カルチャー・ショック

3月10日の記事>>　 に続き、１年普通科のジェイソン先生の授業の様子です。

ジェイソン先生が来日した時のカルチャーショックについての面白い話（以下に要約英文）をもとに、1年間でどこまで英語を聞き取れるようになったかを確認しながら、私達の日常が外国人から見ると驚きの世界であるということを学びました。

 

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My First Culture Shock Experience

When I got off the plane at Narita airport, my stomach wasn't feeling good after eating so much airplane food. I needed to use the toilet. However when I opened the door, I found a Japanese-style toilet! I had never used one before and didn't know how. There was no time to find another toilet, and there was someone in the stall beside me so I had no choice. I took my pants and underwear completely off and hung them on the back of the door just to be safe. I didn't want to touch the floor, but I didn't want to sit on the bowl either. Luckily, the toilet was close enough to the wall that I could lean back and hold myself up with my hand.

When I came out from the stall, and I saw the other person had left. I looked into the other stall and there was the most high-tech toilet I had ever seen! It had a bidet, a seat warmer, and an automatic seat!! You could make both the seat and the cover go up and down by pressing a button! I was so shocked and amazed. This ended up being a very powerful metaphor for Japanese culture. Although Japanese society is very technologically advanced*1 in many ways, it still maintains its traditions*2.

 

*1 the Shinkansen, hybrid/electrical cars, video games, Akihabara, etc.
*2 hanami, kimonos, calligraphy, tea ceremony, etc.