2026 Annika’s Blog

As someone from Brunei currently living and studying in Japan, I have become more aware of how conversations and discussions can be very different depending on culture. In this week's lesson about "Conversation & Discussion", I reflected on my own communication style and compared it with what I have experienced in Japan and with other students from different countries. Personally, I enjoy talking about many different topics, especially fashion, hobbies, internet content, arts, and pop culture. I am generally open to discussing many topics except politics, as political discussions can sometimes become sensitive or uncomfortable. I also prefer conversations where both people actively share their thoughts and experiences. For example, if someone asks whether I have a part-time job, I would naturally give a more detailed answer rather than simply saying "no". I enjoy keeping conversations going because it helps people connect better and understand each other mor...

Before this academic semester, I lived with my parents and siblings in Brunei. Since Brunei has a strong family-oriented culture, relatives often visited our home during gatherings and celebrations, while my friends also came over for dinners, catch-up sessions, and board games. Sometimes neighbours would also casually drop by, especially during festive seasons such as Chinese New Year, to give gifts, snacks, or food as a way of strengthening community relationships and showing kindness. Personally, I enjoy spending time with people both at home and in public places because each environment has different advantages. Spending time at home feels more private and comfortable, while cafés and restaurants are more convenient. From my experience, the culture of inviting guests in Brunei and Japan shares many similarities, especially in the importance of respect, hospitality, and building relationships. In both cultures, hosts try to make guests feel welcomed and comfortable. Bringing sma...

Cultural awareness involves recognizing one's own cultural influences while also understanding the values, beliefs, and practices of others. It goes beyond simple recognition, requiring individuals to actively appreciate and engage with different cultures in a respectful and informed way. This awareness is important in reducing stereotypes, biases and misunderstandings that may arise from cultural differences (Oxford Review, n.d.). Closely related to this is the concept of cultural perspective, which explains how an individual’s background, environment and social influences shape their worldview, beliefs and actions. Reflecting on this week's lesson, the idea of high-trust and low-trust societies stood out to me. In the video featuring Michael Moore, Canada is shown as a high-trust society where people feel safe leaving their doors unlocked. In contrast, in Brunei, although the country is generally peaceful, most people still lock their doors, especially at night, du...