Cultural Autobiography Report: Romania, Japan, and Cultural Models

This report presents a cultural autobiography comparing and contrasting the cultures of Romania and Japan. The introduction sets the stage, highlighting the value of understanding diverse cultural perspectives. The main body delves into the specific cultural aspects of Romania and Japan, including their histories, values, traditions, and societal structures. The analysis incorporates the Hofstede cultural model and the Iceberg Model of Culture and Behaviour and the Onion Model of Culture to provide a framework for understanding cultural differences. The visible and invisible elements, patterns, habits, mental models, values, rituals, and symbols of each culture are examined. The conclusion summarizes the key findings, emphasizing the differences in food, attire, culture, and rituals while acknowledging the importance of cultural awareness and intercultural competence in business and other contexts. The report references relevant books and journals to support its analysis.

CULTURAL
AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................3
Culture of Romania.....................................................................................................................3
Culture of Japan..........................................................................................................................4
Hofstede cultural model..............................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................7
REFRENCES...................................................................................................................................8
Books and Journal.......................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
As cultural autobiography give a chance to explore and to increase your knowledge. All
people are different from country and follow their culture. One can show their upbringing by
their actions and words. There are millions of cities some are similar to each other or some are
alike in their way. In this there is overview in context of two cultures which are same at one
point and differ at another point. Illustration of two cultures are given below:
MAIN BODY
Culture of Romania
In 1859, there were regions launched a word 'Romania'. People of Romania showed
culture and language which belong from their ancestors. The Roma (Gypsies), who are
distributed into small groups throughout the country, most of gypsies decided to reside in small
tents and camps out of the city in order to live peacefully. The country flags consist multiple
colours, each colour shows a Romanian country. These are Transylvania(blue),
Moldavia(yellow) and Walachia(red). In 1992, coat of arms was well introduced, it include gold
eagle on a blue background and which holds a cross in its beak, a sword and a scepter. The
eagle's chest conclude symbols of the five cities and they are : Walachia, Moldavia,
Transylvania, Banat, and Dobruja. As the population is in million in number, so the base of
economy depends on the labor force. As the population is millions in number so there is a fair
distribution among people according to their work profession. Some work in industries, factories
for daily wages. There are people who work in agriculture as well.
Wedding season in a Rome, brings joys anancestors d happiness on everyone faces.
Rituals followed by people are the responsibility of their ancestors which they carrying it from
decades. Wedding food include kegs of wine. At the end sheep feast, believed as traditional mark
for gypsies. It is celebrated with a number of people and they celebrate with foods like cheese
meal, as well as meat dishes. From decades, as marriages arranged by couple's parents through
adviser. During vacations I have attendant one wedding, I have seen that dowry which offered by
bride's family that linen and embroidery made by bride by herself. It was like a large festive
feelings in which entire village was invited. The communist government marked important to
science and technology rather than humanity. All subject became compulsory and people were
happy to accept the decision and move forward. As well as it helped them in a social growth.

Culture of Japan
From childhood I always followed Shinto. In religion Shinto is described as a “ way of
god”. It is a pure relationship between humanity and environment, agriculture and society. All
people's prayers and offering given to respective god for health, crop cultivation, children and
their safety. Harvest festivals are considered as Shinto events. Shinto and Buddhism began to
exist together. As there are many stories by local of Japan's local version. According to them,
universe originated by many Buddhas but Shinto dealt with problematic area of this world such
as crops, social, relations etc. Meanwhile culture and followers of Buddha focused on ethics ,
moral, values and supernatural issues. This created a line between two followers.
Japanese do eat a wide range of foods varieties, including from China and the West. Most
of people depends on rice, generally eaten plain from bowl without seasoning of butter. Rice is
served with more dishes including fish, meat, vegetables, various pickle as well as soup. I am
fond of seafood as well many people of Japan prefers seafood. Some fresh fishes is eaten raw
and some are cooked and served with rice in sushi. As there are many misconception about
different culture, Japanese follow their culture in their manner whereas they are also well
developed techniques.
Wedding are generally celebrated in a commercial halls within city, Shinto ceremonies
are held in person only with a couple, priest witness and parents. Cup of sake are exchange and
wine and celebrated in a peaceful way.
The Iceberg Model Of Culture And Behaviour:
In this model the culture of countries have some elements of visible and invisible. The
visible elements of country is their values , actions and their behaviour they all much visible
for all. But like this model, the countries are also direct and goaded by frequently invisible
actions, But the country are more concentrating on visible factors because that help the country
to involve much audience and much involvement of them as in every country there are different
kind of culture and rituals. This model helps the country to identify content, feelings , values ,
behaviour and commitment, desires of the audience. Almost individuals lean to unconscious
acquire its belief, feeling, impressions and knowledge or behaviour from its culture and
community.
There are some steps that is followed by this model to identify the visible or invisible elements
of the country:

Visible culture practices: This steps include the visible pattern of the countries like what are
their culture and rituals that is followed by them, as Japan follow this pattern because the country
Japan believes in to show their cultutres and rituals to everyone so that outsiders can also know
about their rituals and culture but the country Romania is concentrating on to hide their culture
and rituals from the outsiders, Romania country is rely on self-delusion, they do not believe in
visible elements , they think that some things is better to be hidden for the development of the
country because every person have different mind set and thought process and by showing
another person they think that this create a barriers and problems. But the country Japan thinks
that to know each and everyone choices and rituals , lifestyles support and assist the company to
understand and analysis the different variations in the culture activities and also help them to
analysis the person so deeply like about their taste, behaviour and many more.
Pattern and Habits: Every country has different pattern and habits like they follow different
rituals and culture like Japan country follow different wedding styles generally they celebrated
their wedding in commercial halls, the follow lord Buddha and they have different pattern of
foods means they prefer more fish, meat, vegetables , rice but the nation Romania has different
pattern and habits just like they followed their traditions and rituals that belong to ancestors
like from their relative or root of their family , they have very clean and simple traditions and the
Romanians would like to eat meat, cheese meals, wine and many more , the pattern of Romania
is much open-minded as compared to Japan. These steps help the nation to work together and
direct the country is much smoothly.
Mental models: This step or belief is consider the emotions and feelings like stress, anxiety,
frustration and their powers to do work . As Romania is generally follow and belongs to
ancestors, so the Romanians are much bounded and they think that this is wrong means they
think that if some things is not by their ancestors so they also can not do that things because in
their family no one ever done it before but as I talk about Japan country they are much
independent because as all know that many times Japan faces many things like world war,
nuclear bomb and so many things but they have their different mindset and capabilities to the
work very rapidly and effectively and now the country Japan is much and more developed as
compared to Romania because they are not depended on their ancestors.
This model helps the nation to find the problems and understand the working environment and
also help them to identify the culture and behaviour of the society.

Onion model of culture: This model is consider and include the four layers that consist values,
norms, pattern of behaviour, their rituals , symbols. This model helps to analysis and identify the
better understanding of various layer. There are 4 layers of this model that help to identify the
perception and culture of the country and that are describe below:
Value: The country Japan have different values liken they always believing in to not give up ,
always trying their best to enhance and develop their country , always respect other, know and
analysis their worth and responsibility and always work together they believe in team work but
the country Romania have different values like this nation believed in long term relationships
that is rely on , trust, respect and loyalty. Religions is much important for the Romanians.
Romanians are much bounded as compared to the Japanese because they more into in their roots
of family and they have some different food taste and behaviour like the Romanians believe into
invisible elements because as they do not like to show their activities to another person , they are
very calm and super bold, they think that they are much superior. The another country Japan is
consider the visible elements because they like to involving and make better relationship with
another person, and the audience of japan is much calm and intelligent, they believe in that never
give up and take risk as much as you can and these are few things that make Japan more
successful as compared to Romania.
Rituals: They both country have different rituals and traditions like Romanians belongs from
their ancestors and they believe in to make long term relationships in very simple and elegant
and way but the country Japan have different ritual they prefer purification, adoration , prayers
and blessings , music, dance ,food and many more.
Symbol: The national symbol of Japan flag is , the flag is in rectangular-shaped white banner
having a crimson-red disc in its midst and in Romania country the national symbol of flag is a
mixture of tricolour with vertical stripes, beginning from the flagpole: blue, yellow and red.
Heroes: The country Japan believes in Lord Buddha and they much and more indulged in
religion. For Japanese lord Buddha is much important for them. In Romania they are much
indulged into and belongs to ancestors and they are much into their religions. Romania country is
the much religious as compared to 34 European countries.

CONCLUSION
As demonstration has proved that cultures are different to each other and similar at one
point as well . Difference conclude in food, attire, culture, rituals etc. The upbringing difference
occurs when the environmental change and society gets differ. As cities are dealing with
problems such as rate of raise of population, employment etc. There is a huge difference in both
above cultures as they eat differ food and wear differ clothes but apart from this they are differ
spiritually, mentally and physically as well. According to view (Lu, 2018), there should be
equally rights given to male and female whether they belong from any culture or not but keeping
culture aside for a while humanity should be given priority.

REFRENCES
Books and Journal
Lu, (2018). CULTURAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A CHRISTIAN FOREIGN EDUCATOR IN THE UNITED
STATES.Voices of Asian Americans in Higher Education: Unheard Stories
Bersh,(2018) Writing autobiography to develop culturally responsive competency: Teachers’ intersections of
personal histories, cultural backgrounds and biases.International Journal of Educational Research,.
Gidley,,(2020). Emil Otto Hoppé, Autobiography, and Cultural Moments. In The Photobook. Routledge.
Wagner-Egelhaaf,(2018). Autobiography/Autofiction. An Interdisciplinary and International Handbook,
Collado, (2020). “I Hate Being Chinese”: Migration, Cultural Identity, and Autobiography in Quan Zhou Wu’s
Gazpacho agridulce. In Spanish Graphic Narratives Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Campbell,(2020). FEMINIST APPROACHES TO AUTOBIOGRAPHY–A PREFACE TO PART. Owning Our
Voices: Vocal Discovery in the Wolfsohn-Hart Tradition.
BAUMGARTNER, A Multiple Inhabitance: Cultural Negotiation in Native American Autobiography.
EzPELETA,(2019). Autobiography and Identity. Performance as Research. MARín EzPELETA Nocturno de Café
Müller. Una lectura· Roberto FRATI Calixto Bieito· Héctor MELLInAS Carmen Tórtola Valencia, la
construcció dels personatges· neus RIBAS PEDAgOgIA· Lenguaje escénico y semiótica en la formación
de intérpretes en las ESAD hoy. Marco normativo· Ekaitz Unai gOnzáLEz URRETxU Produeix .