TV Show-The Voice of American

   Do you know about the popular TV Show called The Voice of American? It is a reality singing competition TV Show for a good voice. There are four coaches who are Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine, and Blake Shelton. Each coach will choose twelve singers to be their team members in the Preliminary rounds. All the coaches don’t know anything about the singers, expect their voice. When they hear a voice that they want it, they will turn around of the seats. That means they want the singer. If over one coach turns around the seat, the singer need to choose the one that he/she would like to join the team. After those enough twelve team members, they will train their members to sing well and join next singing Knockout rounds. Like that, who stay at last will be the winner.

   I am so glad that to share this wonderful TV Show to you, because it is really a good show that just pays attention to good voice for singing. In addition, it is a good way to enjoy the popular music and classical music. People who joined this singing competition were from all kinds of color skin and identity, but they had a same dream that love music very much. Even more, some of them never learn music at all. They just teach by themselves. As an audience, I can’t image how they work hard to keep going their dream. Fortunately, they joined The Voice and sang on this big stage. Although to be the winner or not, they said that they had already been satisfied to sing in this great show. I felt so touching. This TV Show of The Voice is successful. It is not only to help someone make their dreams come true, but also to promote the development of popular music. Likewise, most people follow popular culture. That is why this show becomes successful and wonderful. Whatever the singers sing in any kind of music, they actually enjoy and share their popular culture that they like. This is called a double benefit.

Glog: Chicago Culture Center

http://prezi.com/9tlfb1npirq9/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

   In this class, I had a filed trip to Chicago Culture Center with my group members of Wing, More and Negin. We had a good time and learned a lot there. Chicago Culture Center was opened in 1897 in the Loop, across Michigan Avenue from Millennium Park. During visiting the Chicago Culture Center, we got a better understanding of high culture. In the Chicago Culture Center, we saw some classic paintings, high technology video views and statue. On the other hand, we interviewed about pop culture and high culture of five people that two of them who worked in it and three visitors. According to these interviews, we knew that old people and Arts students follow the pop culture or high culture. They thought that these cultures are close to our daily life, such as popular music, fashion clothes and some famous museums.

   Actually, this is a worth experience of pop culture and high culture. The more we learn, the more we understand about what pop culture and high culture are. In my opinion, the differ of popular culture and high culture is that, popular culture is belongs to general culture that most people like it and accept it, also, it is a new culture. But high culture belongs to a part of culture that people have a professional knowledge. Not anyone can understand what high culture is. It is difficult to get its real meaning, because high culture is a spirit of enjoyment.Even though we don't understand clearly, We should also join these both culture. I think that joining something is much better to learn than thinking something. 

Food

   The reading of Custom-Made is talking about the food taste customs all around the world. Which kind of food the people like and the industry of international market provide the satisfy food. With the economic development, these companies try their best to produce perfect products. They try to change the cooking methods or add some new ingredient or adjust the flavors. I think that it is difficult to satisfy people’s taste around the world. That must to be a great and hard job. It may have a lot of things to be changed to achieve this goal. In other words, people who have wonderful ideas about changing something to adjust all kinds of people’s taste are great, because actually it will be a huge market for economic trending. But at the same time, it is not easy to be success. It will be a long term testing and trying.

   From this reading, the most interesting thing for me is that some companies change the cooking methods or the flavors to cater to anybody’s taste. As I learned this article, finally I understood that why I had different taste in MacDonald between China and America. In China, the food in MacDonald taste much spicy and fresh. But they taste very different in America. The food in American MacDonald taste sweet with many sauce inside. It belongs to American food style. That improves all kinds of people have different food cultures. According to these points, that is why the companies change the cooking methods or the flavors to develop the international market. They need to do a research for all kinds of people. If not, they will lose money and get a bad reflection.

Movie

   I saw a movie named The Life of Pi. It was an Oscars Awards film. I found it on the website of http://www.oscars.org. The director of this movie is Ang Lee. And the main actor is Pi and a tiger. It is talking about Pi’s tramp story in 227 days in the sea. Pi’s families plan to immigrate to Canada. On the way to Canada, they got an accident in the sea. His whole family died, expect the animal of a tiger, a hyena, an orangutan and a zebra with a broken leg. Later, the hyena killed the orangutan and ate the disable zebra. Then, the tiger ate the hyena. Finally, it just left Pi and the tiger alive. At the beginning, they figured the methods of how to kill each other. Day by day, they produced feelings that as like friends, families. In the 227 tramp days, they took care of each other. Pi used all his best skills to catch the fish and collect the clear water that made them alive in the sea. Absolutely, they had a variety of challenges and hardships. But Pi never gave up. He believed that they would be helped in one day. At the end, they were helped by the Mexican Fishing Boat.

   I think The Life Pi is a good movie that we should to see. Because of its newest technology 3D effects is amazing. These effects make you experience a different feeling of your mind. Also, the plot is bizarre twists and turns. In addition, it conveys a positive attitude in our daily life. In the movie, Pi did a good job. They created a courageous image of Pi. When he knew that his whole family was dying by the sea accident, he didn't give up living. I learned many positive attitudes from him. According to these points, the movie of The Life Pi is worth seeing. 

Music

      Have you ever got moving by a song? I like music very much. When I was a little 

child, my dream was to be a singer. Today I would like to share one of my favorite 

love songs –“What Make You Beautiful”, by One Direction. One Direction is my 

favorite musical group of five members which are Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam 

Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson. They debut with an English-Irish Pop Boy 

Band in 2010. Until now, they had three main debut albums and three concert tours. 

They got two ‘BRIT’ Awards with the song of “What Make You Beautiful”. This 

song is about love and famous in 2011. I felt excited and wonderful at my first time to 

hear the song. It made me full of energy to be confident. 

      If someone asks me what my favorite type of music is, I will answer that it is pop 

music. Pop music is a wide range which includes power pop, pop rock, dance pop 

and teen pop. But the important reason for me is, pop music is the closest to life. The 

lyrics and the mood of the song are easy to understand. In the other hand, pop music 

show the pop culture which at that time. That is why the young people like pop music. 

They are as same as me to follow the pop culture and enjoy the pop music. I like to 

listen to “What Make You Beautiful”, by One Direction by again and again. I feel that 

it is comfortable. Also, the song got me moving all the time. Whatever, One Direction 

is a youth Group. I wish they will create more influential songs to get everyone 

moving in the future.

Reading

I would like to share something about the reading of “Home at Last”. From this article, the writer was very confusing for his own native culture, because he has left his hometown—Ethiopia with his parents when he was only two years old. Then he lived in U.S.A. He knew nothing about his native culture. Just his father always reminded him: “Please remember that you are Ethiopian”. It is funny, but also it is a little sad. In the future, maybe he doesn't know where he comes from.

In my opinion, I think the writer can use the other way to treat this problem. Nowadays, cultural diversity is becoming a hot topic. Sometimes, we can ignore where you come from, what color skin you are, which belief you choose. We all are human being. Our cultures can be respected each other as long as we inclusive the cultures around you. Before long you will find the culture belongs to yours. Especially in the U.S.A., that makes of immigrants from all kinds of countries. As a new immigrant, I feel that culture collide is inevitable. Even though you are confuse or interested in these different cultures, you should learn to join in them and get your personal feeling. Don’t worry, it is an interesting event.

Cultural Identity

  

       China is an ancient country. It is composed of fifty-six nationalities. There are lots of festivals in China. As a Chinese, I am so proud to share some festivals from my country-China, such as Moon Cake Festival, Spring Festival, and Dragon Boat Festival. In my poster, it showed some traditional food and activities. People have a good time in these festivals. In addition, it showed that Chinese person carry on their native cultures and respect their faith.

    After learning in this unit on Cultural Identity, I have a new understanding identity of culture. Before, I only knew that culture was where you born to decide which culture you were. But now, I realize it is wrong. The identity of culture is extensive. It includes different aspects of life. Such as nationality, belief, hobby, custom, personal character, and so on. In fact, all of them are close to your life every day. If you would like to explain what cultural identity is, the best way is personal experience. Therefore, cultural has no a settled type identity. The more you learn or try in your life, the more you understand. You will have a fantasy trip on your cultural learning courses.

Pop Culture

   

   I like the pop culture and sometimes I follow it. I am not easily to be influenced because I am a traditional Chinese person. But I like American pop culture. Since I have been in the U.S, I have made a lot of changes. I like American lifestyle and American food. I do like to use a folk instead of Chinese chopsticks. I will pay tips to the waitress. I feel so good! On the other hand, I reject some parts of American culture, such as American’s enthusiasm. They are always nice to talk with me. Because I am shy and my poor English. I am afraid of that.

   Since taking this class, I have become aware of the importance about pop culture. Firstly, pop culture can show you what culture identity you are. Secondly, pop culture is a kind of symbol of a country. If you would like to know about a country, the good way is learn about its pop culture. Finally, pop culture is a kind of life style. If you join a new culture, you will find a new life style. In this class, I learned a lot. Now I know that different cultural identity will influenced pop culture little by little. In addition, as a new immigrant, I am willing to learn about the pop culture of America. I am interested in it caused it is totally different between my native country-China.