skip to main |
skip to sidebar
After all my joking about toilet paper...
I get through the second part of Japanese Customs check at the airport. The agent asks me what I'm doing in Japan and where I'm staying. Then he checks my big purse, pushes things around, asks if I have fruit, etc. And then finally pulls out my travel size Charmin, and says "What's this?"
I tried very hard to hold my laugh in because he had such a serious look on his face.
People in Japan are incredibly polite and accommodating. Since my arrival in Narita, I've been greeted with unusual happiness, patience, and an "at your service" attitude. People don't take or expect tips here, which makes it even more interesting. Little Japanese bellhop women at the hotel were swinging around my 50lb suitcase, in which case I felt incredibly guilty for watching and not tipping.
Today, Rachel and I were leaving the conference, and this Japanese woman approached us. "Excuse me, do you have time to take a picture?" I said sure, thinking I was taking the picture of her group. She asked where we were from, and she said "Oh! United States!" She told her friends in Japanese that we were from the States. They quickly gathered around us and took a picture with us. Then they thanked us profusely, bowing and smiling. I felt like I did somebody a big favor.
