Manner matters
There are a few things that I will have to get used to while living in a Japanese family: the house keeping rules such as turning the lights off when I leave my room, even for a minute, not using the bathroom light during the day, open my room curtains during the day and close them at night. I also have to make sure my futon is folded up every morning. Of course there is traditional phrases that has to be said in specific circumstances: “itadakimasu” before I eat “gochisousama deshita” at the end of the meal, “ittekimasu” when I leave and “tadaima” when I come back. The response to “ittekimasu” is “itterasshai” and the response to “tadaima” is “okaerinasai”. Therefore, whether you are arriving or leaving or someone is leaving or arriving, there is something to say. I even think they say “tadaima” when there is no one home! Of course there is “oyasuminasai” goodnight and “ohayou gozaimasu” good morning not ever to forget.
If I do forget, Okaasan will make sure I realize my cultural “faux pas”, such as when I absent-mindedly stepped in the entrance of the house with my slippers (considered an “impure” spot. Okaasan saw me and she was very concerned. Whenever I forget to turn off a light or put my slippers at the right place, that’s when Okaasan sees it. Otherwise it is 99% always properly done. It seems that that’s always how it is… mother’s have this power to feel when thing are not at the right place, they are truly the masters of the house. Here, there father is the master of the computer…
No comments:
Post a Comment