Sunday 5 November 2017

Three difficult situations you're likely to encounter in Japan


First of all, kudos to Guidable, because I just bookmarked them on account of their great content. Well done. Loving it.

This article intrigued me somewhat. I am as good at 'reading the air' as I am at 'reading braille,' or 'reading sanskrit', so this article got me thinking I may or may not be doing something wrong. I'm going to break down my thoughts on the three points they make, but do go and look at their article as it's super enlightening, as is their website.

Here we go.

1. Last piece of food on the plate
We're talking izakaya here. I love izakaya. I know you love izakaya, as it is to be loved.
We've all been there. That last piece of five pieces of yumminess when there are six people in the house. Who grabs the last piece? Those who know me well know that I have never been shy in this regard, but have I been that out of order. It's a minefield.
Can anyone offer any ideas in the comments on how to approach this?

2. Being offered a tea
Although tea is a huge thing in itself, I wonder if this is best applied to general life. 
Here are my thoughts on this part of the advice. I can count on one hand the amount of times I have 'stopped by at a friend's place to drop something off.' And unless it is an uber-friend, you are just handing it at the door.
You always get offered tea, and I have to say that this is one time I can read the air. You can tell if it is just being offered as par for the course. Is it a tough one? I don't know. I kind of think that there are bigger things to worry about than accepting a cup of tea, but maybe that is my cultural ignorance.

3. Offering a seat on the train
This is apparently a tough one, and although I have changed my ideas about this after five years, it has only changed from old school to indifferent for me.
At risk of a clip around the ear from my mum, I religiously offered anything I may have been sitting in to any female within 20 metres of me. 
My behaviour has changed, or perhaps call it evolved. I realise now that when people hop on the train, they know they are going to be standing, so it is nothing to them. The fact that someone is offering them a seat jolts them out of their groove, and they look less comfortable on account of my offer. So now I don't do it, as much as it grates on me. (I'm the victim here). 
I still offer my seat to anybody who looks comfortable older than me (it's funny what an easy distinction it always is. A yes or no kind of thing), and I still, and always will check to see if their is a lady coming behind me, and if so, hold the door for her to go first. Call me old school.

Thanks for reading. Any comments, leave them in the box. I'd love to hear from you.

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