tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post8796997498646143909..comments2023-10-22T18:25:39.688+08:00Comments on The View from Taiwan: Moments of Cross-cultural LearningMichael Turtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-38976336110281569322007-06-21T08:27:00.000+08:002007-06-21T08:27:00.000+08:00That's interesting. But no one ever uses the couch...That's interesting. But no one ever uses the couch. I guess potential use is enough. But the way the Chairman asked me suggested I had violated some taboo, not displayed selfishness. Maybe it was the shoe thing. <BR/><BR/>MicheelMichael Turtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-22768404082903953782007-06-20T19:32:00.000+08:002007-06-20T19:32:00.000+08:00about sleeping on the couch.here's my guess. pls t...about sleeping on the couch.<BR/><BR/>here's my guess. pls take no offense.<BR/><BR/>maybe it never occured to you that the couch is meant to be shared by at least two persons (or more)? If you take up the whole space in a public couch, and leave no room for others, I would say that's selfish.<BR/><BR/>also, taking shoes off in public is considered rude.MJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18373727428314920346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-47285502517581064702007-06-19T06:00:00.000+08:002007-06-19T06:00:00.000+08:00i would take a nap on the couch if no one would se...i would take a nap on the couch if no one would see me. i would feel embarassed if lots of people see my sleeping on a couch in public, i think it's just a cultural thing. maybe it's better if i fall asleep more reservedly...Chihwei Tsaohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05614675173418626892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-60528603204101591632007-06-18T19:35:00.000+08:002007-06-18T19:35:00.000+08:00in kenya the presumption seems to be that any phys...in kenya the presumption seems to be that any physical contact between the sexes (or is hugging ok?) will lead to sexual feeling, even if between family members. We know that's wrong, but the Kenyans can't stretch their mind to consider that possibility. In Taiwan your eating outside maybe was making you look like a student, and so reducing your authority in the eyes of your students. The presumption being that you can never teach effectively if you don't have an authoritarian 'i'm the superior you're the superior' air about you. The Taiwan person asking you not to eat outside again could not stretch his mind to include the possibility that learning can take place in a setting where the teacher does not have to appear to occupy a unassailable position of authority above all others. During 6/4 the gov't could not stretch it mind around the possibility that the student protest could've played itself out out without it (the gov't) appearing weak and ineffectual. To appear strong it had to crush the beijingers protecting the students. So what leads to so much tragedy is a failure of imagination- a very limited view of what humans are capable of, both good and bad.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-69678746471755681892007-06-18T15:29:00.000+08:002007-06-18T15:29:00.000+08:00In Taiwan, it takes a high figure, say a person wh...In Taiwan, it takes a high figure, say a person who is of Taiwanese origin and highly achieved oversea, to openly do the same and say it is OK do that to change these "strange things."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com