Lauren Aufdembrink
Lens Theory Project
Professor Opfer
November 29, 2012
When thinking about cultural lens theory now, makes me think of the Bible verse from Ephesians 2:19, our theme verse for the year. The verse says, “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.” Even though we have our own cultures and our own views on life, we are all going to end up in the same place, heaven.
During our time in Hong Kong we as a group had many different cultural experiences. It first started once we got off the plane in Hong Kong. There were signs all over the place in a language we had never seen Chinese people everywhere and multiple languages being spoken at one time. Culture shock was huge but not as much as trying to get over the fact that we had just been on a plane for 15 hours. The plane ride sure is one thing they do not prepare you for.
There are many instances that come to mind involving cultural lens theory from my experience in Hong Kong. A main lens that sticks out to me is the context lens and how you presented yourself out in public, appearance. We weren’t able to wear open toed shoes during school and our dresses or skirts had to be just below our knees. Appearance to them is very important I feel it is more important to them in their culture than it is in ours. People stared at us when we wore our shorts and t-shirts around the area when we were sightseeing or getting something to eat.Being in Hong Kong made me very self-conscious of what I did, in everything, whether it was talking with someone, the way I dressed, how I acted around others. I felt out of place and no feeling of belonging over there. Granted, it was a country I had never been to with no connections to the culture, besides watching Jackie Chan movies.
One of the days when we were there we were going to go to some place to eat and asked our translator Hilda if she wanted to go with us. I can’t quite remember what she exactly said she had to do, but we all knew that she didn’t want to tell us no, she didn’t want to go with us, she was saving face. This happened many times with many people during our time over there. We wouldn’t have minded if she would have said no, we are used to that, but in China that is very disrespectful. There were many other times where other teachers were saving face, it happened during our home visits which we were so blessed to be able to go to and during the school day, sometimes with the kids themselves. One time it happened with the Principle of the second school we were at, if I remember correctly we were supposed to be meeting for something and she was about 15 minutes late. She was so flustered from not being there on time and told us it was because she had to wash her hair. It was confusing since it was 2:30 in the afternoon, so we just brushed it off and finished our meeting.
Following that, I feel the Chinese culture have more of a collectivist perspective view of the world. At the schools we were at it was a one for all and all for one attitude. If you saw someone in trouble you went to help them. The older children were always looking after the younger kids, they were given badges to wear which let everyone in the school know they were
the students “on duty” during recess, before and after school. I wouldn’t classify their culture as having an individualistic perspective. Each person is not viewed as an individual, separate from their family and community. If they were, then losing face would not be an issue for them since conflict would be okay.
When we first arrived there we were told many things of what to expect and what we should do such as when someone gives you their card, you are supposed to receive it with both hands and not one, it shows respect when you do. Before we went on our home visits we were given a rundown of what not to do while we were there. We were to take our shoes off right as we walked in the door. We were not supposed to compliment anything in the house otherwise they were to give it to us. I don’t remember the specific meaning behind that, but it was what the people we were with told us not to do.
Being over there gave me more of an appreciation for where I live and the culture I was raised in. We all grow up not really knowing what is out there until we are able to go and experience it ourselves. Learning about other people’s culture is very interesting. You are able to learn many things that your culture and their culture have in common and things which are different. I would love to go back to Hong Kong and experience it again. I am very excited for the people who are going to be going in May they will meet people for just a few days but will have those memories with them for a lifetime.
Through our time in Hong Kong not only was I able to learn about their culture but the children there were able to teach me about how to slow down when speaking to people who are not accustomed to the English language and 6th graders are the exact same in China as they are in the United States.