22th Essayen Intnljunior

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Know your country, appreciate your culture

同志社中学校2年 足 立 美 聡

How well can you introduce your country to foreigners? I think that it is necessary
to know your country and appreciate your culture for international exchange. In this
essay, I would like to explain why I think this way.

First of all, I think that just speaking the same language or just being good friends
with foreigners are not equal to international exchange. Real international exchange may
be achieved only after exchanging opinions and views based on each other’s culture.
英語 中学生

A few years ago, my family hosted an American family. At the beginning, I was
- able to talk about myself and about my school. But when I got close to them, they asked
me about Japanese traditional dishes which they were fond of. But I got perplexed
because I could not answer well. On the other hand, they taught me about their
traditional local dishes in detail, and I found it very interesting. So I wished I could have
told them about Japan that well in return. At that time, I realized that international
exchange might start with knowing my own country.
To know your own country, I think it important to appreciate your culture. You
tend to forget to appreciate your own culture because you are always surrounded by it.
In Japan, we think that we know Udon, but can we explain the difference between Udon
and, for example, Somen? Japanese often eat Udon and Somen, but I think that there are
not many Japanese people who can explain the difference precisely.
Likewise, some foreigners might wonder why Japanese people have ritual ceremonies
in different forms of religions. Others might ask me about Japanese historical figures
whom I am not familiar with. And I am not sure if I can answer clearly when asked
regarding Japanese political system, world-famous Japanese novelists, or the reasons why
Japanese public transportation is so punctual.
As such, we Japanese may not be good at explaining Japanese culture because we
are so accustomed to it. And I think that it is also because we are likely to regard other
countries’ cultures as superior, and try to follow them. But it seems to me that most
foreigners are interested particularly in Japanese culture. Since we have such wonderful
culture that many foreigners love to know, why don’t we appreciate our own culture?
And if we appreciate it, we may find it easier to look into it in depth, and then we
should be able to explain that to foreigners.

In addition, if you know your own culture, you can compare it with foreign cultures.
Then you may be able to respect the differences which might perhaps deepen
understanding of each other. In that way, I believe, you can have real international
exchange by comparing and respecting the differences.
From ancient times, there have been unceasing conflicts all over the world. Those
conflicts are mainly caused by the differences in creeds, ethnic backgrounds, or political
interests. But, if you can understand that it is natural to have differences and try to
understand the significance of others’ beliefs, maybe conflicts will decrease. It would be
very difficult to actually do so, and it will not be done soon. But still, if you try to know
your own culture as well as others’, we might find ourselves respecting the differences,
and hopefully that will bring us a peaceful world.

Know your country and appreciate your culture. Are we being able to do that?
Nowadays, international exchange is ever needed for acquiring foreign countries’
technologies and ideas. For that too, I think, it is essential to know your own country,
and then you would become able to appreciate foreign cultures and values. In the days

英語 中学生
ahead, I think that we will have more opportunities to get involved with foreign countries,
but first, I will try not to forget to know my own country and culture. -

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