"The Japanese System"

Due to some feedback I received about making my blog a better cross-cultural analysis place, this post is about how to handle differences in "systems" when abroad. If anyone else has any feedback to give me on how to improve my blog, or if there is something you want me to write about, please feel free to leave a comment (comments are open to anyone and you don't need to sign up for anything).

From my experience (so don't yell at me and be like "that's not how all Japanese are" because that's not what i'm saying). Anyway, from my experience, Japanese have some very set ways of doing things, and when they have set these ways they do not like to stray from their set path (aka, not very flexible). And I'm not talking everyday people, i'm talking professionally. For example:

When I went to Starbucks a couple months ago, I wanted soy milk in my tall coffee. Just a splash, nothing more. But they don't set soy milk out as an option on the milk counter, there's just non-fat and regular. So I asked if I could get some, thinking that it wouldn't' be a problem. Well, it wasn't a problem but they wanted to charge me 50 yen for my splash, which is roughly 50 cents (although with the exchange rate now it's probably closer to a dollar). Naturally, I argued. I just wanted a little bit, not even a tablespoon full. No? You can't even give me that? You're sorry, you have no excuse? (they say "mo-shi-wa-ke- a-ri-ma-sen" here a lot which roughly means "I have no excuse", and when you hear it you know you have lost the battle). Well, what if I say please? Not going to work? Okay fine! Here's your damn 50 yen! I pay, and they bring me one of those sample cups full of soy milk. o.v.e.r.k.i.l.l. And I have never asked for soy milk again. Comparing that situation to if it had happened in America, the Starbucks worker would have given me what I wanted without much of an argument because it's not a very big request (perhaps because of the whole "customer's always right thing"?). I think I am pretty used to the way of the Japanese, and normally I wouldn't have argued over this but just said, "oh, I see" and quietly paid. On this day, however I was feeling feisty.. Which was not very grown up of me but hey, we all have our moments.  Which leads me into my next topic of unflinching stubbornnes; the school system. 

I have finals coming up. One of my finals lands on one of the training days for my future potential job (fingers crossed), so I go up to the teacher and am like:

And you don't want this to be a reality when you
are the immigrant. 

"hey teach, if we're not able to attend the final, when is the make-up day?" (like in the states, they have a testing center for people who have a schedule conflict). 

Teacher: "Why Jamie, are you going to miss the final?".

Me: "I might have a problem". 

Teach: "what?".

Me "(stop prying, it's none of your business) I might have a training day for my job on that day and they can't change the day".

Teach: "oh well, we only allow re-takes if it's a family emergency". 

Me: "oh...No exceptions?". 

Teach: "Moshiwakearimasen". 

Me: (Damnit!!!) "Oh...I'll see what I can do then". End of conversation. Okay well, perhaps it's understandable because it is school, but at the same time I believe they should offer some sort of second option for the working people (but then again this is Japan and most students don't have full time jobs or have to pay tuition all by themselves). But I handled it without angering my sensei or breaking any cultural taboos. Turns out I can attend a different training session if I get hired too, so it all works out in the end. I think the most important thing when handling a situation in a different country where you expect a certain outcome because of past experiences in your own country, but receive a completely different (and sometimes nonsensical) outcome;  don't get angry. This isn't your country after all and you should respect their ways no matter how backwards it seems. Just recognize it, appreciate it if you can't understand it, and move on. 

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Although some people just don't give up,
even when failure is evident. 

In related news, I had my second interview with Gaba today! Despite my liking Minerva better, it looks like Gaba might be the winner. I have an interview with Minerva this Friday, but the fact that they only contract out for a year kind of scares me. I don't know how contracts are handled here or if they are easy things to break (don't sue me!) and I really don't want to stay until December (not that I have anything against Japan, I just really want to graduate sometime in the near future). Either way though, I'm becoming a teacher! Who would of thought me being a teacher? Not me certainly, but isn't that always the case? Not everyone can actually successfully pursue their childhood dreams after all (in my case, Sailor Moon).  

I'm having problems getting my work permit though. And by problems I mean I haven't received the notice in the mail to come and pick it up yet. Stressful. I'm going to give them a call tomorrow and see wtf is going on because I applied like, three weeks ago. Curse you government, why are you foiling my plans?!

Let me accomplished my dreams of becoming Doris Day!
...I mean a teacher!

Next post will be on Flamenco in Japan! Ole'! 

p.s. Leave comments! My blog looks lonely without comments and i'm desperate to hear from my readers! Don't be shy!

-Jamie