Megan Blake:

Something unique/intersting to my culture has to relate to my religion as a non-denominational Christian. We believe in an afterlife that is seperated by heaven and hell. Those who believe in Jesus will go to heaven and those that do not will go to hell. Death in our religion is not seen as scary as we one day will spend enterntity in Heaven where there is no suffering.
Questions about me-
- What I love: I love my husband and my pets (2 dogs, one cat, and one evil fish). I love my family that includes my parents and siblings as well as my husband's mother and siblings.
- What I am good at: I am good at music. I play piano, guitar, and saxophone as well as sining in my churches worship band.
- What the World needs: The world needs more patience and acceptance of one another.
- How do I feel feel rewarded/appreciated: To me words of affirmation are how I feel the most rewarded. When someone gives me verbal confirmation that they apprciate the work that I am doing and that I am doing a well enough job.
- What my Ikigai is: My Ikigai comes with my faith. I believe that he has a plan for me and to use me for his good.
Are most people buried or cremated?
What skill are you looking forward to learning the most? I was the most excited to learn how to start an IV on someone!

Beverly Sumanti

There are some unique aspects of death and the end of life in American culture. Some people choose to have hospice services in their home to provide medical and psychosocial support to the patient and family

Cremation or burial of a person’s remains is a common practice with some Americans opting for alternative after death arrangements.
Funerals are commonly practiced in American culture, including a viewing for open casket burials, prayers, and eulogies The attendees typically wear dark colored conservative attire and honor the deceased with the gift of flowers. I am of Scottish descent and during the memorial service of a deceased family member it is our tradition to play music using bagpipes.
Family gatherings following the funeral service are common in which the guests share food, memories and people can have the opportunity to pay respects to the family and loved ones of the deceased.

What do you love? I love my family and friends.

What are you good at? Providing compassionate care to people.

What does the world need? More compassion, kindness and acceptance for others.

What can you be rewarded for? For my empathetic care for others.

What is your “ikigai?’ To help the vulnerable and needy.

What are the traditions in Japanese culture with death and dying?
Who typically provides care for the dying or dead in Japanese culture? What are common beliefs regarding keeping a patient alive on life support for extended periods of time?

Sherwin Afable

One of the main cultural rituals that FIlipino Catholics perform is the Siyam na Araw, or Nine-days. The Siyam na Araw is a nine-day prayer novena in which the family prays over the soul of the departed. After the novena, there’s a longer 40-day mourning period that’s meant to be similar to the forty-days it took Jesus to ascend to heaven. When my aunt passed away last year in September, the Filipino priest of my family’s church held the ceremonial Mass which occurs at the end of the 40 days.

Interestingly, when I was in nursing school I read a book from my school’s library about the concept of ikigai. As a whole, I feel that my role as a nurse helps to support multiple aspects of ikigai in different ways. I appreciate finding and making connections with people. I feel that I bring a certain therapeutic presence to the people around me in my life which is part of the reason I thought that I’d be a good fit for this line of work. Truly, there’s a lot of healing that needs to occur in the world and it’s fulfilling knowing that we have the opportunity to ease the way for people who are suffering. Nursing is a difficult job and there are people that don’t believe they could perform the job for what nurses are typically compensated for. People want to believe that there are good people working in healthcare taking care of their loved ones. Some of my most satisfying moments on the job have been when patients and families express their gratitude for the hard work they see me putting in.

What spiritual or religious practices have the greatest, most prominent cultural influence on Japan? I guess is it's between Buddhism or Shintoism.
What is the most popular second language that people like to learn in Japan? Is there pressure to learn mandarin or English due to how common they are? Is there much interest in the Spanish language in Japan?

Robel Anshebo

Q1. I'm Ethiopian decent and in my culture, those experiencig grief are visited in their home and comforted by their community. During the following week after a death in the family, friends and family friends visit the family home and take part in expressing their grief with the family. Often times, women can be seen expressing their grief by crying with the family while the men sit quietly and be present for others.

Q2.

What do you love: I love my family and friends. I enjoy taking part and watching competitive sports and event. I love most forms of physical excercise.

What are you good at: Listening to others, running, time management, soccer.

What does the world need: the world needs more perspective, patience, and sensitivity.

What can you be awarded for: Spending quality time with family and friends. Helping those I care for navigate through life.

What is your Ikigai: To uplift those around me and take care of the health and wellbeing of my loved ones.

Q3. How expensive can it be to bury a loved one in Japan?

Q4. What are you most excited for in your future career?

COIL #2

Hi, I'm Kyoka. Thank you for having me, it was a pleasure to talk to you all. I’m sorry for my poor English skills and that I couldn’t answer many of the questions you all brought last time. I’ll try my best to have a more productive discussion next time.

Japan culture in terms of death/end-of-life:

One aspect that I believe is particular in Japan is that although the majority of us wish to spend our terminal phase in our home, we end up staying in hospitals. This indicates how the systems and the environments for terminal care at individual houses in Japan are not developed enough and need improvement.

What I love:

Spending time goofing around with my friends and family.

What I’m good at:

Drawing and exercising.

What the world need:

Kindness.

Respect for others.

What I can be rewarded for:

For always putting myself in another person’s shoes and respecting their perspectives.

For keeping in mind to bring out positive vibes, and act in a way for people around me to have a good time.

What my IKIGAI is by integrating passion, mission, profession, and vocation:

My IKIGAI is having a good time laughing with people around me that I love.

As for my future goal in becoming a nurse, I hope to be able to interact with patients and help them bring out their smiles and happiness even in their hardest times.

Question about something related to death or end-of-life

・What do you think about doctor-assisted-suicide?

Question to UW students

・What is one big thing that you keep in mind while interacting with patients as a nurse?

Hi, I'm Hikari. Thank you for the massage and last time class! I will do my best to share the Japanese culture as far as I know. I'm looking forward to seeing you in next class.

Introduce something to Japanese culture in terms of death/end-of-life

In my opinion, the Japanese don't want to use the word "death". There were the idea that the death was taboo, so the idea has been remained and the Japanese try to avoid using that word when they want to express the meaning of death.

What do you love?

I love to eat something delicious and talk to the people.

What are you good at?

I'm good at choosing the clothes which look good on me.

What does the world need?

The ability to think deeply.

What can you be rewarded for?

The thing which I can be rewarded is hearing the words "Thank you".

What is your "ikigai" by integrating passion, mission, profession, and vocation?

My ikigai is the time when I can feel happy.

This time includes such as eating, talking to others, and hearing the words of thanks.

Write one or two questions about something related to death or end-of-life.

In Japan, it is thought that lying one's head to the north is bad luck because the people have laid the dead person's head to the north. Are there any taboo like this?

Write one or two questions about anything that you’d like to ask UW students

How can we find and close up the patients' ikigai?

Hi, I'm Kaho. Thank you for your comment. I am sorry that I did not know much about nursing ethics and could not explain it in English, even though you asked me many questions in the last class. Your questions made me realize that there are many things I would like to know about nursing . I am sure there are many things I cannot explain well in English, but I will do my best next time.

Introduce something unique to Japanese culture in terms of death/end-of-life

In Japan, there is a history book containing myths called "Kojiki", which is said to be the oldest in Japan. In it, the story of Izanaki-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto describes the “Land of Hades,” in which Izanami-no-mikoto dies and Izanaki-no-mikoto goes to the Land of Hades to welcome her. In this story, death and corpses are regarded as terrible things. In this story, death and corpses are considered horrific because in ancient Japan, corpses were buried in the ground and were disfigured, whereas in today's Japan, corpses are cremated.

・What do you love?

　watching anime and reading novels

・What are you good at?

　sewing

・What does the world need?

　health

・What can you be rewarded for?

lots of smiles

・What is your “ikigai” by integrating passion, mission, profession, and vocation?

　　My ikigai is when I spend good time.

　　This includes watching anime, reading novels, talking with friends, eating lots of delicious food, and sleeping well.

・ Write one or two questions about something related to death or end-of-life.

　　How should we interact with patients who have been told they have little or no time left to live?

・Write one or two questions about anything that you’d like to ask UW students.

I hear that embalming is often done in the U.S. So, do nurses ever provide angel care?