My thoughts on Japanese ralationships and some other stuff.

I think there is a big difference in how Americans develop relationships and how Japanese develop relationships. At my orientation they mentioned that Americans assume close relationships fairly quickly and that Japanese take longer. It struck me as really true when I heard that from my own experience. Japanese do tend to be more reserved about a relationship longer than Americans do. For example, I’ve made some really good friends already and I’ve only been around them for a short while here in Tokyo. But on the other hand, my Japanese friends took about a month before I felt they thought we were friends and about three months before we were really good friends. I think the slow progress of friendships will be bothersome but probably the relationship will last longer. For example, I’ve read many stories about students still being friends with their host family years after their experience. I think it also kind of relates to their culture in that Japanese tend to be very loyal to whatever they belong to. For example, most Japanese will never change their company that they work for once they get a job with them. Another example is the incredible low divorce rate( about 1-3% I can’t quite remember). I think it’s going to take some time for my host family to form a strong relationship with me.

My host father seemed really nice. He didn’t speak in hardly any English but I could understand most of what he said. He seemed like a really nice person, and well less reserved than most Japanese I’ve encountered.

Last night at dinner I was using chopsticks and I had a little trouble with the fish so my host mother suggested I use a fork. The first time I turned her down, but the second time I felt I couldn’t really refuse. I only wanted to use the fork for the fish but she said I should use it for everything, so I didn’t get to practice with chopsticks. I hope tonight I get another chance to practice with chopsticks.

This morning when I talked with my host parents they said they really liked onsens (kind of like spas) and that we should go to one in the future. They said their last exchange student was embarrassed her first time but afterwards really liked it. I think this is also a pretty big difference in culture. The Japanese don’t feel embarrassed to show themselves naked to the same sex.

I gaining back my appetite slowly but surely. I didn’t have a headache this morning either but right now I do a little bit.