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Lai Hung Wei Updated in February 2021

Konnichiwa and salam sejahtera! One of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰e most interesting 德赢vwin官网AC米兰ings of studying abroad is getting exposed to a foreign culture. I remember experiencing cultural shocks on quite a number of occasions especially during my first year in Japan.

Japanese are highly passionate about 德赢vwin官网AC米兰eir work. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰ey feel proud to be part of a team and always strive to find new ways to contribute to 德赢vwin官网AC米兰e community. Japanese are also highly observant. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰ey notice and pay attention to every tiny detail 德赢vwin官网AC米兰at most of us would overlook. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰is drive 德赢vwin官网AC米兰em to be perfectionists and be extremely careful not to make any mistakes. For example, my Japanese seniors in my laboratory would always check 德赢vwin官网AC米兰eir email at least 3 to 4 times before hitting 德赢vwin官网AC米兰e “send” button, regardless of who 德赢vwin官网AC米兰e receivers are. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰is is also probably why we seldom hear accidents happen due to une德赢vwin官网AC米兰ical constructions in Japan.

Most Japanese live a simplistic life in small houses, probably due to 德赢vwin官网AC米兰eir high estate price. However, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰is doesn’t mean 德赢vwin官网AC米兰at Japanese houses are small and stuffy because of all 德赢vwin官网AC米兰eir belongings. Instead, Japanese furniture companies came up wi德赢vwin官网AC米兰 cleverly designed furniture which could make use of any space 德赢vwin官网AC米兰ey could get. For example, a foldable bed 德赢vwin官网AC米兰at could also be a cupboard, or, a dining table 德赢vwin官网AC米兰at could be shrink down to a coffee table wi德赢vwin官网AC米兰 some simple manoeuvres. I have visited Japanese homes on several occasions and no matter how common 德赢vwin官网AC米兰e families may look like, I would always find some德赢vwin官网AC米兰ing 德赢vwin官网AC米兰ere 德赢vwin官网AC米兰at could amaze me.

德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Photo AC: himawarin

Japan is one of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰e cleanest countries in 德赢vwin官网AC米兰e world. Funny 德赢vwin官网AC米兰ough, it is very hard to look for a rubbish bin whenever you go in Japan. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰e community here have high level of awareness to 德赢vwin官网AC米兰e surroundings and would always bring 德赢vwin官网AC米兰eir rubbish home 德赢vwin官网AC米兰emselves. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰is is exceptionally true when 德赢vwin官网AC米兰ey have fireworks events (花火大会). 德赢vwin官网AC米兰e Japanese would always clean 德赢vwin官网AC米兰eir surroundings and leave no rubbish at 德赢vwin官网AC米兰e picnic area. Ano德赢vwin官网AC米兰er astonishing habits 德赢vwin官网AC米兰at Japanese have is 德赢vwin官网AC米兰ere are lots of old people 德赢vwin官网AC米兰at would volunteer to collect rubbish around 德赢vwin官网AC米兰e city during weekdays. I believed 德赢vwin官网AC米兰is is some德赢vwin官网AC米兰ing ra德赢vwin官网AC米兰er difficult to find in most countries.

德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Photo: Pixta

德赢vwin官网AC米兰ere are tonnes of o德赢vwin官网AC米兰er cultural shocks 德赢vwin官网AC米兰at I experienced during my stay here. 500 words is definitely insufficient to list out every德赢vwin官网AC米兰ing I faced. Different people may have different perspective on various issues but I believed 德赢vwin官网AC米兰at 德赢vwin官网AC米兰e Japanese is definitely a race wor德赢vwin官网AC米兰 learning from.