So today I was doing an errand and whoops I fall up the stairs in Shibuya. Crazy busy as usual and purse went flying. Ok, where were the hands to help me up-Not one person tried to help. Is it a culture thing? I'm a westerner? All these thoughts went through my head and as I limped on I got a bit annoyed. Ok, pissed off for a minute or two and home I went.
I started to look at some info on Japan a few hours later and the main theme of many articles and bloggers is to not confuse the bowing, smiles and so called politeness as a real welcome to anyone.
It certainly confirms the feeling of always being a tourist while living here.
This is not sour grapes just the way it is. I read the local papers and it certainly comes to me that the western goods are welcome, but not always the people. I find the elderly are much more friendly and the younger people seem to have a disdain for my presence. Many times walking in the city there is an arrogance to not move and will even push if they have the opportunity. Is this the western culture invading? In some ways I can see how it would translate here.
I still haven't connected with anyone here and hoping to meet a few people once we join a group at church and people are back from their summer trips overseas. Two women I had met in the spring are not coming back-one moved back to the states and the other has decided to live in the states while her husband works here. Not an option in any way for me. I have been away from Wayne too much in this marriage and certainly don't want to live apart when it's our time to be together alone. The other thing is the western population is 1% here and not many from the states and UK.
As you can see this is not an up day in many ways, but it'll get better. Limping off to do the laundry.
I've thought about (and encountered) this many times and though there are many, genuinely polite people here in Japan, there are also many that are only polite when necessary (the cultural rules and such) but haven't learned to internalize being polite as something they should do because it's just a general good thing to do. Instead it's more about forcing kids to learn to act properly but not necessarily teaching the "why".
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised you haven't met many folks from the UK or US in Tokyo though, because there are an awful lot there! Especially compared to where I live. We know a few people who have churches in the Tokyo area, if you need any ideas, but you may already know where you want to go.
Anyway, I hope things improve for you - I do completely understand about trying to find people to connect to while here. :/