Reaction to Fisher

     The Fisher's text was easy to understand and  interesting. I thought Fisher's text, "Perception of Self", was easier than Barna's one because explanations were simple and examples were understandable. And this text was interesting because it taught me how we perceive something that we are not usually conscious of. Each explanations were convincing, so I could be awere how inperfect and inaccurate our perception is.
     I've not think about "perception" deeply because it is an unconscious action. But through reading this text, I become interested in such area, like perception or conception.

Reaction to the Barna text

    

     The Baran text "Stumbling Blocks in Intercultural Communication" was interesting and simple to understand. I’ve never been abroad, so actually I have not been faced with difficulties related to intercultural communication. But I think what Barna said could help me cope with such difficult situations.

     I think most of us have “stumbling blocks” unconsciously but do not notice about that. Even noticing that we have stumbling blocks would make intercultural communication smooth. In addition, if we make efforts to study and understand another culture each other, it would go more smoothly.

     As seventh stumbling block, our group found “xenophobia”, which means a strong feeling or fear of people from other countries. I think Japanese also have such a feeling and it is a challenge to be addressed.

Summer Reading

Title
     The Giver
Author
     Lois Lowry
Why I Chose This
     I read book review posted in Amazon and thought it interesting and thought-provoking work.
The Plot
     There is a world like an utopia. In that utopia, everything is completely controlled. People could live in the community peacefully and evenly because there is no pain, evil, desire, struggle, or war. Their jobs are also controlled because the committee asigns jobs to each citizen.
     People's whole life in the community is like that; There are Birthmother who give birth as a job. Newchildren that Birthmother bear are taken care in the Nurturing Center at first, then they are sent to each home. There are Ceremony for children in December every year. When a child becomes twelve-year-old, they are given Assignment, which means job, in the Ceremony, and begin job training. There are many assignments, like Nurture, Caregiver, Doctor, Recreater, Birthmother, and so on. When people get old, they start to live in the House of the Old.
     The life in the community is organized, and seem to be comfortable to live because there is no pain or war and safety is promised. But actually there is no real happiness. That is, there is no color, music or even love. Every feeling is completely ontrolled.
     The hero, Jonas, is assigned a job as "Receiver", who receives old memories  from the Giver. In that memories, there were still pain, saddness, war, happiness, and love. As receiving old memories, Jonas comes to think this community is somewhat strange and desire to change it. And Jonas takes action.
Reaction
     It was interesting scenes that Jonas receives the memories from the Giver. In this community, natural environment does not exist. People don't know sunshine, snow, warmth or coldness. People also don't know concept of color, music, and love. As Jonas sees the memories, he is very impressed how beautiful the previous world was. I cannot imagine the world that does not have color or music or nature at all! Of course sometimes nature cause disaster that destroy our lives. But if there were no nature, how dull? how monotone the world will be? These scenes made me notice that what a beautiful and wonderful world we live in.
     And another impressive scene was Christmas party in the memory. At home, there are children, parents, and grandparents. For the first time, Jonas learned about real family and love. I thought it was a very heartwarming scene and thought how fortunate it is to have family.