So, there is this thing that creeps me out and pisses me off. There is a special kind of laughter in Japan, that I call the "I pity you plus what are you talking about crazy person" kind of laughing.
People in Japan, well, they smile a lot. Which is very, very nice! Shop staff are always so polite, and it just makes your day so much better when they give you this big smile while saying thank you for the purchase. This is something I haven't experienced at home for a really really long time. Sometimes we have shop assistants in Hungary who are chewing gum, while talking to you. When you ask about the price of something, because you can't find a price tag, they would shrug, and say "I donno", as if they are trying to scare you away, instead of inviting you to buy their products. Very appalling. That's why I prefer shopping in Japan.
Japanese ladies often cover their mouth with their hands when smiling. It's kind of classy to do that. And I think we have all met those stereotypical Japanese tourists, who wear hats, have a big camera hanging around their neck, and they smile constantly.
It's a good thing. I really love the Japanese smile :) In fact, I think we, Europeans, should smile more.
However, laugh is a bit different. Especially this one I mentioned above. I've encountered this particular "I pity you foreigner" kind of laughter in two different situations, many times. One case is usually when they find out that I'm quite shy. They would give this annoying laugh, and ask "Really?" while expressing their surprise, claiming that they didn't know foreigners can be shy.
The other case is, when I get sick. My stomach has been sick for over 2 years now due to stress. Well, lifestyle is quite different here, rules of society don't make sense, and I'm not exactly a fan of Japanese cuisine. All this together took a toll on my body it seems.
Whenever I mention my stomachache, they would ask, "why?", and I would tell them, because of the stress. And that's when I get that laughter again. "Stress?" they would ask with disbelief... Yep! Stress! Foreigners can and do feel stress living in Japan.
So, this is what drives me crazy, that some Japanese think that being shy and feeling stressed out are some kind of privilege that only Japanese people can experience.
If any of you have questions about Japan, let me know. I'll do my best to answer it.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Friday, March 02, 2012
JON BON JOVI is 50 today!
Happy Birthday Jon!
Thanks for the AWESOME songs and the sort of emotional education through them.
☆～★～☆～♪ ～★誕生日おめでとう★～♪ ～☆～★～☆
I become a fan around middle school and can't stop loving The Band! They are just the GREATEST BAND in the world. It's a shame I haven't been able to get to any of their concerts, but next time, may it be in Japan, or Hungary, or even in Antarctica, I'll go, I swear!
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