she cuts vegetables to make soup, she lais them out in a circle so that the colors do not fight with each other. Another example is that she moves the blue tablecloth by her own judgment so that the Vermeer's painting becomes better. These parts emphasize that Griet is a special girl. I am also particular about colors. Therefore, I especially love these parts.
After I finished reading this novel, I realized the strong power which one painting has. I did not understand exactly what being painted in a picture really meant and how great thing it was. However, I was surprised that even one painting could help creating a novel. I want to go to musium to see paintings thinking of the hiddrn story about each of them.

My Summer and ARW Autumn

Hi!!
This is my first posting on this blog.

First of all, I'll tell you about my summer.

I played lacrosse day after day. I went to club camps three times during the summer vacation!! I practiced a lot so I got tanned and lost my weight. In August, the league opened and the season started. We had two games, the first game ended in a draw but we won the second one. We ICU girls' lacrosse club is going to have the next game. It will be held at 10:00 am on October 1st. I want everyone to see me playing lacrosse. Please come to watch the game if you have the time.

Now the summer vacation had ended. I think this was the best summer I've ever had:))

The summer had been over and I realized that I totally forgot how to study, so I'm afraid that I can't keep up with ELP. However, in autumn, I want to write in English with no hesitation. I don't mean I'd like to write English perfectly. I won't be shy making any mistakes and will try to write English more than I used to in spring.