Cultural comparison:

日本の家の中でたたみがあります。たたみはわらのマトです。家に入ること時にくつをぬがなければいけない。シャーワーとおふろはおなじの部屋があります。家の中にドアのはかみを作られる。ねたいこと時にふとんでねます。アメリカの家に入ること時にくつをぬがなければいけないがない。家の中にドアのはざいもくを作られる。ねたいこと時にベッドでねます。

Houses in japan are fairly different from houses in america. In Japan most of the floor is covered with straw mats called たたみ, which are roughly 3' by 6'. upon entering a Japanese house you are expected to take your shoes off at the げんかん and place them in a shoe cabinet. Often the doors separating the rooms in the house are sliding doors made of paper and wood called ふすま. Japanese apartments, on average, are very small and often a sleeping space can double as a place for recieving guests by replacing a futon with a small table and cushions for sitting.

Learning about the set up of Japanese Houses will help me in my study abroad experience, for instance, i now know that when you are done sleeping on your futon you put it away in a closet. also when bathing you are supposed to shower before you get into a bath, as a bath is mainly for leisure and the water may be used a second time after you are finished.

Language comparison:

The verbs for giving and receiving are very different in japanese than in english. In the english language there are only two verbs for these actions: to give and to receive. In contrast Japanese has six differnt verbs for giving and receiving. The reason for this abundance is that different giving and receiving verbs corispond to the social status of the subject in relation to the speaker.

With the verbs くれる and くらさる the speaker, or an in group member, is being given somthing by someone; if くれる is used then the giver is equal or lower than the speaker, but if くらさる is used than the giver is superior to the speaker (with the idea of an in-group any in-group members are of the same social standing as the speaker). With the verbs 　あげる and さしあげる the recipient cannot include the speaker, but the giver can be anyone; あげる is used when the giver and the recipient are equal, さしあげる is used when the recipient is superior to the giver. When the verb もらう the recipient can be anyone, but the giver must be of equal or lower social standing. Lastly when the verb いただく is used the giver must be of higher social standing than the recipient.

かのじょはぼくに本をくれました。 She gave me the book.

In this case both the recipient(me) and the giver(her) are equal.

先生はぼくの弟にチョークをくらさりました。 The teacher gave my little brother chalk.

In this case the recipiant(my little brother) is inferior to the giver (the teacher).

ぼくはかのじょにはなをあげました。 I gave her a flower.

Here the giver(me) and the recipient(her) are equal.

ぼくは先生にぼくのしゅくだいをさしあげました。 I gave the teacher my homework.

In this example I(giver) am inferior to the teacher(recipient).

ぼくはかのじょに本をもらいました。 I received the book from her.

In this case both the recipient and the giver are equal.

ぼくの弟は先生にチョークをいただきました。 My little brother received the chalk from the teacher.

Here my little brother (the recipient) is inferior to the teacher (the giver).

The proper use of these six verbs is very important in everyday Japanese speech. As the verbs make statements on the social standings of the participents incorrect use has the potential to be offensive. While I still find these verbs confusing at times I have a decent grasp of them.