Throughout high school, I was taught and have researched many facts about cultures and civilizations throughout the world. My 9th grade honors literature teacher often told my class, when giving us ‘bizarre” information about other cultures, that it’s “not wrong, not right, but different”. However, despite the looks of shock or disapproval in my classmate’s eyes, my world perspective already changed, after I moved to japan.
I moved to Okinawa, Japan in the summer before I started fourth grade. As I stepped off the plane one thing I noticed was the vast social differences that separate Japan and the United States. In the United States, few people are willing to work hard in contrast to how much handwork is valued in Japan’s society. From convenient store cashiers, to businessmen, every occupation in Japan is filled with hardworking people. It is said that the Japanese view the customer as God, and provide the best service that they can possibly provide. Although this is one simple example, the difference between the fluctuating level of work ethic in the U.S and that of Japan is incomparable, and I have now seen how hard people in other countries are willing to work, for happy, successful lives.
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The religions of japan are very different from what most Americans are used to. For example, Christianity in America focuses on one God, while the main religion of Japan, Shintoism, believes that everything has a spirit and in a way everything is “god”. Although my first instinct was to avoid anything resembles these practices, my situation forced me to realize that their religion is part of their culture, and although I do not have to participate in their rituals, it is important to respect the beliefs of others. Hostility to opposing beliefs is very dangerous but to change this, a change of perspective is