#05 CULTURES

Hi there! Everywhere we see jacarandas, don’t we?  They let us know it is spring here in Brisbane – actually it is already hot though. haha

Since I came to Brisbane, it has been seven months… yes, time flies. This time I would like to write on a culture-related topic! When did you find a big cultural difference? Hmm… well, I had a lot of opportunities.

When I started taking buses to commute, I found that almost all passengers show their appreciation by saying “thank you”, “thanks man” or “cheers”.  When I was commuting by train in Japan, it never happened (it is because we cannot talk to train operators directly, I think). But I am sure this is a good Aussie habit, because no one on the bus feels uncomfortable.

When I went to a Chinese restaurant, I was going to have fried rice as usual, but my Chinese friends ordered anything they wanted me to try, including mysterious things (sorry, but to be honest, they were!) Now I think I never know they are delicious if they did not do that. Why did they do that? Because sharing allows everyone to try everything, and at the same time, we can share happiness – this is Chinese culture I learned from them. Come to think of it, fancy Chinese restaurants have rotary tables to share…

Those experiences make me think about Japanese cultures. I don’t know, well, nobody knows what is right or wrong, but I think I found some customs we should steel. haha