Some Americans Don't Take off Their Shoes!

In Japan we always take off our shoes just inside the front door. That is our habit, so members of my group living in America still do it, but my RA always comes in the dormitory with her shoes on and sometimes she puts her feet on a table with her shoes on. I am not uncomfortable when she does that now because I know that it is her custom, but I was shocked at her behavior at first. In addition, I sometimes see that people in America get on their bed without taking off their shoes. I can' t believe that. Why don't Americans take off their shoes off in a house?

One day, I asked Delaney why she doesn't take off her shoes in her house. She told me that to take off their shoes is not her home rule. However, she takes off her shoes when she goes to bed. I also asked the same question to Sabrina, and she told me that she takes off her shoes in her house, because she thinks to come in the house with her shoes is very dirty, so she hates it.

The customs depends on their house (family). However, if people don't take off their shoes when they go to another person's house, and leave their shoes on, and the family has the rule of taking shoes, they will be very rude, so we need to learn another country's and another family's custom and rules.

Why Do Americans Hug Each Other All the Time?

When I came to America for the first time, I was so surprised that people often hug each other even if they are not boyfriend and girlfriend. In Japan we don’t do that, and if we do that, it means we are boyfriend and girlfriend. It is a big difference between America and Japan.

I asked Delaney and Sabrina about hugging, and they told me that neither of them know why Americans hug so often, but it is their custom and they like to do it. Sabrina also told me that in the last session, her father met her Japanese girls, and he hugged them, but they were surprised to be hugged, so he came to be nervous about hugging Japanese people. I told Sabrina that people who hug each other are almost always in an exclusive relationship in Japan, and she was shocked at that. Japanese don’ t hug even if they are family. However, not only Japanese but also almost all Asian people don’t hug, and the reason is people in Asia sweat easily, because it is damp, so people don’ t hug an Internet website said. I don’ t know if it is true, but it is interesting.
The customs of another countries that surprise us always exist. It is natural though, so it is interesting. At first, I was surprised at the custom of hugging, but I like it now, because it makes me happy and when I see people hug each other, I feel comfortable.

Returning to America and Thinking about My future

I’m happy to back in America. The reasons why I came back are I like life at MFWI, I like learning from my teachers, talking with friends and improving my English skill. Another reason is I want to change myself, last semester, I was able to change myself a lot. I became more positive. It was a big change for me.

By the way, I want to get a job in the U.S.A, I know it will be very hard for me, but I believe that I will be able to do it. That is why I want to improve my English skill. First, I want to be an assistant for the SFCC Japanese class. After I do that the job, I want to get a new job and get married in the U.S. That's my dream, but if I don’t study English hard, maybe the dream will not come true, so I will study really hard.

The type of man I want to marry is charming, considerate, helps with the housework a lot, and loves children. I like children and I want to have two or three children, I hope I will have both boys and girls. However, I don’t want to have a son so much if I marry a Japanese man and live with him in Japan, because I think most Japanese boys are not friendly to their moms, so I hope I will marry a man who is American and that we will raise our children in the U.S.