Text 9762, 63 rader
Skriven 2006-12-18 13:24:00 av Carol Shenkenberger
     Kommentar till en text av Dave Sacerdote
Ärende: Re: Chook-Fil-A
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 REPLY: 1:123/140 f8e9fbea
 MSGID: 6:757/1 c556e0e2
 PID: Telegard 3.09.g2-sp4
 TID: GE 1.2
*** Quoting DAVE SACERDOTE from a message to CAROL SHENKENBERGER ***

CS> Here in Japan, the downside can be just like that at times.  
CS> Seldom in Sasebo, but have had some less than spectacular 
CS> experiences in a few places outside this area.  Kagoshima.  
CS> One bar refused to serve me. . .

DS> As much as I admire the Japanese, it's pretty well understood that
DS> they are quite xenophobic, and your experience as a gaijin is not
DS> uncommon.  I've heard far worse from other travelers.

Yes, happens.  I dont let it color my feelings for the people though as they 
are actualy a minority of the population who act that way.

A smile goes a very long way and is univerally understood. A good bit of why I 
have so much fun here, is we accept that 'Japan way in Japan is best' and just 
enjoy or accept what we experience.

I saw some rude Americans in the airport.  They didnt mean to be rude, but they

were very new and didnt know better.  At the China Cafe, a family of 3 kids 
were there and were not only too loud (not that you have to whisper but a 
normal voice is expected) but didnt have better food eating skills than a 
McDonalds.  The kids were grabbing noodles out of their bowls with their hands 
for example then drying them on their pants.

Such behavior will rapidly turn off the Japanese and such people later find 
they do not enjoy Japan due to the early receptions they get from their own bad

actions.  They tend to stay 'on base' after a week or so.

To absolve me, I did go over and quietly explain, but they didnt want to listen

though the waiter realized we tried as well as many others there.  Charlotte 
got gifted with a lesson in chopsticks and how to 'properly' accept a chopstick

to chopstick food from another from a lady (who most pointedly looked at the 
rude folks for a moment).  I didnt know there was a special way for that and 
had been handing off bits the wrong way but obviously was trainable <g>.  
Close enough we didnt offend anyone with our eating habits at all.

My minor mistake BTW was I was reversing the ends of the chopsticks to hand the

food off which is normal when putting food to a personal dish out of a communal

one.  Apparently not normal when handing food off to a child from 'mommies 
plate'.  I think you also use a slightly different angle making the food 
horizontal but I am not clear on that.

DS> relatively tolerant area of the country. I've never been into any 
DS> "ethnic" shop in any neighborhood where I haven't been made to feel
DS> welcome.

It's often a matter of attitude.  No secret handshake required <g>.

                                       xxcarol

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