What I Thought About the First Class, Drawing World Map by Kunika

On our class of Academic English ll, each one of us drew the world map based on our imagination of how does the world map looks like, and made observations about the map. From this first lesson of Academic English ll, draw map and making observation, I learned that our common sense is not everyone’s’ common sense, and we should understand it, not criticizing or sticking with one idea. Also, the drawing showed their characteristics, and the class made me recognizes that I don’t really know about the world.

When each one of us finished drawing, we stand up, walk and look around my friends’ drawings; I could see that of course, we didn’t have exact same drawings. For example, most of the class located Japan on the center of the world map but some of them didn’t. I think this is because everyone is from different regions or there are Japanese students who lived in overseas so they drew maps which is they are most familiar with. Also, I, as a Japanese, thought that this map is “Japan centered,” but Korean students, Chinese students or students from Singapore might think that Korea, China, or Singapore is the center of the map because these are the countries where they came from and most familiar with. There are many countries around the world and people from all over the world, and they think differently. Thus, as a Global Studies student it is important to realize that our common sense such as this really small thing, the world map is Japan centered is not their common sense and we should understand it.

Also, I felt that the drawings showed characteristics of my classmates and there are differences of how they image the world map in their head. Some people drew the map really roughly with circles and didn’t drew in details like didn’t drew continents’ or countries’ shape but others drew it in details such as drew the shapes clearly. And, there are some people who labeled the map. I thought someone who drew the map not in details including me may not good at drawing, and people who labeled the map may have a meticulous nature. Moreover, there are people who drew the world map completely different from most of ours drawing. They drew the map in three-dimensional, they drew the map which is looks like a globe. By finding that there are people who draw the maps differently from me, I notice that there are differences in each person on how they image things such as the world map; also, I have stuck with the idea that the map that we can draw is two-dimensional. I think in any circumstances, sticking withone idea is not good because if you stick with one idea, you cannot think or look things broadly, and then might make mistakes. As a global studies student, we should listen to others’ idea and make our outlook broader to understand each country’s culture and solve problems with better solutions.

In addition, while I was drawing the map, I couldn’t remember where countries locate even though it is Asian countries. I thought I did know where they are so I now recognized that I really don’t know the world, and I need to know that. Also, when I realize that I don’t know about the world, I questioned to myself, “do I really know about my country, Japan?” And then, I found I don’t know much about Japan such as history and politics in Japan, Therefore, from that first class I also learned that I didn’t know about the world and also Japan, and I really need to study and be able to talk about Japan as a Japanese.

           

             In summary, from first class of Academic English ll, I learned that one common sense in certain country or culture might be different in other countries or cultures, that a drawing shows characteristic, and realized that I don’t know about the world and Japan which I should have known about it.

Kunika