2025 Boris's Blog

One interesting aspect of Japanese education I admire is its emphasis on group activities and discipline . Students regularly take part in non-academic tasks like cleaning the school or serving lunch. This encourages responsibility, teamwork, and a sense of community from a young age, something I feel is often missing in other systems. Personally, I’m comfortable speaking in class almost all the time , especially when I’m interested in the topic or feel like I can contribute . The environment matters a lot, and I believe learning is best when students are engaged. I prefer project-based learning , which we use at my home university, because it teaches collaboration and independent thinking, just like the Japanese system values. Another aspect that stood out to me is the role of “shadow education” , like cram schools, or juku . I actually attended one before, and I see the benefit, especially for students aiming for competitive university entrance exams. In the future, I would defini...

After watching the documentary and discussing Japanese work culture in class, one thing became very clear to me: overwork is a serious issue in Japan. The concept of karoshi (death from overwork) shocked me, and the idea that many people stay with the same company for their whole life feels very foreign to me. In Japan, long hours, minimal vacation, and a strong sense of group loyalty dominate the workplace. While this reflects their cultural perspective of dedication and shokunin (mastery), I personally value work-life balance and flexibility. In my country, it’s more common to change jobs several times to find the right fit. I don’t mind working more than 40 hours per week, especially if it’s for something I believe in, like my future startup, but I think it’s essential to enjoy what you do. For me, job satisfaction and believing in the mission of the company matter more than loyalty for loyalty’s sake. This class helped me see how deeply culture influences our view of work. Unde...

In our last intercultural communication class, we explored how different societies view sleep and rest, and I was honestly shocked by the Japanese approach. Coming from Bulgaria, where overworking is not as common and we usually value a balanced lifestyle, I found Japan’s sleeping culture both extreme and unsustainable. The documentary we watched showed people sleeping only 4–5 hours per night, some even staying in cheap hotels just to avoid commuting home. That level of dedication to work might be seen as admirable, but to me, it feels unhealthy. I’ve personally witnessed this too—people sleeping on trains, looking completely exhausted. While I’ve always found the Spanish and Greek siestas a bit too long, at least they promote rest. In Japan, it’s the opposite. The culture of inemuri (napping in public) is accepted, but it's a result of serious sleep deprivation due to academic and work pressure. It was eye-opening to see how cultural values like discipline and endurance can sh...

Dear reader,  This week’s class helped me reflect on how people from different cultures approach meetings. Cultural “other” awareness is about recognising and respecting differences between people and the way they communicate. In the videos, like the one with Conan O’Brien in Japan, it was clear how important politeness, bowing, and indirect communication are in Japanese culture. Compared to that, I come from a Bulgarian background where people are much more open and direct when meeting others. I personally enjoy starting conversations with strangers and connecting quickly. I spoke to classmates from China and Mexico, and both told me that it’s not common in their cultures to start chatting with people they don’t know or to bring up sensitive topics like politics. I respect that approach, and I try to create a comfortable space so others feel safe sharing their views. These cultural differences remind me to stay curious and adaptable. What may seem cold or distant to me might act...