Today, I’d like to share my very first trip overseas and the cultural differences I noticed compared to Japan.
About fifteen years ago, I finally set foot on American soil for the first time—and I can still vividly remember how excited I was!
Culture Shock at the Airport
Back then, my English skills were practically zero.
I had no friends, no guide, and of course no Google Translate to rely on.
Yet I was already hit by a huge culture shock right at the airport: the staff were chewing gum and wearing lots of flashy accessories—something I had never seen in Japan.
In Japan, people working in public service are expected to dress simply and follow strict rules about haircuts and appearance, and chewing gum while working is never, ever allowed.
Chewing gum while working is considered extremely rude toward customers, almost as if you’re looking down on the people in front of you.
A Gentleman at the Station
Later, at a station in the city, I experienced another culture shock!
Unlike Japan, many American train stations don’t have elevators.
Just as I was about to lift my suitcase, a guy magically appeared, and in the next second he was already upstairs with it.
I honestly got a little scared—was he going to ask me for money?
But then he left with a cute smile, saying, “Have a nice day,” and my silly doubt instantly disappeared.
That’s when I realized—was he just being a gentleman?
Do gentlemen really exist? Haha.
Looking back, most of my experiences with male strangers had been situations where they tried to hit on me at clubs or places like that,
so I was truly surprised that a guy simply helped me with nothing in return.
All of this happened before I even reached my hostel!
Times Square and the First Meal
After the long flight, I got hungry and needed to fill my stomach before wandering around the Big Apple.
Of course, I went to one of New York’s most iconic spots—Times Square.
The view I’d only seen in magazines and on the internet was actually right there in front of me, sparkling and alive!
And I was sure that a place like this had to have great restaurants and bars.
So I went straight to a deli and ordered a combo meal.
But the moment I took my very first bite of food in New York, it was terrible.
I was like Did they forget to season it?haha
And the portion totally wowed me! Haha, it was way too big for me—I felt like I’d turned into an elephant just looking at it.
After all, I couldn’t bring myself to take another bite and left the deli still hungry.
A Hot Dog Saves the Day
Luckily, I soon found a hot dog stand—and it was so good!! 🌭
The hot-dog guy was super friendly and even said he loved Japan,
but I couldn’t speak English at all and eventually just had to leave.
I was really kicking myself for not being able to speak English.
The friendliness of Americans, however, gave me the motivation to start learning English.
In Japan, we hardly ever talk to strangers,
so I kept getting surprised when locals said hello to me or even asked where I got my shoes.
I’ve heard that in America, being friendly is a way to show that you’re not an enemy to the other person.
I don’t know if that’s true or not, but their smiles and friendliness opened a new door for me.
Heading Home
It was only three days in New York, but I went back to Japan with countless precious memories.
I’ll share more of my overseas experiences in another blog post. 😁