On Japanese Etiquette and Other Ramblings of a Rambling Nature

Comments are completely acceptable, esp. from complete strangers (if you're reading this on blogspot.com, not on facebook)
One of the most frequently made generalizations about Japanese people is that they are incredibly polite. This assertion does have quite a sound basis that begins in the language. Verbs, adjectives, and even some nouns have different inflections to express certain levels of respect. At a restaurant, for example, one never asks for "mizu," (water), but "omizu" (rougly translated as "honorable water."). Asking a teacher's name could be translated into English: "As for the honorable master's honorable name, what is it?" The most common greeting is, of course, the bow. I bow to teachers, adults, and kendo opponents. However, one never returns bows to waitstaff or salespeople, because they are considered of lower rank. In social situations, the Japanese recite a litany of polite vocabulary. These words are difficult to explain, as I don't understand the reason fully yet. (so more on that later). But it's very common to hear formal conversations peppered with words such as sumimasen (excuse me, lit. "I don't escape.") and yoroshiku (lit. "be nice to me"). Japanese friends will apologize for faults that I have committed (i.e. missing the targeted body part in kendou). Addison and I joke that, if we tried to rob a bank in Japan, the teller would just say "HAI, DOOZO!" (Yes, here you are!)
However, according to American standards, the Japanese can also be interpreted as incredibly rude. They have no qualms about inquiring as to a complete stranger's age, weight, and salary. On a crowded bus, people wishing to get off simply shove through the other passengers without saying "Excuse me." Downtown or in the train station or in a shop also, the Japanese never say "Excuse me" when they accidentally bump into someone. The Japanese usually eat very quickly (if they're not staring at the TV) and sometimes don't leave it up to others' imaginations as to the contents of their mouth. They usually don't wait for others to receive their food at a restaurant to begin their own meals. The Western custom of wishing someone health after a sneeze does not exist in Japan, and I am still not used to the empty silence that occurs after a sneeze, always expecting to hear a wish for good health. Students scream, yell, or sleep in class; behavior that would invite an immediate instruction to leave back at St. Joseph High School in the USA. The Japanese often have a healthy curiosity towards foreigners, but sometimes they bear negative feelings. People on public buses looking for a seat would rather stand up then sit next to me; when waiting for Addison at his school, a bunch of students started screaming "GAIJIN!" (foreigner) from the window, to which I responded "GAIJIN DA YO" (You bet I'm a foreigner!"), and they laughed, which is good; at a school presentation about drugs, I am almost positive the speaker warned against speaking to foreigners because they all supposedly do drugs.
So what's the point? The point is that I don't really think you can say one culture is more __________ that another. It's all a matter of perspective and comparison, which I think is a bit dangerous. You could make generalizations that may aid in understanding a people, but I think an open mind is a much better possession.
By the way, the second paragraph may sound negative. That's because it is. No people group is perfect, but that doesn't mean that I am not having the most amazingly fun experience of my life.
In other news, today I am exhausted. School is becomeing much more fun as my Japanese improved, I grow more accustomed to the schedule, and making many new friends. I taught my friends in kendo club how to pop, lock, and drop it. I have gotten to the point in Japan where I can help other people in class. For example, this morning, someone asked where Bangladesh was, to which I responded "north of India" (indo no kita). Also today, someone asked the teacher where Airi was, to which I responded "Shes not here today; she wasnt here this morning" (kyou yasumi; kesu inakkata). Friends always want to asobu (roughly, "hang out") in downtown, but I always have kendou after school. I now make it a point to talk to my kendo friends for about ten or fifteen minutes, as they do, instead of just immediately going home, like I used to do. Friday I'm going to see the tea ceremony club; the participants will be wearing kimonos. I'll bring my camera. I may go downtown with Natsumi, Shinano, and Mio afterwards. Saturday I'm going to temple with Shiori and Okaasan, to pray for one wish. Shiori is praying that she will pass her university exam. I don't know what to pray for. I feel like that scene in The Glass Menagerie when Laura doesn't know what to wish for and Amanda says-- "happiness, good fortune... HAPPINESS!" Haha, I've become so much more literary now and when Laurent asks me to explain an English word (which is rare because we never speak English...), I often support it with a Shakespeare quote. (he asked me to explain lend, so guess what line from Julius Caesar I quoted...) I'm reading Ulysses now. I'm usually never paying attention and I really have no idea what's going on. I'm basically reading it so I can say I read it. I'm trying to hurry so I can continue on to something more fun. ANYWAY. School is getting a lot better. It's still weird being in a first-year class where everyone is 15/16 and I'm 17 and have the same maturity level as the third-year class (last year of high school in Japan), but I figure it's stupid to let that get to me. I can now participate fully in Spanish class, because the Spanish is so basic and I remember a lot more than I thought and I already speak French. I can even help my Japanese friends, giving them the Japanese equivalents for Spanish words (equipaje=nimotsu, bienvenidos=youkoso, venimos a hacer un corso de espanol=watashitachi wa speengo no jugyo o shi ni kimasu, etc.)
Now that the weather is getting colder, I get to wear the gakuran. Japanese boy's winter uniform, based on the Prussian navy uniforms of yesteryear. It's bath season! So after showering, I get into the bathtub for a soak. Everyone shares the same aromatic water. The toilet seat is now electronically warm. It now plays Liebestraum by Liszt, but I may change it back to Bach's "Air on the G String".
Heh. Being an exchange student is such an amazing experience. There are sometimes when you feel so homesick, and then five minutes later you are madly in love again with your host country. I have been in so many unspeakably difficult situations. I don't know whether it's pure insanity or incredible willpower that keeps me going, but I think It's a combination of the two. Exchange students, I think, are so much braver than they think they are. The experience is so rewarding, enjoyable, and life-changing.
Yeah. That's enough. That was pretty long Let's close with my favorite current song here in Japan... It's so KAKKOII!! (um. best translation, maybe, um... stunning? slick? Those words sound so corny in English...) Anyway, it's so chill and I LOVES it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VllmWQyZI2A