It is common for Eastern and Western cultures to communicate differently in everyday settings.
Between these two cultures, there are different patterns in speech, languages used, articulation techniques and emotional cues expressed.
At times stereotypical Eastern societies and Western societies express themselves in conflicting ways. Sometimes this can make doing business or socialising together challenging.
Many people avoid talking about money. That’s because many generally don’t like talking about it.
Some of us never bring up our personal finances. Some are quick to change the subject when it comes up.
Australian currency. Banknotes and coins.
Some of us feel awkward, embarrassed, angry or guilty talking about money even with friends and family. After all, money is a sensitive topic – salaries, spending habits and savings are very personal things.
It’s customary to take your shoes off at home in many parts of the world.
For instance, in many Asian households it’s often shoes off at the door. There’s also a no shoes rule when walking around indoors at home.
Shoes | KAWS: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness (1)
Having grown up in a Chinese household, this is a habit that comes naturally to me. As a kid, I’d come home, take my shoes off and place them on the shoe rack by the door. Today this is still what I do every time I come home.
This month* marks seven years since I started this blog. This year marks a turning point in my life where I’ve thought about quitting blogging and even writing altogether.
It seems my relationship with blogging has hit the seven year itch.
Writing (1)
Over time I’ve blogged less and less. When I started blogging, I blogged weekly. Then fortnightly. Over the last two years I’ve put up one post a month and scaled back freelance writing work. That made me realise, the less time you spend on something, the more time you have for yourself and the more time to think.
All my life I’ve never liked using the dishwasher.
Washing the dishes by hand after after a meal by myself or with five others at home is something I do.
Most people around me baulk at my refusal to use the dishwasher. They argue you don’t need to spend time washing up with a dishwasher.
Garlic and Chinese Mun Shou Rice Bowl
Growing up in a traditional-minded Chinese family, the dishwasher was instead used as a stacking rack for clean dishes. These days I use the dishwasher to store my empty work lunch containers and banish plates that I never use.
‘Why don’t I belong?’ Sometimes we go through moments in our lives where we don’t fit in with a certain group or place.
For some of us, we might feel like we don’t belong anywhere most of the time.
AURORA AKSNES (1) | The Forum, Melbourne, Australia 2019
Either way when we don’t belong often that means we feel different. The feeling of not fitting in comes in different forms. For instance, we don’t get along with family and never seem to say much around our parents or siblings. Can’t identify with ‘where you are from’ or our heritage. Don’t get the latest trends or TV series everyone is so into.
Mabel Kwong 