One thing that strikes you very hard here is the lack of computer use. This has been something that has been gnawing at me since I first arrived. As a matter of fact, I had to look back through my writings to make sure I hadn't already addressed it. Before leaving, I was aware that the use of computers in Japan lagged somewhat behind that of the United States. The extent of this difference is more incredible when you actually are here. Here are some examples: 1. Very little use of email at Kameda 2. No use of the Internet at the local library 3. Limited implementation of computer networking (My boss has yet to get on the LAN. The computer staff believed they couldn't get an English language computer on the network. When I got mine working on the network in less than an hour, the ball started rolling on correcting this problem). 4. The Public Relations group at the hospital does not use email or the web AT ALL. 5. Many people not only don't have a computer, but have no desire for one when it is offered. There is a real technophobia in some ways. This is surprising for a country that seems to perfect every electronic product. In many ways, the use of computers at Kameda is like it was in the US back in 1995. There is a little use of the web by consumers, extremely limited use of email, and almost no Japanese e-Commerce. The punchline is that no one sees the profit potential of getting on the net and starting e-Business now. It is clear that there are many differences between the US and Japan regarding the use of computers. There are also sharp differences in social encounters. During the last week, I had my first bizarre cultural misunderstanding. I visited the home health care area of the hosptial with the assistance of a translator. The supervising physician greeted me by extending his hand and we exchanged a handshake. He quietly retreated to the corner of the room, indicating one of the his employees would conduct the teaching session. The session proceeded, with the doctor sitting close by. After a while, he left. The session continued for an hour without incident, with a good exchange of information and ideas. Later I learned that the physician thought I was rude. Though I responded to every gesture he made and responded to the few words he said through the translator, this was not satisfactory to him. I believe he wanted to talk to me more than he did, though he made no efforts to assert this. After my session was over, the doctor called a few people to explain his feelings. Mr. Wocher straightened it all out at the end. I was a little concerned about it, but I was reassured that these kinds of situations happen frequently, particularly among those people not very familiar with westerners. I don't think I can be doing anything too obtuse, since I have had over twenty other interactions with departments that went very smoothly and concluded with an exchange of smiles. Oh well, you can't please everyone. In a more positive cultural exchange, I taught an English class. Four people attended, which I don't think is too bad for a class held at 5:00 on a Friday afternoon. The class consisted of three men and a woman. We decided to talk about the differences between the United States and Japan. We went around the circle, discussing various issues. Examples: -The size of food portions in the US is larger than in Japan -Japanese bathrooms put the shower and toilet in different rooms -American colleges are more difficult to get into (I quickly put down that idea, assuring the people there that there are a wide range of American colleges with varying degrees of difficulty of admission) -There are no open container laws in Japan -Cars and roads in Japan are very small and sidewalks are absent -People in the US eat more meat (though there are almost no vegetarians in Japan) -Socialism is much more prominent in Japan (I didn't bring it up, but felt pleased that someone mentioned it) -Quote: "American women are so loud and Japanese men hate it!" I led this comment into a discussion about the lower place of women in Japanese society. The man attached to the quote is a physician who, when flying overseas, goes in business class and his wife goes in coach. I don't think I know a single American man with the cajones to try that one. I certainly don't -There are almost no restrictions on cigarette smoking in Japan. If you want, you can smoke IN THE HOSPITAL! We also discussed the banning of smoking in American domestic air travel. I enjoyed the class and we had a good set of discussions. The most interesting comments were found in a discussion about the relative happiness of Japanese people and Americans. The group agreed that Americans seemed happier and more patriotic than the Japanese. I found that interesting and somewhat unexpected. For a country with a very ethnocentric view (like the US) I would expect that they would project their national superiority in an area as important as happiness. The national superiority is projected in other places, like the low crime rate. This is a given when traveling in Japan, or at least it was. It seems like there have been a lot of bizarre murders reported since I have been here. I can recall at least ten murders (throughout Japan) in the last month. I realize that murders are so rare here, they all make the news. People here seem worried that the younger generation is more violent and out of control than their predecessors. Japan is in no danger of paralleling the violence of the US, but it seems to be moving away from the violence-free utopia image that the rest of the world sees when thinking of Japan. The perception of Japan by the rest of the world is an interesting thing. The country just received a very strong rating from the World Health Organization for excellence in healthcare. If you have been reading what I send from Japan, there are many reasons that this seems strange (lack of infection control, very few life-saving transplants, extremely high use of prescription drugs, poorly trained nurses, doctors licensed for life, etc.). When this news was coming out, I was reading a book that my boss, Mr. Wocher, wrote. This book is a consumer's guide to Japanese healthcare. Many of the shortcomings of the healthcare system are highlighted. He discusses a variety of factors that patients should look for in their healthcare system and contrasts it with the US. It turns out that the WHO definition of a quality healthcare system is longevity of the population. I guess that diet, lifestyle, and other factors don't impact that at all. Apparently, the long lifespan is solely the product of Japanese healthcare. It seems the WHO needs to spend less time drawing poor inferences from data and more time actually looking at healthcare systems... On Wednesday night, a small group of Kameda people went out for a musical performance by some Kameda staff. The band was called Justin Staff. They played a mix of original tunes and covers. Some of the songs were in English and others were in Japanese, truly an eclectic mix of music. The band has recorded four CDs now. I was very impressed with their performance. They used two keyboards, two guitars, a bass, and drums, so they had a very full sound. Of course, where there is music, there is drinking. I tried some delicious red wine. Mr. Wocher is a wine connoisseur and brought some samples. I, on the other hand, am a wine idiot. I am beginning to see where the appeal of fine wines comes from. After a little wine, I felt like trying something a little stronger. A whiskey sour sounded good, but they didn't have all the ingredients. I ended up drinking straight scotch. I planned to have one glass, but Japan has an interesting cultural component I call the "empty glass principal." In essence, when you finish a drink, that means you are ready for another one. From my experience in the US, if you finish a drink, they ask you if you want another, then bring it. On this night, the Japanese principal was in effect. At the end of an hour and a half, I ended up drinking three good sized glasses of scotch. The last two, of course, were not on the agenda. All this hard work to fit into Japanese society... Short stories: I was waiting for an elevator with Chiaki, Mr. Wocher's assistant. After a long wait, the elevator arrived. The doors opened, revealing a tightly clustered group of people. I firmly asserted that I wasn't going to fit in the elevator. Chiaki's response: "How are you going to function on the subway in Tokyo?" Oh crap. I guess I'll find out soon. An older man and his wife entered an elevator I was riding. The man walked up to me and made some gestures about my height. He tried talking to me in Japanese, until it became obvious that I didn't understand. In slow, deliberate English, he said, "What do you eat?" Smiling with satisfaction, he awaited my response. Fully extending my arms to my sides to demonstrate breadth, I said, "Everything." He smiled, apparently pleased by my answer. A nice concluding part: What aspects of American life do I miss most? 1. Pizza, before I left, I was certain that Super Hot Chicken Wings, Spicy Bloody Marys, and Tacos would take the cake here. Alas, pizza is what is miss most in the food arena. 2. TV in English 3. Being able to go to a movie whenever I want 4. Walking up to someone and being (pretty) sure that they speak your language. 5. High ceilings. I can't stress this enough. If I weren't 6'3", I would see less trouble here. Alas, I am a corn-fed Iowa boy and am faced with great height in a nation designed for small people.
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