You know you're in the US when...

[Nick N]

Xyn and JB's posts remind me of a story a co-worker (originally from Texas) of mine told me after spending a couple of months working on a theme park in Japan:

Someone dropped their ChapStick on the floor in the midst of a large common area of the site, and it was never picked up, even by the cleaning crew. Somebody set it on a nearby surface and it stayed there for weeks. Now, a used ChapStick is not exactly a desirable item, but from other things he saw there his impression was that it was a gesture of kindness ("no, don't throw it away; they might come back for it").

He was also maddened sometimes by the over-organization of things and the formality, but was touched by these little acts of politeness that the Japanese take so seriously. It takes very little effort to simply consider the next guy, and it makes life more pleasant for everyone.

Japan is amazing.

[Xyn_Air]

Looks like we moved from "You know you're in the US when..." to "You know you are one lucky gaijin in Japan when . . ."  ;D

Ah, well.  Good thread, in any case!

I do know that work here in Japan is a lot different that in the U.S., both in positive and not so positive ways.  One of the positive things that I experience working here in Japan is that everyone has really pulled together to help me out of a lot of scrapes and tough situations.  Sometimes it has been just filling up my refrigerator when I have been low on food (try sending 2/3 of your paycheck home every month, pay your rent and utilities, pay for other incidentals, and then budget for food after that; mmm, lots and lots of plain rice  ;D ) to taking time off to help me with official paperwork/functions where the Japanese is above and beyond my level of comprehension.  There really is a sense that at the workplace, everyone is looking out for one another like an extended family.

On the other hand, work is an extended family in Japan because many people are at work nearly all the time.  12+ hour days and working on the weekends is not that uncommon.  Add to that, many people spend a significant amount of time commuting to and from work.  And then there are vacations you actually take with your coworkers and not your family.  Parties are pretty much the same, too, being events for coworkers only and not family members.  If there is one thing I would point out that America has over Japan, it is the potential for people to spend more time with their families.  I know that when I get back from Japan, my family is going to get sick of me because of all the time I will want to share with them.

That is two valuable lessons I have learned while here in Japan that I can take with me back to the States:

1) Looking out for others is not too terribly hard* and it really can build a positive sense of community.

2) Living in the U.S. allows me to spend time with and appreciate my family, so that is exactly what I should do!

* - depends on where you live; sense of community is completely non-existence in some larger urban environments, but where my family lives in North Dakota it is still very present.