When I first arrived in Japan, a fellow expat whom I had
just met invited me to dinner. Of my many bewildered, culture-shocked
questions, one was “are there any real consequences to breaking social
etiquette rules in Japan? Like, will I lose my job or be barred from teaching
some classes?”
She said no, as long as I’m following the terms of my
contract.
“Then why should I care?” was my follow-up question.
She laughed. “And that
attitude is what makes you an American” (She’s half British, half Trinidad and
Tobegan).
