Turning Japanese?

There was an interesting article I read a while back written by an American girl about American habits she lost when she moved to Germany. There are other similar articles on the same site including one by another girl who lost certain Americanisms while in Japan, but I honestly thought they were poorly written and not as interesting as the Germany one :P The time I've spent living in Japan is relatively short and already coming to an end in a little over a month now (eep!) but I thought I'd try my hand at writing something similar.

1) Good things come to those who wait
A friend once joked that the national pastime in Japan in waiting in line. While he said it mostly in jest, what makes it even funnier is that it's basically true. Obviously you have to line up and wait your turn for a lot of things here just like everywhere else, but it really seems as if the Japanese people actually like doing it. They spot a line and are drawn to it like moths to a flame. Maybe it's reflective of the herd mentality ingrained in the culture here. "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down," is a well-known Japanese proverb that I think represents how uniformity and doing what everyone else around you is doing is valuable in this country. Chicago's famous Garrett Popcorn has a shop in Harajuku and every time I'm there, the line is ridiiiiculously long. And it grows even longer the longer it grows. All that for popcorn? Well, I suppose if you want something enough, what's a 3-hour wait gonna hurt? I have to admit that even before coming to Japan I've lined up 9+ hours in advance for my favorite band to secure a front row spot, and as a hardcore fan it was totally worth it. But now after living here for several years, lining up for banal things or just for the hell of it doesn't bother me so much anymore. Heck, the same friend mentioned earlier and I went to a concert last year and we lined up in some random food line just to kill some time before the show. We ended up not buying anything in the end even after getting to the front, haha.

2) The naked truth
Back in the States, I always changed clothes in the shower stalls at the gym. In college when I had roommates, I'd make sure to change in privacy too. Being in my underwear in front of other people wasn't an issue, but being buck naked was. It made me feel shameful, vulnerable, and defenseless. But after being in Japan, I've grown a lot more comfortable being in my birthday suit among other people, including strangers and friends. I've been to several public bathhouses and onsen, both of which require no clothing. It's considered extremely rude to wear a swimsuit in either, unless it's a co-ed one. That said, I still don't think I'd be fully comfortable in a completely nude, co-ed bathhouse or spa. I didn't even bother stepping foot in the "clothing optional" section of a spa I went to in San Francisco over winter break. But I feel I could easily do First Rain at my alma mater now.

3) Fatigue is the best pillow
I love sleep. I would marry my bed if I could. I used to sleep for 12 or more hours when I was a teenager (I blame hormones and teen angst). While my sleeping patterns have improved immensely over the years, thanks to my time in Japan, I've acquired the superpower of being able to sleep just about anywhere. Kitchen floor the only space open at a friend's house after a party? No problem. Worn out from all night karaoke even though your buddies are still going strong at 3AM? Not an issue. Train packed to the brim with barely enough room to stand? The passengers around you will prevent you from falling over. Ooh, you grabbed a seat? The lady's shoulder next to you will make an excellent cushion! Japanese people have this amazing ability to make any place their bed. I've seen so many drunk business men knocked out on park benches or even sidewalks. Teachers at my schools take naps at their desks in the staff room with absolutely no shame. My own personal favorite bed-away-from-my-real-bed is the train. There's just something very comforting about the gentle rocking motion as it moves from station to station. Maybe it's a bit like being back in the womb. I almost always pass out upon grabbing a seat. The only unfortunate drawback to my superpower is that I still cannot for the life of me sleep on a damn airplane.

There are plenty more "habits" I've developed and lost while here, so perhaps I'll write a follow-up post later on. Thanks for stopping by!