![](https://i.imgur.com/CLvY2jA.png")
11-11-2021, 07:34 PM
Sam King, lived in Asia from 1997-2018
Lived in both countries, Japan for over 5 years. The following are just my observations in general:
Japan
-Cares more about what others think of them, so they act more.
-Used to be quite helpful when asking for directions, otherwise they blame you for not knowing enough Japanese.
-You’ll find more who don’t like foreigners.
-You are an outsider, even if you’ve been in the country for years.
-More difficult to ask for help, especially when it comes to money.
-You feel like being friendly has a cost involved.
-Less likely to be offered a lift, hitchhiking will be difficult.
-Less likely to be invited to someone’s house.
-Less likely to pick you up or send you off at the airport (either takes too much time or cost too much money)
China
-Doesn’t care so much about what others think of them, no need for acting.
-Quite helpful even if they don’t know English, Spanish etc. Will often try to ask others to help them help you.
-You’ll find more who don’t know much about foreigners.
-You’re part of the family, even if you’ve been in the country for less than a year.
-Easier to ask for help, even when it comes to money.
-Nobody thinks that being friendly is costly.
-More likely to be offered a lift, hitchhiking will be easier.
-More likely to be invited to someone’s house.
-More likely to pick you up or send you off at the airport.
-Those are my observations in general.
With the friends that I’ve had in both countries :
Japan
-My neighbours treat me like their son, always giving me food and vegetables (I lived out in a rural area).
-They do try to speak English, but I have to try harder to speak Japanese.
-We eat out every now and then, most people worry more about the cost and time than to enjoy the moment together. 9:30pm seems to be everyone’s curfew.
-Good friends are really hard to come by, and most friendships just die out due to lack of interaction.
China
-The security guard and bosses treat me like their sons.
-Never ask me to speak Chinese and have never complained about it either.
-We eat out at every opportunity, most people care more about enjoying the moment together than the cost and time.
-They value friendship for a very long time.
Personally, I find Chinese people to be open, warm and wholesome, Japanese tend to be closed and colder. It boils down to differences in expectations, economic circumstances, culture and influence from the general public and population.
Lived in both countries, Japan for over 5 years. The following are just my observations in general:
Japan
-Cares more about what others think of them, so they act more.
-Used to be quite helpful when asking for directions, otherwise they blame you for not knowing enough Japanese.
-You’ll find more who don’t like foreigners.
-You are an outsider, even if you’ve been in the country for years.
-More difficult to ask for help, especially when it comes to money.
-You feel like being friendly has a cost involved.
-Less likely to be offered a lift, hitchhiking will be difficult.
-Less likely to be invited to someone’s house.
-Less likely to pick you up or send you off at the airport (either takes too much time or cost too much money)
China
-Doesn’t care so much about what others think of them, no need for acting.
-Quite helpful even if they don’t know English, Spanish etc. Will often try to ask others to help them help you.
-You’ll find more who don’t know much about foreigners.
-You’re part of the family, even if you’ve been in the country for less than a year.
-Easier to ask for help, even when it comes to money.
-Nobody thinks that being friendly is costly.
-More likely to be offered a lift, hitchhiking will be easier.
-More likely to be invited to someone’s house.
-More likely to pick you up or send you off at the airport.
-Those are my observations in general.
With the friends that I’ve had in both countries :
Japan
-My neighbours treat me like their son, always giving me food and vegetables (I lived out in a rural area).
-They do try to speak English, but I have to try harder to speak Japanese.
-We eat out every now and then, most people worry more about the cost and time than to enjoy the moment together. 9:30pm seems to be everyone’s curfew.
-Good friends are really hard to come by, and most friendships just die out due to lack of interaction.
China
-The security guard and bosses treat me like their sons.
-Never ask me to speak Chinese and have never complained about it either.
-We eat out at every opportunity, most people care more about enjoying the moment together than the cost and time.
-They value friendship for a very long time.
Personally, I find Chinese people to be open, warm and wholesome, Japanese tend to be closed and colder. It boils down to differences in expectations, economic circumstances, culture and influence from the general public and population.
[Image: https://i.gifer.com/7ZqO.gif]
