Mom Survived

MOTHER SURVIVES JAPAN

This news flash is to report that my Mother visited Japan and enjoyed it very much. At the end of her visit, I tried to keep track of all her observations about Japan. She noticed a lot of things which just seem normal to me by now.

• #1 Everyone is exteremely quiet. On the train, in a line, at the store..
• 80% neat 90% hard (to live here)
• [a candid observation, 110% honesty style] deceptively friendly, intensely private, "I don't think you could ever really break into this culture, which is probably in Japanese folks's best interests"
• High tech low tech. For example, a heated bathroom seat next to old fashioned chain and plug sink stopper.
• Wherever you go no two toilettes are the same. "I can understand your fascination with toilettes now."
• everything is extremely clean (except for U Tokyo campus, near my building)
• U Tokyo is not really an international campus. For example, U Tokyo's welcome center is 100% Japanese.
• "Reverse discrimination" when someone is nice to you at the tourist booth but in their heart hates your guts. Not as bad here as in Mexico, but slightly here. A little bit here.
• If you're not skinny, you feel a bit freakish, like people look at you
• Appearance is very important here--seems opposite from the way it is in America. Japan doesn't subscribe to the "don't judge a book by it's cover" motto.
• Very efficient & very "smart"
• Seems open to the best things of other cultures, but also holding on to the best things of their own culture. (Lance's idea that she agrees with)

It was a bit cramped in my apartment with the two of us, but I miss her being around. I think I'll go un-rearrange my kitchen now. Come back soon, Momma!

PS Sorry for the delay.. I originally wrote this on the day after she left. (2 days ago.)   Apparently Blogger.com's spam police have itchy trigger fingers, cause I got shot.