Nǐ hǎo! Singapore Social Development Post

Singapore is very socially developed; they take care of their people well. For example, they have a requirement for all employers that they must provide their employees with 14 paid sick days per year as well as 8 weeks of maternity leave after having a child. This shows that the government wants to take care of its citizens and that it really cares about their health and well being. They also have a program where employees who make over a certain amount have to contribute to the country's social welfare programs. This bridges the gap between the rich and the poor and strengthens the middle class. Women hold 42% of the labor force in Singapore, and enjoy the same freedoms and civil liberties as men in the country. This displays that they are culturally ahead of most of the world and want equality for all of their citizens, no matter what gender. 

Thank you for Reading and I hope you've enjoyed!

Nǐ hǎo! Singapore Culture Post!

Hello from Singapore! This country is great! One thing that I love about it so much is its culture, and the different types of people, languages, and religions that they have in this beautiful nation. The ethnic make up of Singapore is very interesting. While the majority (75%) of the population is Chinese, there are also pockets of people from Malaysia and India. Here is a graphic displaying the religious make up of Singapore:

As you can see, it is very diverse and has a wide range of different belief systems. Because the country is relatively young and diverse, there isn't an established set of cultural norms or behaviors. Here is a video clip on a brief overview of Singapore:

As I stated earlier, because of how young the culture itself is, there hasn't been many problems with the ethnic groups or different religious affiliations. They have had to become independent after being colonized by a few different nations, however, this country is on the rise and growing rapidly. 

Konichiwa! Japan Economy Post

Over the years, Japan has had a roller coaster economy, similar to the United States. After WWII, the island nation had no where to go but up. With an increase in real economic growth from the 1960's all the way up to the 1990's, but it slowed after that. The Japanese economy relies heavily on its food exports (rice and fish) as well food imports (60% of caloric intake is imported). The Japanese use a currency called the Yen.

Here, you can see that the strength of the Yen has increased in Europe, however it is not the case in the United States. The exchange rate with the USD is falling. However, the Japanese government is looking for ways to brace the Yen and make it stronger in the United States. They have recently been looking into trade agreements with the U.S. and other North American Countries. Hopefully, the exchange rate increases for both Yen to USD and vice versa.

If you would like to read more about Japan's economy, The Economist has great information relating to current events dealing with the Japanese Economy. You can find them here: http://www.economist.com/topics/japan

Konichiwa! Japan Tourism Post!

Greetings from Japan!! I love it here so much and I've only been in country a short time. With anywhere that's not your homeland, there's always so much to see, especially here in Japan. There are loads of tourist attractions all over the island. For example, there are many different temples, gardens, shrines, places to see fireworks, and the famous cherry blossoms in the spring. My favorite place to visit so far is the temple of Yamadera, a temple overlooking a wonderful view because its built on a mountain side! Here's a picture!

I love it here! Unfortunately, the island's tourism industry has seen a significant dip in revenue since the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear reactor disasters. in 2011, the overall number of visitors dropped by nearly 28%. This has significantly impacted the economy because it harms job in the tourism sector. Thankfully, the government has taken steps to try to increase the number of tourists that the country is bringing in. They have been offering free flights to the island in order to decrease the cost of travel and try to jump start the industry back to normal.

Here is photo of the famous cherry blossoms, a highly popular attraction, along with a temple, and the also famous Mount Fuji in the background.

Thanks for reading!
Jake Wiemiller