Jap #2

Harrow.

This post was actually written because... (wait. Did I actually explain myself every time I update my blog?) Coming up with a reason is actually kinda annoying. Lol not coming up like I had to fake the reason but actually explaining why when I don't want to is annoying and really, it's actually unnecessary, right? Gahhh not going to answer that.

There's this differences thing between Malaysia and Japan that I somehow thought that it's quite interesting and I had to say or record it somewhere somehow. And here goes. (Erm did I actually just explain myself? Lol nevermind that.)

- Pauses - Le sigh I've actually went onto other websites for half and hour or so because I just can't really write another post when the one before was published like 5 minutes ago. But now. Yea I'm gonna try since. It's gonna get bright and sunny and I should sleep before the sun rise. (Sleeping when the sun rises, like a vampire/ likewise zombie. How irony.)

Ok so I'm gonna continue but all are going to be said later was based on my perspectives, not according to whose opinion or whatsoever reports or research. Just my opinion.

Japanese people speaks Japanese. Hehehe so blunt lol ok so I actually just knew Japanese people uses Japanese even in big or even some international events. Forgive me but I thought when English was to be known as an international language I thought in events people would adjust naturally? Here in Malaysia many politicians did uses Bahasa Melayu but on most international events they'd change to English! So yeaah. :/ Anyways! I got a little terrified by this fact because I'm so so afraid that I couldn't communicate with them at all but thank God! The couple of Japanese friends that came here to UKM speaks quite fluent Malay! (Better than me I think. Sobs.) And some friends I made recently speaks quite good English too! (Ah but this is because he's mix raced like me) But anyhow I'm glad I'm learning Japanese so at least I know a little now! And definitely will learn moarrrrrrrrr.

Japanese people respect the elderly and has a clearly divided bureaucracy. Erm I actually knew this quite long ago but until now I'm still not very sure how the real situations would be. I saw an article on Japan Times saying that the whole system was like an upside down pyramid diagram which shows the loaaaaaaaaaaaaads of elderly are all on the top part of the upside down pyramid and pressuring the little amount of yonger generations. I don't know if I can cope with this though if I'd to experience that. Other than that, people with a higher status are often highly respected where you can't skip statuses and do anything you want to without their permission or acknowledgement. (Erm confusing? I'm kinda lazy to explain though but whoever understands congrats! Hehehe.)

Japanese people love their toilets and baths. So yeaa. I think it's because of their technologies though. And all of them (I think) bathe with warm water! I wish I can here but... It's just impossible.

Japanese people says shouganai(na) or shikataganai but... Shouganai or shikataganai means something like "nothing can be done" or in Malay it's more to expression such as "biarkanlah/ biasalah/ takpelah." I actually thinks that Malaysians have this shouganai's spirit when something happened to them they just... let it go, you know? They wouldn't be that bothered unlike in western countries where individualism is emphasized. However, when I thought where Japanese people says shouganai(na) or shikataganai almost every time something bad happened, one of my Japanese friend told me Malaysian has the shouganai's spirit where... They can't seem to accept. Here's why in my next point.

Japanese people stressed on quality. Let's take vending machines for an example. If vending machines in Malaysia has no Cola but only Pepsi, Malaysians wouldn't probably have any feelings on this kind of situation. They'd either opt to buy Pepsi, or just go away not buying anything without any opinion at all. But for Japanese people, they'd be kinda stressed out and thinks that why is this happening, why nobody refills the freaking vending machine or why is the machine giving problems? I think in Japan people are used to have good working ethic and everything is always/ have to be in tip-topped condition whereas in Malaysia we don't really expect a lot from our surroundings. Do you think this type of working ethics are one of the reason that we don't really improvise?

Working long hours and getting your job done, is a must. In Malaysia, working hours may start at 8am but workers would arrive at 9am. Tea break + lunch hour may took them 2 hours each. Working hours end at 5pm but they may leave at 4.30pm. In Japan, NOBODY DOES THAT esp when you're newly employed. At least that's what I knew(?) So anyways, daily errands have to be done on that day and working extra hours is NORMAL(must). If you leave early, other employees will think that you're weird, or lazy.

Japanese people doesn't really show their affections/ emotions, especially guys. When I knew Japanese couple are not okay with holding hands in public I'm like. NANDESUKA?! Imagine not hugging or kissing. Lol I mean like on farewells like when you have to send your husband or wife off in the airport when they have job abroad you just don't HUG. T^T This is like a super sad love story for me you know. And one I just knew lately is... Japanese guys tend to show this bold and manly image where they doesn't use words or actions to express their loves, even to family members. I asked them if boys hug their mothers or being 'manja' towards family members they're like NOOOOOOOOOO! They aren't allowed to shout (of course this is very impolite) but not even cry in front of anyone. T^T super duper sad lah. Ok so it's very normal for Malaysian students to miss home and go back home every time it's semester break or whenever they have extra time on hands but the Japanese doesn't feel this way! My Japanese friends were actually shocked when they first knew about how we're always desperate to go back home. GAHHH but it's home and family! How can you resist?!

Japanese people love and respect their own country. I think this is because there's only Japanese in Japan and there's no conflict there. It ain't like here, where we have so many races, religions, languages, culture going on. But I salute on how Japanese people stand for being Japanese. They'd wear kimonos or yukatas like it's the most normal thing ever, speaks Japanese (duh of course) and love their on country (at least somehow it's different like what I experienced here in Malaysia!) So if you're in Malaysia religion (of course) is somehow a sensitive issue where it was mostly the initiators of all conflict. Second, if you'd see any other races other than Malay to wear baju kurungs or other races to wear otherwise it'd be kinda weird! And... Talk about the national language. To those who didn't use Malay as their mother tongue especially among the Chinese, speaking Malay fluently is actually kind of rare. I've learned about Malaysia where it's in the progress of being a "Negara Bangsa" where people would be patriotic and nationalistic towards Malaysia itself but somehow you can see it's getting harder from generation to generation. 

Alright I'm gonna stop here first though, well of course there's more on cultural differences. There are really a lot more to say but the bird's chirping and I don't know if I still wanna write another post update on my recent life or not. Anyways I wanna repeat in saying that all these were my perspectives ok, it's only an opinion so if it actually brings you to great disagreement I'm sorry if it offended you and I'd like to know why. Heh.