2026 Frederic's Blog

This we ek ’ s class made me think about sleep as a cultural topic, but I also felt that the  documentary included some stereotypes. My Japanese classmates and I felt that the film may exaggerate concerns about Japanese peopl e ’ s sleep. It is true that Japan, and East Asia more generally, tends to have shorter sleeping hours because of stricter work cultures and overtime. However, I do not think this means that most people ’ s health is seriously damaged. Sleep deprivation caused by long working hours is a real issue. However, from my personal impression, if Chinese people talk about the stereotype of  “ not sleeping ” , they may think of South Korea rather than Japan. There is even a Chinese meme:  Japanese do not eat (their portion sizes often look surprisingly small), Korean do not sleep (distinctive overtime culture, nightlife culture, and mysterious love for Americano), Chinese do not take any vacations (similarly harsh overtime culture and a lack of public holid...

This week ’ s class made me think about cultural  “ self ”  awareness. According to the Cultural Iceberg Model, culture is not only visible things like language, greetings, or self-introductions, but also hidden values and assumptions (Edward T.  Hall, 1976). Before  studying abroad , I often thought my own way of communicating was natural. However, living in Japan made me realize that  “ normal ”  depends on culture. I also realized that different forms of self-introduction and first communication are not only surface differences. Over time, they may also shape how people think, judge others, and understand themselves in each culture. When meeting others for the first time, Chinese people may seem friendly quite quickly. We often ask questions, use jokes, or try to become closer through personal topics. However, this does not mean Chinese communication is always truly open.  I do not mean to criticize my homeland or defend other countries but in my ex...

My hometown, Chengdu, which is the capital city of Sichuan Province and the largest city in Southwestern China. As one of the  economic and demographic centers  in China, Chengdu is sometimes called the nation ’ s “fifth city ” , after Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. However, although Chengdu is a very big and modern city, it has a different rhythm from Beijing or Shanghai. Life there feels a little slower, more relaxed, and more connected to food, tea, friends, and everyday comfort. Thanks to Chengdu Metro, one of the largest urban railway transportation systems in China with more than 700 kilometers of lines, visitors can easily explore the city by public transport. (But you cannot see the complete route map on Google Maps since Google left Chinese mainland market in 2010 so please use local navigation apps when traveling around China not just in Chengdu.) route map of Chengdu Metro Chengdu also has 4 main railway stations and 2 airports, so it is also convenien...

Hello, my name is Deng Fuyu or you can just call me Frederic.  I’m currently a second-year master’s student at the Transdisciplinary Graduate School of Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Since I am participating as a volunteer, please feel free to leave comments or not, as you prefer.