Author Archives: S

Posts by S

Comments by S

"In this post, the concern of strangers is really humorous. When you reveal that you are doing a photography project, they jump into conclusion that you don't go to college. The power of social construction is so great that being a photographer has the connotation of being not educated. This piece just proves that sociology suffuses our daily lives."
--( posted on Dec 9, 2012, commenting on the post The Shadows of Time )
 
"From giving thanks to family gathering, different cultures interpret the same holiday in distinctive ways. Though school is not open for some Jewish holidays, some Asian households treat them as another Thanksgiving."
--( posted on Dec 9, 2012, commenting on the post Chinese Thanksgiving )
 
"I love the pictures you attached in this post. Moreover, this piece underlines the differences between artificial art and natural beauty. Great contrast!"
--( posted on Dec 9, 2012, commenting on the post Waterfalls- Real vs. Fake )
 
"I'm not against kids using technology for recreational and educational purposes. Some toys are pretty dangerous to play with, but IPad makes the games safer. Furthermore, the latest gadgets are so portable, making video games and Ebooks accessible to teens at any time. As long as they are not addictive to technology, I don't see the need to ban them."
--( posted on Dec 9, 2012, commenting on the post Is Technology Destroying our Culture? )
 
"First of all, i loved the dialogue in this piece. It's vivid and humorous. The dry herring joke is witty and funny. Secondly, I'm amazed at the scene when the sales-women slams the 3-pound smoked Salmon on the top of the scale. It really shows the arrogance of this character. It's fascinating to hear this young sales-woman calling your mother "young lady". Perhaps she wants to appear more authority. She seems to talk with a professor's tone, addressing customers as "young lady". Anyway, i found it interesting."
--( posted on Dec 9, 2012, commenting on the post A Dried Herring, Please )
 
"Last year's Thanksgiving, I also had hotpot with my family. My mom prefers chicken than turkey, so she likes hotpot better. I can relate to your story on how turkey became a side dish. At dinner table, Asian family often pressures teens to eat more even though they are already full. Furthermore, it's considered disrespectful to say "No" to an older relative. As a result, I always end up gaining more weight on Thanksgiving. :("
--( posted on Dec 9, 2012, commenting on the post The Spirit of Thanksgiving )
 
"Thanks for sharing your personal stories again. they are always told in an extremely honest tone. I agree that the way people style their hair often reveals who they are. Having fun experimenting with your new hairstyle!"
--( posted on Dec 9, 2012, commenting on the post Styling Personality )
 
"i did online shopping on Black Friday. Personally, i think Black Friday and Cyber Monday are overrated because the best deal is always after Christmas."
--( posted on Nov 25, 2012, commenting on the post Black Friday )
 
"I like the comparison between Hurricane Sandy and War Zone / post-apocalyptic field. You included many perspectives for this post. It's great to see how your family and the tenant's family reacted to the storm, and i enjoyed reading it."
--( posted on Nov 17, 2012, commenting on the post Boats in Backyards )
 
"Rishi, I don't know where your neighborhood is; however, I feel that yours have been hit particularly hard by Sandy based on the pictures in this post. Aside from "cars were crushed by trees on top of them", I'm extremely curious to find out major insurance companies' next move."
--( posted on Nov 17, 2012, commenting on the post The Aftermath )
 
"You poured so much details into your second paragraph. Your descriptive insight on Sandy's havoc is truly impressive. Moreover, your epiphany on the lack of precious family bonding time proved to be a strong conclusion in this piece."
--( posted on Nov 17, 2012, commenting on the post Private: Hurricane Sandy )
 
"The contrast between urban city landscape and village life in China is very detailed, and i loved your pictures for this post."
--( posted on Nov 9, 2012, commenting on the post A Sanctuary Locked Away )
 
"The twist in this post is extremely clever. After your friend helped you out, I was anticipating you to respond the Spanish couple with decent Spanish. But boy, I was wrong. The "El pave-o!” reply is hilarious as well."
--( posted on Nov 9, 2012, commenting on the post Mi Español esta malo )
 
"Your posts tend to end with strong conclusions. In this post, you used Halloween as a great example to demonstrate the boundaries when two cultures cross each other. The post reminds me that I prefer watching American football rather than playing the game because Asians are usually not built stocky enough to compete in American sports."
--( posted on Nov 9, 2012, commenting on the post More Watching, Less Doing )
 
"The comparison between you and herded sheep is very cute. I also found the difference between Americanized Korean parents and traditional Korean parents quite fascinating."
--( posted on Nov 1, 2012, commenting on the post Private: Learning The Bowing Etiquette )
 
"I agree with you. Trick-or-Treating post Sandy is not a wise choice. There are so many trees on verge of falling onto the road. It's safer to stay indoors."
--( posted on Nov 1, 2012, commenting on the post Hurricane vs Halloween )
 
"Great storytelling techniques. The post is full of surprises, and your message is clear. Loved the sarcastic conclusion."
--( posted on Nov 1, 2012, commenting on the post Learning Beyond the Books )
 
"As New Yorkers, most of us hate tourists. This cultural encounter post sheds light to tourism in a very distinct perspective since you are the tourist. Through the vivid dialogue involving "you guys" and "bubble tea", I can sense your embarrassment and insecurity as a tourist traveling in downtown L.A, and I also find your link very helpful."
--( posted on Oct 20, 2012, commenting on the post Language Barrier )
 
"Nastassia, you have a gift to capture the details in life because you frequently notice cultural conflicts that take place at insignificant places. Even in a small dental office in Forest Hills, you can detect the magical bond created between an immigrant dentist from Belarus and a distressed foreign woman. From the mutual bonding, you advance to explore the cultural conflicts between immigrant dentists and capitalistic American dentists. You have very keen observations."
--( posted on Oct 20, 2012, commenting on the post Immigrant Bonds )
 
"I like your story-telling method, and the post is very intriguing. You effectively conclude the story with "life was back to normal," which brilliantly contrasts with "motley chaos" described in the introduction."
--( posted on Oct 20, 2012, commenting on the post Annyeonghaseyo , je ileum-eun Nancy ibnida )
 
"The comparison between cane and chopstick is effective, brilliant, and comical. You zoomed in on the act of can collecting, and conveyed the importance of frugality in Asian culture. I especially love how you delivered the theme with a personal encounter with your grandpa."
--( posted on Oct 8, 2012, commenting on the post Can Collecting )
 
"You uttered a bold statement that completely counters American stereotype, and you backed it up with solid evidence. That photo really says a lot."
--( posted on Oct 4, 2012, commenting on the post Asian drivers are wrongly accused of being “horrible drivers” )
 
"This is quite a heartwarming encounter at the Crossroad of the World. Most New Yorkers treat homeless people like Susan Boyle's fart while tourists are more willing to help out the subway musicians. However, you, a native New Yorker, stepped out of your comfort zone, and managed to engage in a wonderful conversation with this stranger. I admire your courage because so many of us do judge the book by its cover. This post has tons of vivid description, and I enjoyed reading it."
--( posted on Oct 3, 2012, commenting on the post Makeup )
 
"I like your story telling technique. It started with a dialogue in foreign language, and instantly grabbed my attention. You have recreated this cultural encounter vividly in audiences' minds. I read this post from beginning to end with extra attention instead of skimming through it because it really stands out."
--( posted on Oct 3, 2012, commenting on the post Ein süßes chinesisches Mädchen hat mir geholfen )
 
"Some professional people do keep a fountain pen, and it works quite well with a sports jacket just like your average pocket square does. On Sunday night, I was watching the season premier of 666 Park Avenue, and I spotted the fountain pen when Jane Van Venn (Rachael Taylor) and Henry Martin (Dave Annable) signed their contracts with landlord. To my surprise, the fountain pen still has its place in American society. Personally, I like how you are able to derive a cultural encounter from a fountain pen. It's a very cute concept."
--( posted on Oct 3, 2012, commenting on the post The Pen is mightier than the Sword! )
 
"Ever since European subway platforms introduced protective glass doors for safety concerns, the subway stations in Shanghai and Beijing started to install these devices as well. I wonder how modern subway stations would look like in 10 years."
--( posted on Sep 19, 2012, commenting on the post Same but Different )
 
"This post reminds me of a lecture made by my high school health teacher. She told me that smoking was allowed in NYC bars when she was young. Her mom always knew where she had been to because her clothing, hair, and bag would smell like weed after she went partying in a night club. Personally I'm thankful to Mayor Bloomberg because he has banned smoking in NYC clubs, and I hope smoking in restaurants will be banned in big cities in China one day."
--( posted on Sep 19, 2012, commenting on the post Private: Cultural Encounter )
 
"Wow. This blog post is full of dramatic twists, and the stories just show how different ethnic communities in NYC have prejudice against each other. Not surprisingly, some people make quick judgements based on media-portrayed stereotype. Like Yeuk San has said, it's quite unfortunate."
--( posted on Sep 19, 2012, commenting on the post Racism in Brooklyn )
 
"Nancy, I enjoyed reading this personal story. At home, my mom would speak Shanghainese to me, and I would respond her with Mandarin. Just like you and Dasha, my mom and I understand each other perfectly. I remember an Italian classmate has told me that she can understand her Sicilian-speaking relatives perfectly, and this again proves your point."
--( posted on Sep 5, 2012, commenting on the post Dasha )
 
"Nastassia, your writing is richly descriptive. Although this blog post doesn't have a picture of the courthouse, you have reconstructed the image of this marvelous building in my mind. I can see the godly radiance from the Appellate Courthouse against the uninspired grey of the surrounding skyscrapers, and feel the masculinity and authority of the Roman general sculpture. It's brilliant."
--( posted on Sep 5, 2012, commenting on the post Appellate Courthouse )
 
"Many people have difficulties to pronounce names of minorities or the food on the menu of ethnic restaurants. When we first met, you emphasized that your name is Alessandra instead of Alexandra, and then I had to correct you that my name is Sifan instead of Stefan. Your "Baruch" dilemma with your Nonna is humorous, realistic, and most importantly, relatable. Like Nastassia, I enjoyed this piece of writing. Thank you for sharing this with us."
--( posted on Sep 5, 2012, commenting on the post The many meanings of “Baruch” )
 
"When I first visited NYC, I was confused about Manhattan's subway system, and I had a rough time commuting from Queens to Manhattan via public transportation because the commute often involved both bus and subway transportation. After a few round trips, I gradually found that navigating in Manhattan become easier. I loved that many streets in Manhattan were named with numbers, and this little detail helped me to find my direction faster. Since I've traveled to both Asia and Europe, I found it a lot harder to navigate in cities like Shanghai or Copenhagen than to travel in NYC. The streets of Shanghai are named after famous people, mountains, or rivers, and the streets of Copenhagen are often inspired by animals, spices, or musicians. Without a map, a foreigner would have no clue about navigating in these cities. So Vivian, I believe you will soon become an expert of navigating in Manhattan."
--( posted on Aug 30, 2012, commenting on the post Private: Subway Troubles )
 
"When i first saw Gangnam Style on YouTube, I thought this Korean music video by PSY was just a parody of Sexy and I Know It by LMFAO (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E6J9LNe6LI) because they are similar in so many ways. Since I don't speak Korean, I did some research on this viral music video over the Internet, and surprisingly, Gangnam Style introduced me to a new lifestyle, a rich and seemingly absurd one. But guess what? I loved it."
--( posted on Aug 30, 2012, commenting on the post NYC Style )
 
"Yeuk San, I like how you are able to "melt different cultures into one that belongs to no one else except yourself." FYI, I have a diverse music collection on my IPod as well. I hope that you will show me your collection some day, and introduce me to the music that you have composed yourself."
--( posted on Aug 30, 2012, commenting on the post My Culture– My style )