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Wednesday, January 22, 2020

SOME CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

To All,
     Different cultures have different ideas.  In some, it is impolite to point your feet in a given way; in others, to show the bottom of your feet or shoes; in some women must cover their hair in public; in some women at the beach can wear bikinis; in some, people do not eat pigs; in some people do not eat cows; in some people do eat dogs; and the list can go on for pages.
     The following is how Chinese culture describes certain features of an animal.  See if you can guess which animal is being described?
Xxxxx's are clever, quick thinkers; successful, but content with living a quiet and peaceful life.
In Chinese culture, xxxxx's were seen as a sign of wealth and surplus. Because of their reproduction rate, married couples also prayed to them for children.

Ranking the first in the Chinese zodiac, the xxxxx represents wisdom. Personality traits for the people born in the year of the xxxxx are intelligent, charming, quick-witted, practical, ambitious, and good at economizing as well as social activities. The weaknesses are that the xxxxx's are likely to be timid, stubborn, wordy, greedy, devious, too eager for power and love to gossip.

WHAT IS THE ANIMAL DESCRIBED?

With all those clues, you probably were able to come up with the correct answer.  The answer is of course, not the tiger, not the snake, not the dragon, or the sheep, not the pig or the dog, but the rat is the answer. Cultures vary, and they also differ on how they describe different animals.

Meanwhile, Saturday 25 January 2020 is the Chinese New Year, and in Vietnam it is also the New Year called Tet.  In China and Vietnam this is the time to travel to visit relatives.  It is sad that in Wuhan there is a major outbreak of a virus, and travel is restricted.  To those in VN, Happy New Year!  To those in China, Happy Year of the Rat, though in English, that does not sound so good, so Happy New Year!  To those throughout the world, have a great year.  I wonder what Mickey Mouse thinks of all this at Disney?
HUGH MURRAY

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