Whenever my mother sends things from Japan, she includes some foods such as Japanese noodles, Miso soup paste, Curry pack, and so on.
Every time I receive a package and open it, I have a smile on my face for feeling warm kindness of mother's.
If I kept living together with my family in Japan, I would have never experienced this special feeling.
Probably, for me and for mom, living apart brings some benefit to know deep love between daughter and mother over the hundreds of miles.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Tatoo?
About a month ago, a Japanese actor got arrested for using illegal drugs. I was surprised by the news, but more than that I got shocked by how Japanese media responded this incident.
It's all about "Tatoo".
This arrested actor used to live in the states and his words and behaviors were pretty much Americanized. He used some curse words to his staff, and he also got a tatoo on his back.
When he and his wife who's also an actress were having their vacation in Hawaii, some paparazzi took a picture that this actress was putting a lotion on his "tattooed" back. The thing is this actress was selling an image like a good girl or a girl next door. So, a good girl gone bad to most people!!
After this photo came to the public, she dissapiered from a TV commercial due to a bad image of his tatoo of an angel!!
Does any similar thing happen in the state? Is this because of Japanese culture that don't accept tatoos openly?
Here's the thing.
I remember that one of Japanese pop stars has got a tatto of her son's name, but she's been loved by many fans!
Well, so, what's imporant is the image of an individual?
I'm afraid of such a Japanese society rather than a person who's got a tatoo...
But, I'm sure that not all American accept having tatoos. Like, when I was in Arizona, I didn't see many people who show thier tatoos.
So, now I know that New York is pretty much a special place that you can be so open to have it. I think a tatoo in New York is more than fashion. It's more like a identification of an individual. Some tatoos are more like an art and they are beautiful.
I'm always got curious about a tatoo with a Chinese (or Japanese Kanji) characters. I've seen a guy who has an weird one that has a meaning "I'm from the Saturn". OMG...
I don't have any ones. Sometimes, I feel like to have one, but I don't want to be isolated from Spa in Japan!!
Yep, you won't be allowed to take a bath if you have a tatoo!
It's all about "Tatoo".
This arrested actor used to live in the states and his words and behaviors were pretty much Americanized. He used some curse words to his staff, and he also got a tatoo on his back.
When he and his wife who's also an actress were having their vacation in Hawaii, some paparazzi took a picture that this actress was putting a lotion on his "tattooed" back. The thing is this actress was selling an image like a good girl or a girl next door. So, a good girl gone bad to most people!!
After this photo came to the public, she dissapiered from a TV commercial due to a bad image of his tatoo of an angel!!
Does any similar thing happen in the state? Is this because of Japanese culture that don't accept tatoos openly?
Here's the thing.
I remember that one of Japanese pop stars has got a tatto of her son's name, but she's been loved by many fans!
Well, so, what's imporant is the image of an individual?
I'm afraid of such a Japanese society rather than a person who's got a tatoo...
But, I'm sure that not all American accept having tatoos. Like, when I was in Arizona, I didn't see many people who show thier tatoos.
So, now I know that New York is pretty much a special place that you can be so open to have it. I think a tatoo in New York is more than fashion. It's more like a identification of an individual. Some tatoos are more like an art and they are beautiful.
I'm always got curious about a tatoo with a Chinese (or Japanese Kanji) characters. I've seen a guy who has an weird one that has a meaning "I'm from the Saturn". OMG...
I don't have any ones. Sometimes, I feel like to have one, but I don't want to be isolated from Spa in Japan!!
Yep, you won't be allowed to take a bath if you have a tatoo!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Essa Bagle
I honestly still wonder why people in New York like bagles so much. Why!?
I wanna know the answer, so I'll ask it to myself. In other words, I am going to try some different bagle places from now!!
For the first place, I chose "Essa Bagle" in Gramacy. (There's one more in Midtown.)
It was kind of surprising, but they don't toast it. Is it their policy, or didn't ask well in my English!?
... anyway,
I liked the place. They are not fancy at all, but it has a very "New York" atomosphere.
About the taste?,
Well, I don't know what to say because I don't know about bagles!! haha
I'm excited about trying other bagles so that I can tell the difference.
In a way of tasting New York bagle, I'll say, "I love New York"!
I wanna know the answer, so I'll ask it to myself. In other words, I am going to try some different bagle places from now!!
For the first place, I chose "Essa Bagle" in Gramacy. (There's one more in Midtown.)
It was kind of surprising, but they don't toast it. Is it their policy, or didn't ask well in my English!?
... anyway,
I liked the place. They are not fancy at all, but it has a very "New York" atomosphere.
About the taste?,
Well, I don't know what to say because I don't know about bagles!! haha
I'm excited about trying other bagles so that I can tell the difference.
In a way of tasting New York bagle, I'll say, "I love New York"!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Don't take it personally
ファニーな日本語翻訳はこれらのサイトで…http://www.excite.co.jp/world/english/ 読み比べるのもおもしろい？ http://honyaku.yahoo.co.jp/ http://translate.google.co.jp/translate_t
I know I didn't need to take it personally, but, sometimes, it was shocking to me when people served me unfriendly at restaurants, deli, or even Dunkin Donuts. In Japan, the phrase "Customer is a God" is frequently heard. You know, they bring "money" to you...!!
So, what are exactly unfriendly? Simply, they don't smile! Unbelievably, they roughly put a glass filled with water on the table! (Pls note: these are worst examples!!) Now, I can understand why people who have travelled to Japan always say to me, "Japan's service is amazing". They are true. I missed such Japanese customer services for a while. At the same time, I must say I had been tired of that Japanese customer service, too, because it was "too much".
In Japan, politeness is very important for superiors, strangers or customers unlike American frankness culture. For me, however, when this politeness goes beyond, it just becomes annoying because it's obvious that true hospitalises are lucking in their empty words. Besides that, you might feel like, "Are they robots? because it's Japan?". In other words, they just talk with customers as written in an instruction manual!! Honestly, whenever I encountered this kind of "robot service", I felt uncomfortable, though I'm pretty sure these people are so serious that follow the manual. You can't miss that the seriousness is also one of Japanese interesting characteristics!!
After living in NY for 6 months, I feel I am getting used to this service differences. Now, I can understand this difference comes from "frankness" or "evenness" of American people. Even the relationship between customers and shop workers are friendly, which is simply happy service to receive. What I hope is both "I don't care about you" attitude and "Yes, I am a robot machine" service are not making me feel isolated. We should deserve what we pay, right? But, here's a key. Say, "Hi" with your big smile, then they'll smile back to you friendly!
I know I didn't need to take it personally, but, sometimes, it was shocking to me when people served me unfriendly at restaurants, deli, or even Dunkin Donuts. In Japan, the phrase "Customer is a God" is frequently heard. You know, they bring "money" to you...!!
So, what are exactly unfriendly? Simply, they don't smile! Unbelievably, they roughly put a glass filled with water on the table! (Pls note: these are worst examples!!) Now, I can understand why people who have travelled to Japan always say to me, "Japan's service is amazing". They are true. I missed such Japanese customer services for a while. At the same time, I must say I had been tired of that Japanese customer service, too, because it was "too much".
In Japan, politeness is very important for superiors, strangers or customers unlike American frankness culture. For me, however, when this politeness goes beyond, it just becomes annoying because it's obvious that true hospitalises are lucking in their empty words. Besides that, you might feel like, "Are they robots? because it's Japan?". In other words, they just talk with customers as written in an instruction manual!! Honestly, whenever I encountered this kind of "robot service", I felt uncomfortable, though I'm pretty sure these people are so serious that follow the manual. You can't miss that the seriousness is also one of Japanese interesting characteristics!!
After living in NY for 6 months, I feel I am getting used to this service differences. Now, I can understand this difference comes from "frankness" or "evenness" of American people. Even the relationship between customers and shop workers are friendly, which is simply happy service to receive. What I hope is both "I don't care about you" attitude and "Yes, I am a robot machine" service are not making me feel isolated. We should deserve what we pay, right? But, here's a key. Say, "Hi" with your big smile, then they'll smile back to you friendly!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
