Reflection Essay

[Lizette Bernal]

 

The USC East Asia seminar was very informative. I was embarrassingly naive and ignorant to almost everything East Asia, so it’s no exaggeration when I say that I’m walking away with a deeper understanding of the traditions, lifestyles, customs and historical events of this region. While there were many countries covered in our sessions, I learned the most about Japan. I was fascinated by the architecture of Japan and the delicate attention to detail they had when constructing many of their home designs. Professor Toshihiro discussed the elegancy of keeping things a secret within their architecture. It’s never about the big picture, it’s about the capabilities of one’s imagination when confronted with a limited perspective.

I was also pleased to find out how Japanese people conduct their business negotiations. According to Professor Peck, Japanese people aren’t fans of saying “no” because it isn’t part of their business etiquette. To Japanese businesspersons, coming to an agreement means commitment and it’s a big risk to take without first thoroughly thinking about it. In fact, they have 16 ways they properly say “no” without actually saying it. They’d prefer to reconvene after the fact to ensure that all the right decisions are made.