Posted on 02/22/2014 10:44:53 PM PST by Slings and Arrows
With the help of Google Translate (and an ability to interpret completely random sentence structure), an American can find out what kind of advice the Japanese give to their own countrymen on how to handle the peculiarities of American culture. Here are some things to look out for if you are visiting America from Japan.
In Japan, each person eating gets as many individual dishes as needed for the meal. Sometimes more than 10 dishes per person are used. In America, there is a method where a large bowl or dish is placed in the middle of the table, and you take as much as you like from there, and put it on a big dish said to be a "dinner plate."
In Japan, meals at home are for eating, because your stomach is vacant. At an American’s dinner, there is food, decorations on the table and tableware, and music to produce a fun atmosphere. It is a time for maintaining rich human relationships. Therefore, the meal is as long as 40 minutes. In addition, often the decorative tableware has been handed down mother to daughter, two generations, three generations. In addition, there are even more valuable dishes used for Christmas and Thanksgiving.
American food is flat to the taste, indifferent in the subtle difference of taste. There is no such thing there as a little “secret ingredient.” Sugar, salt, pepper, oils, and routine spices are used for family meals. There is no such thing as purely U.S. cuisine, except the hamburger, which isn’t made at home so much. There is almost nothing special to eat based on the different seasons of the year. Basically, they like sweet, high fat, high calories things.
In Japan, hip hop clothes are considered stylish. But in the United States, it is wise to avoid them, as you might be mistaken for a member of a street gang.
The entire United States does not have good security, unfortunately. However, the difference between a place with good regional security and a “rough area” is clear. People walk less, there is a lot of graffiti, windows and doors are strictly fitted with bars. And young people are dressed in hip hop clothes that say "I want you to pay attention to me!"
Manners with cars in America are really damn good. Japanese people should be embarrassed when they look at how good car manners are in America. You must wait whenever you cross an intersection for the traffic light. People don’t get pushy to go first. Except for some people, everyone keeps exactly to the speed limit. America is a car society, but their damn good manners are not limited to cars.
In the U.S., they do not have a sense of superiority if they are able to drink a large amount. Rather, if you drink a lot, there is a sense that you cannot manage yourself. There is something close to contempt toward someone who must drink a lot to be drunk. To drink alcohol habitually is to have alcoholism. Alcoholics are weak people mentally, to be one means you have spanned the label of social outcasts that can’t self-manage.
Non-smokers are more important than smokers in the US. Smokers capture the concept that they are not able to control themselves, and are the owners of weak character.
In America, whether you are a student, working person, or housewife, you carefully make room for leisure time, weekdays and weekends. Most people are ensured free time, always. During the week they use it for walking, jogging, bicycling, tennis, racquetball, bowling, watching movies, reading, and volunteering. On the weekend, they enjoy even more freedom, and take liberal arts courses and have sporting leisures.
In Japan we believe that there is no free time during the weekday. Only the weekend. We spend the weekend watching TV, hanging around home, working, studying, and shopping, or listening to music.
See Also: 4 Russian Travel Tips for Visiting America
If you put your bent middle and index fingers of both hands in the air, you are making finger quotation marks. It means you do not believe what you are saying. You can also say, "or so called."
In Japan, when a woman laughs, she places her hand so it does not show her mouth. It is disgraceful to laugh by loudly opening the mouth. Adult males do not laugh much. There is the saying, "Man, do not laugh so much that you show your teeth."
In America, when men or women laugh, they do not turn away. They face front, open the mouth, and laugh in a loud voice. This is because in America if you muffle your laugh or turn away while laughing, you give the impression that you are talking about a secret or name-calling. It is nasty.
Cashiers are slow. Abysmally slow compared to Japan. I get frustrated when I’m in a hurry. Americans wait leisurely even if you’re in the special checkout for buying just a little something. I thought Americans were going to be quite impatient, but in reality they are extremely laid back. I thought about what I should do with my time while waiting in the grocery matrix, and began to speak at length with other guests.
See Also: 38 Wonderful Words With No English Equivalent
Vending machines in the United States just give carbonated beverages. Coke particularly. If you try to buy the juice from a vending machine when you’re thirsty, it’s just all carbonate. I pressed the button and thought it would be a nice orange juice, but carbonate came out. I love carbonated, but there are times when it will make you sick indeed.
In Japan, there is great fear of failure and mistakes in front of other people. It is better to do nothing and avoid being criticized than to taste the humiliation of failure. As a result, there are things we wanted to do, but did not, and often regret.
In America, you can make mistakes, fail, and it doesn’t matter. It is a fundamental feeling that to sometimes be incorrect is natural. In addition, rather than thinking about mistakes and failures, American’s have curiosity and say, "Let’s try anyway!"
You make Kenny cry.
Perhaps it was, ‘Attack of the Mushroom People’.
As far as no American cuisines, we have Tex-Mex and Clam Chowder for starters..
Of course, there are many Americans who try to things that are actually impossible to do. But they attempt to do them anyway. In that respect, maybe we're more bullheaded than other people, but that's one of the reasons why we have more things.
My Brit in-laws are always surprised by how relatively well-mannered American drivers are. I don’t know if they expect to see people shooting at each or ramming other cars, but they thought American drivers were more orderly than British drivers.
You are not the first, and will not be the last to say that to him.
Do you mean “loose” a bit of anti-foreign as in to freely exhibit your anti-foreign “develism” or “lose” your anti-foreign devilism as in shedding your previous conceptions of what you thought about foreigners?
That’s kinda tomato tomatah or is that potato patatah?
In the south it’s tater and mater.
Numbers 3 and 4 particularly. When I was stationed in Okinawa it took months before I could look out the window of a taxi, I rode with my head down looking at the floor.
When I was moved to Okino Shima my drinking companions were the two local cops, Superintendent of Schools and Prefect governor. They’d get roaring drunk, I drank light and tried to stay in control. Their idea was that if you were drinking the purpose was to get drunk. One night they were determined to get me drunk. Shots of Suntory whiskey and bottles of Asahi beer kept coming. I had no choice but to drink. I was setting against the wall. I slid the wall section aside and puked in the benjo ditch. When I turned back all were smiling and said it was about time I relaxed.
I really try to be nice to you. I try to avoid your comments that clearly show your fear of anything that is going on outside the basement you you seem to have figuratively locked yourself in. I really must ask this question. Have you ever stepped outside your house and just observed the world that’s out there?
Just click your ignore button.
That's interesting because I find MA drivers easier to take than Upstate NY drivers.
In MA, drivers all drive fast and just do what they need to and seem to not take it personally.
I don't hear the horns blowing and brakes squealing when someone changes lanes at the drop of a hat.
Here in Upstate NY, you get the range from driving 10 MPH UNDER the speed limit to more than that over and people are more aggressive instead of assertive, and they are RUDE. They'll cut you off just to make a point, when there's no reason to.
Interestingly, the Thruway, (the 90) is better than I-81. I don't have a clue why, but there's just a difference between how they drive the two interstates.
Huh? Wha? Do they think McDonalds is the pinnacle of American cuisine?
My English-born and raised wife always says to-MAH-toes. But she pronounces potatoes the American way.
Why? Because he opposes kiddie porn? Are you an advocate for it?
Ever watch Japanese golfers? I live on a golf course, and they run between shots. Even putts on the greens. But if they hit a ball into the woods, it stays there. No chasing the balls in the rough.
Abunai desu !
I drove in Boston once back in 86. A taxi to my right and I were waiting at the light. When it turned green, the cab driver turned left in front of me. What he didn’t recognize, was the van was a one ton with with a heavily reinforced step bumper on the front. The center where the license plate is normally mounted had been replaced with a piece of 6” channel. A piece of 1/4” plate had been added all the way across on the bottom. The truck with its low rear end ratio and diesel engine to which I had added a turbo would beat most cars off the line when the red light changed.
He lived.
15) In American animation, no character will be raped by tentacles, not even the beloved Minnie Mouse
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.