Lao student from Tohoku University won the annual English speech contest held in Sendai city, Japan 2007. The following is the 5-minute script used by Lao student in the speech contest.
Title: "Japanese manners! " It has been 4 years since I first came to Japan from Laos. During my time here, I could notice many cultural differences and similarities between the two countries for many aspects. Today, allow me to share with you three Japanese manners that I think my country should learn from. First of all, I feel that Japanese are very punctual. You may have heard about Japanese time being very strict. 1 minute is considered to be late here, while in my country, to be late for 1 hour is normal and acceptable. Lao people like to make an excuse that being late is better than not coming, which I think it is not good and should change as soon as possible. Japanese are also very dedicated to their works. When Japanese start working at 9.00 a.m, they really start work at 9.00 a.m! In Laos, if work starts at 9.00 a.m, they may come to work around 9.30, and before starting work, they may start with a coffee break, then read the newspaper, then take some time for smoking, coming back to check email and then get ready to go out for Lunch. Times passed by without any output! I really want my country to change this manner, to be on time and to scarify more of their time to their works.
Secondly, I would say that Japanese have very high levels of patience and discipline. They follow the rule “first come first serve” which I think it is very fair to people overall. To give you an example, Japanese people stand in line patiently waiting to board the bus, while in Laos, people start running to catch a bus even if it has not yet stopped! Japanese traffic laws and regulations are very strict. If you are drunk and drive, you will be fined, and all the people inside your car, even though they do not drink, will also be fined. In Laos it is another story. We also have a rule, it is just a rule, a piece of paper, but people hardly follow it. To have a couple of beers and then drive is nothing. They always say I can drive, no problem, don’t worry about me! As a result, many hundred of people die every year because of accident in Laos. You may also not know that the capital city of Laos, Vientiane, is the city that has the highest rate of accidents per population in the world!
Lastly, I would like to mention that Japanese takes very good care of their customers. I remembered the first time I came to Japan and entered a convenience store. All the staff bowed almost 90 decrees and greeted me with the word Irashaimase. At that time I was very surprised and almost stepped back out of the shop because I had no intention to buy anything and just wanted to look around. This is totally different from my country where the shop owner hardly says any greeting to you and on the contrary, you may sometimes have to wake him or her up just to ask the price! Another example that impresses me a lot is that, If there are 30 people who get off the bus, the driver will say “Arigato gozaimasita” for more than 30 times. In Laos, you may hardly hear people say “Thank you” after someone has used your service. I do not mean to ask Laotian people to say “Thank you” 30 times like in Japan, but at least, I want them to learn both ways of getting and giving, that is to get money and to express appreciation and thanks to the customers.
To end my speech, I do believe that manners are something that are very hard to changed, but it will never happen, if we don’t start to practice them today. I do not mean that Laotian people have to change their whole mindset and follow every Japanese manner, but to adopt the good Japanese manners and apply them effectively and harmoniously to the living and working styles of laotian people.
I do agree with the person who made this speech. We should learn from developing countries to develop our people's mind and at the same time, not to forget to enhance our good manners such as greeting each other with Nope (Joining our hands to greet someone)
Sendai is where I stayed in Japan for two months. In fact, I passed by Tohoku University. I wish I could have met this person.
Japan is a great country. But as a Japanese growing up there, you might feel repressed. To our outside eyes, its amazing. But my host brother, who is staying with us and also from Sendai, its a good blend of traditions and the intake of the west.
TSP is right, he or she should make the speech in laos that lao people could hear and learn about marketing and how to take care of its customers... regards.
I wonder why our people have never learn from Japanese people by being proud of their nation. They don't like to criticise their people in front of other nation. They really like to help each other to gain benefit.
In fact, I really hate people who like to talk or gossip behind my back.
If we sincerely want to help each other ( especially Lao people), we should tell each other directly here in Laos rather than make other nation laughing on us, Lao people in Japan, I suppose. Why should we discredit our own nation, I don't understand?
No doubt, they have worked hard on it through education before they could reach to such a culture which is available in all developped countries, to say nothing of Laos, poor and underdevelopped country.
I wonder why our people have never learn from Japanese people by being proud of their nation. They don't like to criticise their people in front of other nation. They really like to help each other to gain benefit.
In fact, I really hate people who like to talk or gossip behind my back.
If we sincerely want to help each other ( especially Lao people), we should tell each other directly here in Laos rather than make other nation laughing on us, Lao people in Japan, I suppose. Why should we discredit our own nation, I don't understand?
No doubt, they have worked hard on it through education before they could reach to such a culture which is available in all developped countries, to say nothing of Laos, poor and underdevelopped country.
You need to accept the cultural differences. Why we need to be shy? It is the true.
In Japan, they get high paid, it is no doubt that they need to work from hard to very hard. In Laos, salary is low, no matter how hard you work, but the salary will not much change. That's why it is the reason that many lao people don't dedicate much to the work.
I wonder why our people have never learn from Japanese people by being proud of their nation. They don't like to criticise their people in front of other nation. They really like to help each other to gain benefit.
In fact, I really hate people who like to talk or gossip behind my back.
If we sincerely want to help each other ( especially Lao people), we should tell each other directly here in Laos rather than make other nation laughing on us, Lao people in Japan, I suppose. Why should we discredit our own nation, I don't understand?
No doubt, they have worked hard on it through education before they could reach to such a culture which is available in all developped countries, to say nothing of Laos, poor and underdevelopped country.
You need to accept the cultural differences. Why we need to be shy? It is the true.
In Japan, they get high paid, it is no doubt that they need to work from hard to very hard. In Laos, salary is low, no matter how hard you work, but the salary will not much change. That's why it is the reason that many lao people don't dedicate much to the work.
I concurred ...money motivate; incentive and promotion will get people to work diligently.
This is a speech that won the man an English Speech competition. It wasn't to persuade anyone to do anything, it was a speech to measure his English skills and speaking skills.
I don't think this should be considered **** talking, or something to make the Lao people look bad.
Actually, it is not good for anyone to talk about bad thing of our own people. True, we are not a perfect nation, but at least we would have something good.
Besides the fact that foreigners will look down Lao people or have bad imagination about Lao people, they would naturally look down the person who talked like this. He is also a Lao person from Laos.
Instead, why didn't he talk about the good things of Laos or Lao people, so that other nation would want to make friend with Lao people or come to visit Laos?
Yes, learning from other nation is a good thing to do, but looking down our own nation is a disgrace behaviour.
No doubt, if all Lao people could go abroad or to Japan, they would have admired the developped culture as this Lao student in Japan did. Unfortunately, it was not the case and would never happen.
the speech is nothing but an arse kissing of japanese. i'd be really so embarrassed if i were other lao people sitting in that room... HOW DARE YOU TO JUDGE ME AND MY PEOPLE! People in Lao have more manner than you think.
ass kissing
-- Edited by SJCALSBM3 at 06:46, 2008-06-13
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O.K guys, have you read the conclusion of this speech?
To end my speech, I do believe that manners are something that are very hard to changed, but it will never happen, if we don’t start to practice them today. I do not mean that Laotian people have to change their whole mindset and follow every Japanese manner, but to adopt the good Japanese manners and apply them effectively and harmoniously to the living and working styles of laotian people.
I don't see any points that seems to look down on Lao people. It is cultural differences and only people who don't open their hearts and minds to accept new things are considered as primative people.
