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 Manifesto7 Osaka. July 14 2009 12:23. Posts 17680 | Profile Blog |
I think saying we would "like to grow as a person" is an admirable thing, but it can be difficult to measure. It is not often that we have instances upon which we can reflect and say "I have changed." Today however I was fortunate to have one such experience.
Then
Since moving to Japan many people have asked me about "culture shock". To be honest, I think the term is poorly constructed, as I don't think I have often felt "shocked" by anything in Japan. It is more a sense of being weighed down by the enormity of it all once in a while. Every other month or so I feel tired, but that isn't really a shock. Only one occasion really sticks in my mind.
I was walking back to my house from the station, this was before Yuko and I lived together, and it was a blazing hot August day. The air around my ankles simply rippled, my shoes stirring the soup, and every breath seemed to steal from my body more than it gave. My plan was simple. I was going to go to my house, get my laptop, and then jump on my bicycle back to the station where an air conditioned comic/internet cafe waited with endless drinks.
With this goal in mind I looked up. Ahead of me was a T intersection and I was approaching the bar. As I was about to turn right toward my house, I saw a lady walk behind a car. In perfect slow motion I saw the white lights on the back of the car illuminate and heard the engine hum. Before I could raise a sound in my throat the car had knocked the elderly lady down and screeched to a stop.
Instantly I was conflicted. My initial reaction was to rush over and help this lady who was crying out on the ground. I had my phone, it was time to call the police! Get an ambulance! Then a realization hit me. If I were to go over there, what would I say? Would my white face confuse the proceedings? Other than babbling away in English, I was just going to be in the way.
I walked in the other direction.
I went home, and did not head out to the shop. Instead I sat there, disappointed with myself. I am normally a take-charge kind of guy. If I am in a situation, I am usually running the show. On this day I felt powerless. This was culture shock.
Now
A woke up a little later today, just as the hour hand was closing in at 7. With an evening class ahead of me I knew that the car was my best option. I packed my bag, kissed my wife goodbye, and took off for work.
Pull out of the garage, turn right, right, left, right, left and I was on the highway to work. I was stuck behind a slow car, so I couldn't make the required 90 km/h it takes to make it through the next lights. I sat at the intersection, not thinking of anything in particular other than that annoying slow car, when I noticed the mini truck in the middle of the road.
Mini trucks are great things; tiny for me to drive but popular with every old guy in my town for their ability to haul junk and maneuver between rice fields. In the bed of this particular truck was a mountain of paper and aluminum. A collector. Lots of old guys like him in every country I suppose. Behind his truck some of his bundles and bags were strewn. I assumed that they had fallen out and he would do the typical old guy thing and stop traffic while picking them up. Old guys who live in trucks don't have much use for the conventions of society.
Looking closer I saw the twinkle of broken yellow plastic on the ground. Then I saw a door bent in a way doors are not meant to be. He hadn't dropped anything, he had plowed into the concrete divider between north and south bound traffic. I looked at the other cars beside me as the signal was about to change. Nobody seemed to care. No hazard lights were on. Seven am Tuesday morning on the highway? This place was normally a formula-1 circuit as people sped to work. Nobody was going to stop to help some old guy in the middle of the road.
The same feelings from years before seized me. I should help him! It is my natural reaction. But... what would I say? Is this my place? The signal turned green, cars crept up behind me. Hands descended toward horns, preparing to blast me out of my internal struggle.
I dropped the car into first, flicked my signal, and pulled off onto a side street.
Getting out of my car I walked back to the intersection, surveying the damage. No other car had stopped. A pedestrian looked on as he walked by, interested in the wreckage but apparently not the person inside. I waited impatiently for the lights to change again and then I jogged out into the middle of the road.
I knew this man! He was the old guy who parked by the river near my house. He lives out of his truck and always has his pet dog with him. He is viewed suspiciously in the neighborhood because of his condition. But yet, here he was, struggling to free himself. His driver side door had been mangled, and he lacked the strength to open it. With a bit of adreneline pumping through me, I yanked on the handle. Nothing happened. I signaled to him to roll down his window. Grasping the door and the frame, I planted a Canadian size shoe on the truck and pulled. With a squeal of metal the door popped open and the bloodied old guy fell out, followed swiftly by the stench of alcohol.
As I picked up the old man and guided him to sit down on the median, I wondered what to do next. Behind me I heard the excited chirping of two old ladies, out for a walk but now caught up in the drama. Walking over to them I pulled out my phone and asked them to call an ambulance as best I could. She dialed the number excitedly, but then seemed to be at a loss as to how to describe where we were. Glancing around me I spied the sign overhead, "Taruihamaguchi" I yelled at her, using my teachers voice to be heard over the din of passing traffic.
With the authorities on their way, I took back my phone and walked back to my car. I didn't want to push my luck by talking to the police. The old women seemed to be in control at this point. Driving to work I reflected on the difference between this day and when I first came to Japan.
Sure, my language is a bit better than way back then, but not a whole lot better. I think my growth has more to do with me feeling comfortable in my own skin. I have a job here because I am different. I look different, and speak a different language. Outside my job, however, there is a basic human need to feel part of the group, part of society. I think I feel at home more today, which allowed me to make the decision to turn off and help this old man.
The irony is, of course, that feeling more comfortable here allowed me to help, but really fitting into this society would entail me not helping at all, but simply staring in interest before speeding off to work. Perhaps I have some more growing to do before I reach that point. Maybe I've grown enough for the time being.
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| | Fuck that. Terran is the race of big dicked Vikings who rampage across the galaxies in huge battleships, rip up the ground with artillery spawned from the forges of hell, and send waves of valiant warriors to fight the freaks of science. |
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 Ideas United States. July 14 2009 12:31. Posts 3089 | Profile Blog |
| wow, what a heart-warming story. GJ mani! |
| | 150***** APM FTW..................... #1 STX SouL/Calm/Kal/July fan.............................hi man O_O |
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 Empyrean Noobville. July 14 2009 12:33. Posts 6744 | Profile Blog |
| Hey, good read, but something tiny the bothered me was the use of the word 'enormity' in your opening. The word generally means extreme evil or something along those lines. |
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 emperorchampion Canada. July 14 2009 12:34. Posts 337 | Profile Blog |
| Nice anecdote. I think that it is important for us to look back on our past experiences and compare them to how we act now. It is interesting how you analyze how you have grown, and how you now feel comfortable in a foreign culture. I like also how you mention that even though you have become closer to the culture, you defy the norm- in the way that most people just drive by, but you took time to help him. I can definitely take home a message from this, it is well worth it to take a few moments out of your day to help those in need. As my teacher once said, "It is our actions more than anything else that define us as who we are." Last edit: 2009-07-14 12:35:22 |
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 Sentenal United States. July 14 2009 12:37. Posts 705 | Profile Blog |
On July 14 2009 12:33 Empyrean wrote:
Hey, good read, but something tiny the bothered me was the use of the word 'enormity' in your opening. The word generally means extreme evil or something along those lines.
When I see "enormity", I think of something huge, or enormous (lol). Not something evil |
| | "Think of spider mines as overlords/comsats that get up and rape the shit out of what they see." -iNcontroL |
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| Empyrean Noobville. July 14 2009 12:39. Posts 6744 | Profile Blog |
e⋅nor⋅mi⋅ty
/ɪˈnɔrmɪti/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [i-nawr-mi-tee] Show IPA
Use enormity in a Sentence
–noun, plural -ties
1. outrageous or heinous character; atrociousness: the enormity of war crimes.
2. something outrageous or heinous, as an offense: The bombing of the defenseless population was an enormity beyond belief.
3. greatness of size, scope, extent, or influence; immensity: The enormity of such an act of generosity is staggering.
You're probably thinking of "enormousness". I suppose you could use enormity to mean "huge", but it's not the most common definition.
Ok let's get back on topic? This was a great read and pretty thought provoking. |
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| Manifesto7 Osaka. July 14 2009 12:39. Posts 17680 | Profile Blog |
On July 14 2009 12:33 Empyrean wrote:
Hey, good read, but something tiny the bothered me was the use of the word 'enormity' in your opening. The word generally means extreme evil or something along those lines.
Enormity:
1: an outrageous, improper, vicious, or immoral act
2: the quality or state of being immoderate, monstrous, or outrageous ; especially : great wickedness
3: the quality or state of being huge : immensity
4: a quality of momentous importance or impact
You're right. Funny, I have only known the word to be the third and fourth definition, and had no idea about the first two. |
| | Fuck that. Terran is the race of big dicked Vikings who rampage across the galaxies in huge battleships, rip up the ground with artillery spawned from the forges of hell, and send waves of valiant warriors to fight the freaks of science. |
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 Dave[9] United States. July 14 2009 12:40. Posts 1993 | Profile Blog |
| Quite an interesting read, because you've been in Japan for so long and yet feel the same way about yourself because you are white and well, most of them aren't. Being the red haired Canadian you are you kind of stick out like a sore thumb amongst a huge population of Japanese, but really you showed that, in your growth, skin doesn't really matter because we are all human. |
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 chaoser United States. July 14 2009 12:44. Posts 506 | Profile |
| why not just learn japanese? learning basic japanese is pretty easy if you have maybe a free hour a day. it's easy to pronounce and the structuring for basic sentences is pretty simple enough. and if you just want to speak it just learn the hiragana and not the kanji |
| | Haven't you heard? I'm not an ex-progamer. I'm not a poker player. I'm not an admin of the site. I'm mother fucking Rekrul. |
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 Klogon US of A. July 14 2009 12:51. Posts 12423 | Profile Blog |
| Good post Mani. This is something all immigrants in any society go through. Good introspective stuff. |
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 scintilliaSD Hong Kong. July 14 2009 12:53. Posts 751 | Profile Blog |
A very touching story. I don't know much about you personally, Manifesto. How long have you lived in Japan - what was the time differences between these stories? Do you think there was a point where you realized that you felt more comfortable in Japanese society, or do you think you gradually eased into it? If the latter, at what point do you think you would have felt comfortable doing a gesture like the second story's - or do you still not feel completely comfortable about it?
This story actually means a lot to me because I want to move to a foreign country to possibly teach English when I finish my undergraduate degree here. |
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 HuskyTheHusky United States. July 14 2009 13:02. Posts 2185 | Profile Blog |
Very interesting perspective. I really found the opening paragraphs to be the most interesting for some reason. I honestly cant imagine living in a completely foreign place, I think it takes a certain kind of character.
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 Ecael United States. July 14 2009 13:09. Posts 1347 | Profile |
On July 14 2009 12:44 chaoser wrote:
why not just learn japanese? learning basic japanese is pretty easy if you have maybe a free hour a day. it's easy to pronounce and the structuring for basic sentences is pretty simple enough. and if you just want to speak it just learn the hiragana and not the kanji
That is easier said than done, to be honest. Personally, it took me while after I had the ability to speak English fluently before I can feel comfortable doing things of this kind, calling strangers (customer service, public service), etc. It isn't so much about the mastery of the language as it is a sense of familiarity, imo, where the fear simply sets in and you are unable to do anything, in spite of your theoretical knowledge. |
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| PH United States. July 14 2009 13:12. Posts 3423 | Profile Blog |
Very interesting...thanks for sharing.
I was worried and thinking about this kind of thing...the whole cultural barrier, though on a different level than you. I want to teach English in Korea (like everyone else here does) once I graduate from my university, but I'm not one of those types that enjoys traveling or immersing themselves in a different culture. I am full-blooded Korean, but born and raised American, though in a Korean household. When I traveled to Korea for three weeks recently, just vacationing around there wore me thin.
It's hard when you look like everyone else, but still can't relate. -____-;; |
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 sArite_nite Singapore. July 14 2009 13:18. Posts 451 | Profile Blog |
A great read, Manifesto.
I've got a few questions though
You say you want to stop becoming entwined with the Japanese society for fear of becoming a bystander. You fear you will think like the crowd and sit on the fence. You want to avoid becoming a complacent, spoiled person who works only for himself.
- Do you think ^ describes your conclusion?
- Why do the Japanese not help, but instead stop and stare out of interest?
- What are your goals in personal growth (what do you want to become)?
- With that in mind, can you integrate yourself fully with society and yet still be willing to lend a hand?
- Sometimes the Samaritan, in lending a hand, breaks custom and is instead blamed for helping. Will you still continue doing that after one such incident?
-Fin-
Personal growth is an interest of mine, so I'll be looking out for updates, if they ever should come.
Cheers
~Sari |
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 SonuvBob Aiur. July 14 2009 13:18. Posts 13623 | Profile Blog |
On July 14 2009 12:39 Manifesto7 wrote:
Show nested quote +On July 14 2009 12:33 Empyrean wrote:
Hey, good read, but something tiny the bothered me was the use of the word 'enormity' in your opening. The word generally means extreme evil or something along those lines.
Enormity: 1: an outrageous, improper, vicious, or immoral act
2: the quality or state of being immoderate, monstrous, or outrageous ; especially : great wickedness
3: the quality or state of being huge : immensity
4: a quality of momentous importance or impact
You're right. Funny, I have only known the word to be the third and fourth definition, and had no idea about the first two.
Ditto. "Enormousness" sounds silly though.
edit: great blog btw  Last edit: 2009-07-14 13:19:30 |
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| Hyde Australia. July 14 2009 13:19. Posts 1103 | Profile |
On July 14 2009 13:09 Ecael wrote:
Show nested quote +On July 14 2009 12:44 chaoser wrote:
why not just learn japanese? learning basic japanese is pretty easy if you have maybe a free hour a day. it's easy to pronounce and the structuring for basic sentences is pretty simple enough. and if you just want to speak it just learn the hiragana and not the kanji
That is easier said than done, to be honest. Personally, it took me while after I had the ability to speak English fluently before I can feel comfortable doing things of this kind, calling strangers (customer service, public service), etc. It isn't so much about the mastery of the language as it is a sense of familiarity, imo, where the fear simply sets in and you are unable to do anything, in spite of your theoretical knowledge.
I agree, I've been studying Japanese for some time now, and I'm pretty confident with my reading and writing, but if you asked me to speak to someone, everything goes out the window and it's like I'm a first year student again.
I can't say I'm surprised at how Japanese citizens responded to the man who crashed his truck, they live their lives at 1000mph and would probably rather not get involved in someone else's problem.
Someday I'd really like to move there to live, but I can't help but think Japan just might be better as a holiday destination. |
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| eMbrace United States. July 14 2009 13:21. Posts 901 | Profile Blog |
Pretty interesting read from such a viewpoint, given the dramatic situations you found your self in.
Nice work!
Are you a English teacher in Japan? Part of the JET program maybe?
My current minor is Japanese and I've been to Japan once on a highschool study trip. I'd love to work in Japan, if at least temporarily. If you have any words of advice I'd really appreciate it. |
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 Chef Canada. July 14 2009 13:25. Posts 4712 | Profile Blog |
| Great read :D I feel there's certain times when I know I've changed too. |
| | Even though you go to the other world, please don't blame me... (don't) |
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July 14 2009 12:40. Posts 4719