I studied about "The Difference of Lifestyles in America and Japan".
I stayed in Minnesota for a month in last summer, and it was so interesting and amazing. This study is based on my experience. This stay was the biggest thing in this year, and it was so fruitful trip. I got motivated to study about foreign countries more than before.
The Difference of Lifestyles.
1. Introduction
At the class before I went to America, our teacher told us about America a lot. There were many differences in her stories. They were amazing and unbelievable. I was interested in it, and I wanted to find the differences in this home stay. When my host mother sent e-mail to me, she told to me that she would take me to her friend’s wedding. I attended two different type weddings. The one was casual style, another was formal. I thought that finding the difference of weddings will be interesting.
After this stay, I got much information about lifestyle in Minnesota. I am going to write it.
2. Lifestyle in Minnesota
I introduce the things I was surprised. These are my case, and may not general habits. I compared my experience in Minnesota with my usual lifestyle in my hometown.
2-1. At home
On the first day, I went to my host mother’s house with her, she entered the house with shoes. That was I expected. But on the other day, I saw she doesn’t put it on the floor. I asked why and she said “Just relax.” At the class in Bethel, I asked about it to my friends. Some said that like my case, and some said that the host family does not put them on the floor completely. That depends on the family’s way.
Next is about laundry. During I stayed the home; I have never seen that my host mother hung out the wash to dry in the sun. I couldn’t ask her why so I found out. American people don’t dry clothes on the outside and they have some reasons. In Minnesota, they have heavy snowfalls in winter so if they hang out the wash in the sun, it would freeze completely. They also worried about thieves. Moreover, it is said drying clothes on the outside looks poor. Also, usual American family washes clothes a few times in a week. Because they have a large laundry, so they don’t use it every day. But if they had many children, they might wash clothes every day. Also, they use automatic dish washer, they wash the dishes seldom by hand.
The third is about holiday. American often has a weekend at a cabin near the lake. The relatives get together and stay overnight, and have BBQ, talk a lot, swim, tubing in the lake. Adults and children even the girl who as old as me enjoy all the day together. The other day, my host mother took me to gun shooting. Gun shooting is her hobby, and her sons like it also. We went to the place for gun shooting. The sons have guns, rifles and bullets. I think this hobby is uncommon in Japan.
2-2. In the town (out of the home)
Every morning, I spend a time at a café until the van comes there to pick me up to Bethel. I ordered a cup of latte on the first time. Then my host mother told about me to the workers. A few days later, I asked to my host mother, “Should I order something at the café every day?” She said “no”. She told me that people can stay at a café without any orders, when they wait someone. Café or anywhere. No one cares the person who is just staying there.
Next is taking out culture. At restaurant, too much food they often serve. My host mother has small appetite, so we always left the foods on plate. At the first time we went to a restaurant to have dinner, I felt it is pity to waste, so I tried to eat whole things. After that, she ordered a box to take out her foods on the plate. I understood, “People can take out in this restaurant.” But this was not only the restaurant. My host mother told me that we can take out at almost of restaurant in America, except buffets.
In America, it is the most important for restaurants to satisfy customers. So they serve many foods at first, and if the customers couldn’t eat whole thing, they give some boxes to take out.
2-3. Weddings
During this stay, I attended to 2 different style weddings. The first one was casual wedding and it was held in a simple building (it has roof and many benches and tables, but well hole style) . There were bride’s maids and best men. We listened to song and playing the guitar. That was simple and casual wedding ceremony outside. After that I went to the reception with my host mother, to the other place. We had some foods, and talked with her friend. But the reception was a little strange. According to my host mother; “This reception is not good example. The host keeps guests for too long time, and disorganized. Don’t believe this is the American wedding style.” I was just complicated. In the other day we went to another wedding. I got a new dress for the day. So, this wedding was more formal style. We went to a ceremony hall in a hotel, in St. Paul. We did not go to the reception in this time, but we had a good time without any problems. I learned about two kinds of wedding styles. Sometimes American holds wedding outside.
3. Lifestyle in Kumamoto
In my lifestyle in Kumamoto, at first, we never put the shoes in the house. Japanese separates the place to walk with shoes or not. About washing, we usually hang out the washing under the sun if it is not rainy. Nobody thinks that it looks poor. Drier is popular also. We use the drier when it is raining, we have to hurry, or we just do not want to hang out. Almost Japanese prefer hanging out to drier because it is natural and we believe it is good for our health. In holidays, American family makes a plan to get together and have fun. In Japan, the teenager girls or boys like to go out with them friends, not with family. I felt American family like outdoor activities like camping, picnic or swimming in the lake.
If I stay at a café with no order in Japan, the clerk or the other people might think that I am strange, and it would make me uncomfortable. At a restaurant, if I want to take out, the restaurant might give me a box, but I think it is not so popular. About weddings, it was almost same as Japanese style. We have several style of weddings also.
4. Conclusion
Compared with the lifestyle in Kumamoto, I could see some differences in lifestyles. What I really think is that Americans like just have fun, and family is warm. They think it is very important to spend a time together. American family’s lifestyle is based on “American dream”. Have a family, eat a lot, and live happily. On the other hand, American seems to tend to depend on machinery. The lifestyle in America is getting mechanize. I prefer to wash the dishes by hand. Machines do not wash the dishes completely. And sometimes they waste too much. I heard that the cost of foods in America is not so expensive, so they get many food and waste. Almost Japanese might say “Mottainai”. I mean Americans had better consider economy and saving. That will lead them life more comfortable, I think.
Thank you for reading my paper.
Can you stay at a cafe without any orders? I can't. I would feel so bad. I think Americans are un concerned for the things they don't have interests.
1356words
