More Firsts In Japan

6 months in and I’m still experiencing new firsts here in Japan. 

Yesterday was the first time I’ve been to a salsa club.  It was a lot of fun but it helps if you know how to salsa beforehand.

Yesterday was also the first time I’ve seen an overtly rude Japanese person.  I was waiting for the train, and there was an older man, maybe mid-60s, waiting in front of me.  The train came in and started to slow down and another man who was standing about a meter to the left of the old guy saw there were 2 empty seats, and I guess he didn’t want the old guy to get them first.  In Japan, there are designations on the floor telling people where the door will be when the train stops, and the old man was first in line.  So the other guy came out of nowhere and shoved the old guy out of the way as the doors opened and took both seats.  And the old guy did nothing.  And I minded my own business.  Even if I said anything, the other guy wouldn’t have understood.

And today, I was asked for directions… by a Japanese taxi driver!  First of all, he drove up from behind me, and my backpack has a small Canadian pin on it but he probably couldn’t see it.  Second, he’s a taxi driver… he should know where he’s going.  Anyway, somehow I was able to understand he was looking for the west exit of the train station.  I played it off as though I was a Japanese person, responding, “Summimasen, wakaranai.”  (I’m sorry, I don’t know).  He was none the wiser. 

On another note, for lunch I went to Becker’s Burgers and tried to order Japanese style.  The Becker’s burger is written in katakana and should be pronounced “beh-kaz bah-gah.”  I got the “beh-kaz” out, but I just couldn’t say “bah-gah” when I know it’s “BER-GER.”  So it came out as “buh-guh” and I laughed in my head.