Japan trip!

[Thai boxing badger]

In february I wll be going on an exchange trip to Japan, while I'm looking forward to it I'm a bit worried about the culture difference. We have been told the basic things such as when to bow etc but I was wondering if there was anything you guys would like to add also I will be staying alone with a japanese family for 4 days (the trip is two weeks) is there anything I should bear in mind there.

Thanks


Joe Aarron

[Jeff C.]

Joseph, there are plenty of great books you can buy that will help you a lot, and make you feel much more comfortable about that aspect of your trip. I found "Everyday Japanese" by Schwarz/Ezawa (Passport Books) to be very helpful on my trips there.

Japan has quite a few visitors from the West. I think you will find that they are generally very tolerant and understanding about visitors who have little to no knowledge of their ways. Have fun!

Jeff Cook

[Brian R. VanCise]

Japan has quite a few visitors from the West. I think you will find that they are generally very tolerant and understanding about visitors who have little to no knowledge of their ways. Have fun!

Jeff Cook

I think Jeff hits the nail on the head here. The people you will be staying with are interested in having an experience with a western person staying with them. So like Jeff said above they will also be interested in you and generally I would imagine very tolerant and understanding that you may not know all about their culture.

Just go, be polite and enjoy!

[Thai boxing badger]

Thanks guys!

[Dale Dugas]

Heres something to remember if you are eating traditional Japanese meals.

NEVER NEVER EVER put your chopsticks into the rice standing up as a means to stable them as you would putting a spoon into ice cream.

This is how they offer food to dead souls departed from this realm(Buddhist notion).

Made my host mother faint dead away as its a bad omen....

I will never forget that lesson as long as I live.

I lived there for a while and have a degree in Japanese.

Let me know if you need any pointers.

[giles]

We have been told the basic things such as when to bow

The fun here is that your hosts will have learnt when to shake hands. So you end up in an up-down, in-out farce. At that point revert to type and smile.

I will be staying alone with a japanese family for 4 days

Toilet sandals. You'll forget anyway, but try to remember.

It's a great place to visit: a good chance to experience a different culture. The best piece of advice I got was given to me whilst I was trying to argue with a civil servant at Katsura. A European lady walked over and said: "Don't try too hard". It's now a family motto.

Have fun, I'm jealous!