Some people say that you can learn more about another country by watching television programmes and films about it than by actually visiting it.
How true is this statement? Is there anything you can learn about another country by visiting it that you cannot learn by watching programmes and films about it?
Learning about different countries has been trend in globalization era. As such, lots of people argue that people nowadays can improve their knowledge much more about international countries by watching TV programmes and movies from the most comfortable location in their home than visiting to overseas which can spend a lot of money. Whilst this is true to some extent, I would argue that understanding foreign language cannot be done with looking both TV and films, people just can know it via travelling to foreign countries to practice directly with mother tongue of other countries which they visit.
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Learning about different countries has been trend in globalization era. As such, lots of people argue that with TV or movie, people nowadays can improve their knowledge about international countries from their home. This is because nearly all information of foreign countries are available on television and this way is believed rather than visiting abroad spending a lot of money. Whilst this is true to some extent, in fact, not all form of other countries can be found in film. I would personally believe that people must travel to overseas if they want to study foreign habitat as for knowing it, people have to directly observe how inhabitant behavior is there.
Mostly, either television or movie shows various lessons, which one of them is highlight of foreign countries. For instance, some televisions in Indonesia often broadcast a movie about state of other countries such as Arabic culture and history. As a result, lots of Indonesian people really understand how the real people cultures is in Arabic country even some of them can imitate the culture in their live in Indonesia like using Arabic custom. Furthermore, many TV programmes in Indonesia also perform using other countries languages so that some Indonesia inhabitants are very fond of following it. This means that by looking film, people can make progress for their lives.
However, this way is difficult to study people habits in many countries because various forms of habits are in every country. Taking Hollywood film as an example, there are many people habits of western countries portrayed in the Hollywood. Although people often watch film of Hollywood, they cannot see what is different each habit as in movie there is no clearly explanation of foreigner habits. Consequently, travelling is one solution only for people learning foreign habits in different countries. People must live in around foreigner and make relation to them while people also pay attention habits of foreigners. This method is more effective than watching television.
The aforementioned evidence that reveals that even though both television and movie can be a good alternative to learn about foreign countries, visiting abroad encourages people to get more experience of many countries. Therefore, I would argue that people should know what is the most effective strategies for understanding about other countries.
I definitely agree, although in few situations I could learn more about foreign phrases, sentences or words by only watching them regularly.
Besides the original language, thing that makes difference between just watching and visiting is the common people's habit in specific area, for an easy example like hugging as a "thank you" word, kissing beloved lips in unclosed room, etc.
Well IqbalThemi,
There's a huge difference with just watching movies so you learn about a country to going there, being there and feeling the country itself.
Don't forget that people who make movies have a different agenda as to people who want to learn more and explore a country.
The best one though is to find balance and as they say, "to see is to believe", so go out there, conquer the world and walk your tireless feet, enjoy and keep learning.
Best of luck!!!
