Causes and Solution for International Couples -Globalization

Due to having a Dutch boyfriend, I started to learn Dutch for better communication. In order to learn the language much funnier is to watch cartoon or animation with learning language. My boyfriend kindly recommended one series called ‘Alfred J Kwak’

After watching episode repeatedly, I began to like the ending song, and started to look for lyrics through the web. Then I found out that Alfred J Kwak has been translated into so many different languages such as Japanese, Hebrew, Spanish, English, Finnish, German and even my own language Korean. Then all over sudden, one doubt that I have been holding had blown away.

As having non-Korean boyfriend, I always wondered how we would share or understand our child memory, since we brought up in different environment. It was very scary to admit that we do not have any common in our childhood and that could cause problems in bonding each other.

However finding out that Alfred J Kwak has been even introduced in Korea, I realized that perhaps that is not to worry about anymore. Although I have not watched this specific animation, but it made me realized that we are already brought up and educated in globalization era. Then I started to seek for common program that we have watched together in childhood and there were numerous, for example Chin Chan, Sesame Street and Disney films etc.

For the first time, I felt the power of globalization and also thank that it took place. Otherwise I would have still wondering how to solve international couple relationship.

Japanese:

German:

Spanish:

UK:

Hebrew:

Finish:

Adapting culture, is it really possible?

As cultures are merging due to globalization, people started to recognize their inconvenient or not understandable culture that they are repeating in daily life. Some try to fix those and apply the new culture into their culture and behavior. But would it be possible?

Few days ago, one of my European friends told me that she met one Asian married woman in hotel. She just moved in to the country few weeks ago. While they were talking, she found out that the Asian girls had not really got out of the hotel, claiming she neither have any friends nor speaks the language. My European friend criticized that that Asian girl should go out, explore the county, and find new friends. It sounds very logic but as Asian, that process can be little more difficult and bit hesitates to act on.

For Asian, many people find hard for them to do activities alone. They tend to think that, It is more fun to travel, eat, party and discover new things together. By sharing experiences and emotions, the groups become more intimate and individuals starts to feel security from the groups. For instance it is not very strange to see Asian girls always walks in pairs with folded arms (sometimes boys as well) and even goes to toilet together. (Especially during middle-high school age) In addition, even in corporate word, if you do not have your ‘buddy’ it would be difficult to settle down in new environment. Therefore, the first task that Asian people do when they employed is to find their new ‘buddy’ within the company.

On the other hands, many of European do not mind being alone. Many times, they have “courage” to go to club, sports, entertainment field alone as long as they have firm information that they can enjoy. While Asian would think, “we are going to have fun because it is much fun that way.” European would think, “I deserve to have some fun, since I need it” therefore, in a group activity, when one or some member cannot join in the last minute, it is rather Asian group than European group that the activity would be more likely canceled. Asian group would give effort to reschedule the activity for all the members to join, but European group would most likely precede the activity once the time has set.

 In my personal opinion, culture of individualism and collectivism would be the one of very distinctive culture between Asian and European. Of course, it can be vary from each personality. However, from my observation, this one causes different thinking patterns between some cultures. The possibility that individualistic person to become as collectivistic person (fundamentally) remains questionable.

Swedish Etiquette 1- Table manners

If you are invited to big dinner party or wedding in sweden, good to know some manner at the table.

* when someone propose toast- one has to start looking in the persons’ eye that sitting on the left side followed by right side and infront. After half way of the glass, one has to do the same motion but backword.

1. Appetizer- one has to talk only one who is sitting left to you.

(Usually woman sits left side of man that this means, man need to talk to woman that came to party together. )

2. Main dish- one has to talk to people who is sitting both left and right

3. Desert- one can talk to everyone, especially to person who sit infront of oneself.

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/47788427@N00/357968319

sweden-traffic order

After traveling several countries, it struck my mind that to know the level of people’s perception; traffic order is the great example to find out.

From lot of countries, you can experience that car dominates human. What I mean is that when pedestrian try to cross the road, one have to be very careful and check both directions to see whether car is coming or not. However in Sweden case, it is the car which has to look out for people. It is automatic and obvious rule in Sweden that car must stop for pedestrian to cross the road first no matter how many cars are waiting behind. Plus, it is rare to hear the sound of horn in Sweden. This could be cause of less population in Sweden compare to other countries. Nevertheless, still it is impressive to feel that pedestrian feel safe contrast to other countries where pedestrian have to be nervous all the time and being shouted by car drivers at little mistakes.

Image source: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1012424

Plagiarism

The regulation of the plagiarism in Sweden is very strict and ruthless. Every sentence that you want to reference, you need to both rephrase and cite where you got the information. Teachers check every sentence reference whether it is listed in the final reference list, and if any reference is missing, one need to do assignment all over again or accused to be copied.

For some of culture such as Sweden and US might say that it is obvious and nothing strange about it, but some other cultures are not used to this kind of system. For instance, when author used to write report in Korea, as long as the sentence is rephrased (do not copy and paste), it was not considered as plagiarism. Not only author but many of international friends especially from Asian country had little hard time to adjust to Swedish education system.

The process of penalty of plagiarism in Sweden happens as following;

(1) Student has to send one’s report both to teacher and place called ‘urkund’ where they check all the report.

(2) When the report is accused as plagiarism, person who is involved in the accused report is called by Disciplinary committee and given one more chance defend him/herself. During this period, teachers have no authority to involve in this process.

(3) After meeting with Disciplinary committee, they decide whether report is plagiarized or not.

(4) If it is plagiarized, involved person can not participate in any of school activity during the grounded period or worse get expelled from school.

Once, student get involve with Disciplinary, it affects student’s time, reputation of the student, emotions and other effort that had been made become bubbles. (Sometimes more than month project) Therefore student has to really careful on every single sentence to write and check several times whether there are any mistakes. For example, copying music note is not allowed, using illegally downloaded music in any types of school report, presentation is prohibited and have to make sure every thing is properly cited especially for group reports, where it becomes more complicated when it comes to plagiarism.

Hearing all these plagiarism issues from people, It give good impressed of Swedish education system. Although it was tough period for author and many other people to adjust to Swedish system but personally feel that this process gave me big lesson starting form giving real credit to people who really put effort on their work. Whenever any sentence I use now, I think about how long that person have spent his/her time to come up with the sentence.

I guess many of us learnt not to lie and steal in the young age from parents and teachers. Cleary plagiarism is cheating and stealing It definitely has to be treated seriously across to whole country.

Image source: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/869106

State of window= State of security

By looking at the window, you can judge how secure the country is. It seems like developing country has more secured window and developed country has less security gadget to protect them. As to proof, in Kenya, wall that has attached with broken glasses are easily seen. Moreover, for rich people, they need to set electronic walls to avoid for burglar to get into the house. Also In Korea situation are little better but still most of the houses have steel barred window, which sometimes make people feel that they are living in the prison.

So it is very impressive to see how the size of the windows in Sweden is generally big and does not even have any security devices. Some houses do not even draw the curtain at night and in fact some houses even leave the lights on which can see the inside of the house pretty well. Even though I never heard any burglar accident during 2 years stay in Sweden at least in Jönköping. This is due to the fact that Swedish people tend to trust on people’s goodness.

For one more example, once I left my purse at library accidentally. After few hours I discovered that my purse was missing and quickly headed to library already assuming that the purse would probably had gone by now. Surprisingly purse was still there without any loss of money or cards. I had to admit how secure and trustworthiness Swedish people were. Personally thought is that Stable government and life style creates people’s surplus.

I am hoping that one day everyone would have clean window without any ugly protection devices.

Image source: http://www.zoo-m.com/flickr-storm/ (by felicitas)

Next evolution? Or new strategy of advertising?

According to Darwinism, the pattern of reproduction is that male advertise and females choose. But I started to doubt whether this theory is still valid, in th

As voice and rights of women rise, females no more wait for guys to come. Their attitude would be more like, “All the good guys are being taken while waiting. I would rather go out hunt myself to get best men.” So is this new era is that females started to advertise and males started to being chosen?

Sweden is well known for equal right of gender. After few years observation, personally it seems like Swedish women is becoming more masculine and men is becoming more feminine. In Sweden, it is not extraordinary to see women approach to guy but guys are rather too shy to approach to women. Even in the school classes, Swedish women tend to speak out their opinion much more than Swedish men.

Then is this means that next evolution is coming?

Or thinking reverse, Is this new strategy of men?

Men’s becoming feminine is not only in the case of Sweden but also in Asia. Looking at Asia trend, “Flower boy” is booming. Flower boys mean boys that are beautiful as flowers. Most of recent debut of Japanese and Korean male Idols are very feminine and sometimes even prettier than regular female but it does not mean that they are gay. They are straight and proud to be ‘pretty’ and think of their prettiness as identity. This is the new trend.

So the question is, should we see these phenomenon as next evolution that will reverse Darwin’s theory or simply men’s altering their strategy of advertisement?

Image source: theweb.tistory.com/158

Part of life, Co-habitation “Sambo”

One of the distinctive topics concerning relationship in Sweden is definitely about co-habitation, which also called as Sambo in Sweden. Most of Swedish couples that I met were living together and even single Swedes felt that it is not weird to Sambo when they are in relationship. Their argument was by living together, they can save their money by sharing rent or food etc and can see each other everyday. Some also said there is no point of getting married these days since divorce rate is high.

It seems like Sambo is much publicized though out Sweden which proves that one of the Swedish royal family (Princess Madeleine) is living with her boyfriend in Stockholm. In addition, there are also rules for Sambo that if the couples split apart and need to separate their property or child right, they can go to court just like process of divorce.

It was the biggest culture shock in Sweden personally. For most of the young generation in Sweden feels that marriage is not that important yet I was brought up in a culture where marriage is the one of the most important issue in a life, plus living with partner before marriage is not even imaginable.

Due to globalization, all the cultures are merging. Two years ago, some of youngsters initiated co-habitation and it had brought up big discussion and debate in Korea. Whether this culture can settle down or can be accepted in Korea is still leaves question mark.

Education revolution in Sweden?

From 2009, Swedish clever students will be given special classes. The education minister said, brainy students have right to be motivated and need to be encourage thier speical talent.

Until now, Swedish education has been foucus on the equalization. under under ideal of all the students should get same quality of education and neither clever nor slow student should be fouced or given special treatment which could be considered discrimination.

Realising that sweden are loosing brilliant student cause of lack of attention and motivation, this could be thier hidden (or probably obvious) step to rise from sleeping country into waking up.

20 high schools will be first introduced this special classes and expecting to see the impact of this introduction.

“Will it be considered as discrimination? or right for clever student to study with thier pace?”

source: The Local- Sweden’s news in English

http://www.thelocal.se/11984/20080524/

Business culture in Sweden- Swedes are…

Swedes can be cold

“We would not have lunch first and have business like France and Italian people; we would have business first and have lunch later.” Mr. Gustavsson (CEO of ITAB) begins with quotation at the lecture. For Swedish people business and personal life is very distinctive and this characteristic shows not only in business area but also in general Swedish life. Swedish people do not share their personal information until they feel that they know the person quite well. In the beginning, high level of English and tend to not offend the people (foreigner) makes foreigner feel that they are welcomes and have no problem get mingle, but as time pass and more you get to know Swedish people, you can feel that it takes really long time to become close friend with Swedes.

Since Swedes talk directly and come to the point quickly many foreign businessmen often feel that Swedes are ignorant and limited or even boring due to the fact that they rarely talk their personal life in business. However at the same time Swedish businessmen feels that talking personal life is inappropriate, inefficient and also consider small talk as waste of time. Therefore when the Swedes talk directly or shows the impression that does not wish to hear your personal story, it is in their culture not as to offence you.

Swedes are equal

It has been already 20 year that corporate Sweden collapsed the hierarchy and became flat organization. Experiencing environment of horizontal organization was bit surprising from Asian point of view. Some cases as Female employees are allowed to bring their child into the workplace, can breast feed in the middle of the meeting (in front of the boss) and as long as they work, time of working was not restricted are not even imaginable in Korean companies. Most of Swedish managers think themselves as a coach instead of commander and all the employees in all levels have freedom to make decision and solve firm’s problem without asking permission. However sharing opinion is very much appreciated but showing emotions during the business is considered as unprofessional in Sweden.

Swedes are Sweet

Historically Sweden has not been to a war in 200 years and it shows on Swedish people that they do not like conflict. Some of culture might see this as “afraid of conflict” or “too sweet” but Swedish people feel that it is better to find neutral solutions than engage into the fight. As an example, CEO of Franssons has stated during the interview that he does not wish to compete with his own nationality people. The solution of Mr. Franssons that avoid conflict with Swedish people yet running the business was to expand his business internationally. Also during the research it is often shows that Swedish companies do not like to compete or create competitive atmosphere even in the same business industry. However Swedish think themselves aggressive whenever we ask them question. “Is your company aggressive towards competitors?”

In additions, honesty is very important to Swedes. Believing the honesty is the basic value, the whole society runs in the base on honesty and so as business. It is important that when the deal is made between the company. According to Masreliez-Steen, at the final stage, if a Swede shakes hand on the agreement they would stick to the contract and if you are dishonest, there will be no deal at all and even comes with enormous punishment.

Source:

Ÿ Building relationships in Sweden. By: Frazee, Valerie, Workforce, 10928332, Oct97 Supplement Global Workforce, Vol. 76

Ÿ Business Culture in Sweden by: smorgasbord the shortcut to Sweden http://www.sverigeturism.se/smorgasbord/index.html