Group bonding - how it's done in the East

I think me and my contempories here have now got to the stage where we've ceased to be polite, and if things nark us, we just want to say - and some do.

There are a number of differences in culture between the east and what we are used to in the west. One of those crops up in our class - when we (and my class is predominantly eastern) are asked a question, a chorus of loud voices answer back, and go on answering back, repeating the same word or phrase over and over again, until stopped by the next question. That deeply irriates one of my classmates (non-eastern). Another little 'way' of our class is to answer questions asked to someone else. So if the teacher asks me a question, (in Japanese of course), someone else calls out the answer before I've had time to form my thoughts and speak them. Again, for some (including myself when it happens to me), this is deeply annoying. And it's a wonder the teacher doesn't say anything! But then today she did! When someone (a western girl) was struggling, and we daren't answer for her as we (or at least some of us) know it annoys her, the teacher pipes up: 'Come on E class, group effort!' So actually this group effort is encouarged here - part of the group culture - doing things together with others, rather than alone.

Another instance was stated to me recently - someone commented that it was hard to do group outings with Westerners as we didn't know how to work in groups. We would go off and do our own thing, rather than going with the team, if it suited us. I think they were right - even on our 'ensokou' to Universal Studios, I was tempted to quit my group, who were stuck in a long queue for a very short ride that I wasn't even keen to go on, and do my own thing. But I didn't, as I knew that would seem very anti-social (all my group were Taiwanese/Chinese).

Yesterday we had another small trip, just walking from our school. Rather than choose our own groups, we were put in groups of four by random selection (not quite numbers in a hat - instead numbers on chopsticks - I'm serious!), and there was even a random way of group leaders being selected, who were then appointed to gather their team around them. This actually saved time and it was quite comforting to know who was 'in charge'. (Although that was abandoned on the outing itself as a more natural leader shone forth. [not me] )

I thought when I first arrived that suddenly my two months of 'training' at WEC seemed rather stupid - afterall, many of the other students were here with little if any notice, and no training. Although I am not saying I am 'better' than others from my training, I do now notice the worth of that teaching - it has taught me to respect other cultures; even to recognise the differences between cultures and personalities, and I am trying not to speak too quickly!

So I think there are things we can learn from the group culture of East Asia. After all, Japanese industry thrives, becuase they know how to devote themselves to thier companies. Maybe if we did that more in churches they would thrive more as well!