Lost in Translation (Journal #23)

Japanese regard humility as virtue. I think this culture sometimes make misunderstanding to people from different countries. We make much of sense of cooperation and do not like to be outstanding very much. One time, a teacher in my university in Japan, is American, said he thought that students took a defiant attitude at a first class in his experience in Japan. He said “Hi everyone, nice to meet you. How are you?” but nobody answered. You must think it is strange and rude, but it is a not unusual thing in Japan. Basically Japanese are quiet and modest in public. I do not like this so much because I like people in here. They can tell things what they think to everyone without hesitations. It is difficult for me to change my habit to American style because the Japanese culture and American one is exact opposite. However I will try to do it because I am in America now!