My girlfriend and I are moving to Japan in about 5 or 6 months. For her it’s thanks to work and I’ll enroll in some studies until I can get a job over there. We are very excited about it all, but she’s a bit nervous about us not knowing the costums, traditions or etiquette, and offending people. I explained that we just need to be very polite and careful but she still wants to make a good impression. Fair enough.
So, I was wandering, does anyone know how to go about looking for a teacher or coach that can teach us some basics of what we should and shouldn’t do, traditions, etc.?
I reckon this might be overkill, but I really don’t mind (actually, I think it’s bee quite an interesting experience!) and it will give my gf a lot of peace of mind. I’m assuming we would do this in Japan, not here nor now.
Thanks in advance!
3 comments
Do some research if you like. I recommend YouTube channels that don’t sugar coat life in Japan. They’re good at giving an realistic approach to life as a foreigner and honestly just browsing some bloggers who live in Japan. You can find those on Google easily enough.
Also, I think it’s great that you guys want to be super considerate but don’t be so hqrdh on yourself. Most natives will appreciate you trying to fit into their customs and they won’t be so harsh on you as you are a foreigner, (especially if you’re western looking). This is the “gaijin card”.
Don’t worry about it, “customs” are superficial, you’ll pick them up soon enough and Japan is highly forgiving of foreigner faux pas.
I’d recommend signing up now for in person language lessons (check your nearest community college). Usually the lesson plans include basic introductions and you can always talk to your teacher about some specific scenarios you may encounter or are curious about.