More everyday life
Some other short misc stories...
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Being in Japan is a good way to know Japanese culture. Even parts that even most Japanese don't know...
Eating with a group one day, some Japanese guy mentions that it's said the farther (from the edge that touches the food) one holds one's chopsticks when eating, the more detached from his/her parents one is. An interesting bit of Japanese culture, except that nobody else knew that, and there were other Japanese at that table...
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Sometimes differences appear in things you don't expect...
I've read the last book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. And there was a friend who had just read it and was anxious to talk to someone about the book. We discussed for a couple of days, and one of her comments, after she found someone else who had also read the book was quite interesting...
In her opinion, one of the most shocking things on the series was scenes where someone is tortured (I won't give names to avoid spoiling too much). It'd be shocking considering those books are read by lots of children, although it happen only in the latter volumes (when many of the readers have aged a little as well).
But when she commented that with her friend (I can't quite remember if she was Japanese or Chinese...), that friend said that more shocking than the torture scenes were those where couples (ah well, those who've read will know) kissing each other in public and such...
I won't be so hasty to call that cultural difference, though. Cultural background may have helped, but I'd attribute the reason for such difference more to their personal opinions.
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There are times when chance decides to play with us.
I was with a group or Brazilians around downtown Kyoto (Sanjo Kawaramachi), and as we were walking, we were talking about a variety of things. It came to the point when we were discussing some "strange behaviors" of some Japanese men. I mean, Japan is a country where people touch each other less than in Brazil (and I miss that sometimes), especially when it comes to physical contact between men and women.
(Note: I'm ignoring physical contact in crowded places and other sorts of involuntary contact.)
But when it comes to man and man, sometimes we see things that would be very suspicious in Brazil. Two guys massaging each other in public? Giving hands? And the looks of some may rise some suspicion already...
So that was more a less how the conversation was going. And then one of the girls said: "So what if men give hands to each other? It's so kawaii (cute)..."
At that moment, two girls who were walking in the opposite direction passed through us. And as it happened, we heard one word from their conversation...
"kawaisou (pityful / poor)..."
The timing and the subtle change that modified completely the meaning were so perfect that all of us couldn't help but laugh.
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Living in an international environment is excellent make one reconsider one's prejudices and stereotypes. Still, sometimes I wonder...
How would you react if you met an international student from Iran studying nuclear technology? Ironic to say the minimum...
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Being in Japan is a good way to know Japanese culture. Even parts that even most Japanese don't know...
Eating with a group one day, some Japanese guy mentions that it's said the farther (from the edge that touches the food) one holds one's chopsticks when eating, the more detached from his/her parents one is. An interesting bit of Japanese culture, except that nobody else knew that, and there were other Japanese at that table...
-----
Sometimes differences appear in things you don't expect...
I've read the last book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. And there was a friend who had just read it and was anxious to talk to someone about the book. We discussed for a couple of days, and one of her comments, after she found someone else who had also read the book was quite interesting...
In her opinion, one of the most shocking things on the series was scenes where someone is tortured (I won't give names to avoid spoiling too much). It'd be shocking considering those books are read by lots of children, although it happen only in the latter volumes (when many of the readers have aged a little as well).
But when she commented that with her friend (I can't quite remember if she was Japanese or Chinese...), that friend said that more shocking than the torture scenes were those where couples (ah well, those who've read will know) kissing each other in public and such...
I won't be so hasty to call that cultural difference, though. Cultural background may have helped, but I'd attribute the reason for such difference more to their personal opinions.
-----
There are times when chance decides to play with us.
I was with a group or Brazilians around downtown Kyoto (Sanjo Kawaramachi), and as we were walking, we were talking about a variety of things. It came to the point when we were discussing some "strange behaviors" of some Japanese men. I mean, Japan is a country where people touch each other less than in Brazil (and I miss that sometimes), especially when it comes to physical contact between men and women.
(Note: I'm ignoring physical contact in crowded places and other sorts of involuntary contact.)
But when it comes to man and man, sometimes we see things that would be very suspicious in Brazil. Two guys massaging each other in public? Giving hands? And the looks of some may rise some suspicion already...
So that was more a less how the conversation was going. And then one of the girls said: "So what if men give hands to each other? It's so kawaii (cute)..."
At that moment, two girls who were walking in the opposite direction passed through us. And as it happened, we heard one word from their conversation...
"kawaisou (pityful / poor)..."
The timing and the subtle change that modified completely the meaning were so perfect that all of us couldn't help but laugh.
-----
Living in an international environment is excellent make one reconsider one's prejudices and stereotypes. Still, sometimes I wonder...
How would you react if you met an international student from Iran studying nuclear technology? Ironic to say the minimum...
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