The following scenarios are what I observed.
Scenario1: During recess week, I went to states with one professor and four other students. The professor is a middle-aged lady. It is her first time to go to states and also first time to experience winter. She carried a big black office bag with her whenever we went out. Due to the unusual heavy snow in Washington DC, the whole city was covered with snow and it was very difficult for people to walk on the snow and tried not to fall. With her huge black bag, the professor was not able to balance herself very well. As a result, she fell twice in the first day. Obviously, she had great difficulty walking on the snow. Hence, I offered to carry her bag.
--“Professor, let me carry your bag.”
--“Oh, it’s okay. It is a very heavy bag. I can carry it myself.”
--“Please let me carry. It is not heavy for a boy.”
--“All right. Thanks so much, Lu.”
When we got back to our hotel, I handed the bag back to the professor. She was so grateful and she felt so sorry that I carried the heavy bag for such a long time.
Scenario2: The following scenario is very common in China.
A female professor was walking in the campus and a student is following her. The professor had a heavy bag in her hand. Clearly, she had just bought goods from the supermarket. When the professor was talking with the student, she changed frequently from one to the other hand to carry the bag. And she often stopped and put the bag in the middle of the student and herself.
--“Oh, professor, do you want me to carry the bag for you?” the student finally got the hint.
The professor handed the bag to the student directly and continued with her talk.
When they finished their talk, the student handed the bag over and the professor quickly said a “thanks” and then left.
Have you observed such scenarios before? What do you think is the reason behind? Please feel free to comment.
Mmm, I didn’t observe such scenarios before. From what you had described, I think that the prof in scenario1 believes that everyone is equal, regardless of their seniority. Thus, when you offer to help her carry her bags, she felt grateful and sorry towards you. And as for the prof in China, I think she had this traditional thinking that as a younger person and as her student, the student should be obliged and have the initiative to help her carry the bag. Hence, the prof in scenario 2 didn’t felt sorry or very grateful towards the student. I think it’s the culture that affects our point of view and way of thinking, so I guess the reason to the different scenarios would be the difference in the prof’s culture.
ReplyDeleteSee you in class=)
Shi Ting
Hey Ji Lu!
ReplyDeleteTo a certain extent I can relate to that. In India, if the teacher is carrying anything in her hand, it is implicitily expected of the student to offer to carry the stuff instead. Maybe it is the same in China. Maybe the teacher expected of the student to offer to carry the bag. This may either be the cultural norm (either national culture or school culture). Hence she immediately accepted the student's offer and only gave a quick thanks as this gesture was nothing out of the blue.
On the other hand, the NUS Prof may have been taken by surprise by the offer. If you hoenstly look around NUS, not many students would bother to stop and offer help to their tutors/lecturers right? Such an unexpected act of kindness may have touched her. Also, just maybe, this Prof is more expressive by nature and hence thank you profusely?
This observation has potential, Ji Lu, but I feel like I'm missing some detail. In the US you were with a prof. Which country is she from?
ReplyDeleteHow can I be sure that any of the behaviors you present are not individual rather than cultural? Can we generalize so easily based on single anecdotes?
To Brad
ReplyDeleteShe is Singaporean but I think she is originally from Malaysia. Yes, I agree that maybe my observation cannot be generalized. But based on my own experience and observation, the Chinese part I can be pretty sure. Maybe I need more observation to present them as cultural difference!
Having said that, I still feel that there is a cultural difference between Chinese in Singapore and in China. Although Singapore is an Asian country, most of the values are affected by western values to some extent and people behave quite differently from Chinese in China. Hence, I think that due to the exposure and influence of western country, such phenomena may exist.
Hi Jilu,
ReplyDeleteI think that you are right. This phenomena exists maybe due to different perception of people in different country.
In Singapore, the students are largely influenced by the western culture which emphasize on equality. Hence they apply the same attitude and treatment to everybody.
However things are different for those influenced by eastern culture which emphasize on the importance of respecting people who are more senior. Thus as a form of respect, students would help the people who are more elder even the slightest task.
This type of scenario is very common between people from different culture background. I was told by my cousin who has just come back from Bhutan that she too observed the difference. She observed that Malaysians and Singaporeans who went to the pilgrimage trip with them interact more friendly with the Lama. However things are different for Bhutanese. They would not dare to treat the Lama as friend but as their teacher. For example, the Malaysians and Singaporeans would sit happily on the same bench with the Lama listening to his teaching. But for Bhutanese they would not dare to do so. They prefer to sit on the floor instead. This is what I heard from my cousin.
Xian Rui