Respect Your Parents. They graduated school without Google or Wikipedia

It was a more simple time. No Pinterest, no Facebook, no Instagram, no pressure to have an impressive social media life (just an impressive real life). People cooked nice meals or made cool things for the simple joy of doing so and not because it would get a heck ton of likes on MyFace or InstaTube. 

My angelic mother embodied this. One Halloween she set out to create homemade felt skittle costumes for her equally angelic children. She didn't go to a how-to blog or get inspiration from anyone else. She bought a packet of skittles, painstakingly measured every element, and created perfectly proportional felt-skittle wonder costumes. They looked amazing. They won costume contests. They were perfect. 

The beauty here is that she did this without the internet and without seeking any outside praise. Instead of seeking to create a viral post, she just wanted to make her kids happy. There was no one to impress, just a mother making something wonderful for the sake of doing so. 

Yes, it was a more simple time indeed. 

Reading Japanese

Today I want to discuss the importance of reading in Japanese.

I have a language professor who is fond of emphasizing the importance of reading Japanese. Hardly a class goes by where he does not state that, "If you can learn to read Japanese and exercise that skill often, you will never forget this language."

Reading in general, regardless of the language, helps create lasting neurological connections in your brain. In Japanese, reading is a fantastic way to learn new words and Kanji. Really, I'm convinced that it is the only way to learn the language. Obviously, you do not want to neglect the spoken language, but to internalize Japanese, you need to do your time and grind through sentences, paragraphs, pages, and books of unfamiliar words and characters.

That's Japanese, a grind. No shortcut or detour is an adequate substitute for hours of reading and forcing your brain to internalize it. Find a book or short story that is at your level and get to work!

Giving Candy to Stranger

So it wasn't actually candy, it was a Cliff Bar. I might as well have been a stranger offering candy though, because contrary to what I expected, people are not always flattered when you try to give them something for free.

I had an inkling that giving something to a stranger might prove somewhat difficult. I read once about a teacher who gave each of her students five one-dollar bills and charged them with giving away all five in five attempts (one dollar per attempt). Contrary to the student's expectations, it was very difficult to even give away one of the bills. People are often distrusting of strangers offering something for free, and in that case were more inclined to reject the offering.

So, with that in mind, I set out to give away a Cliff Bar. I figured that BYU students waiting in line for a test at the testing center would be more inclined to accept the free gift (considering their somewhat dire position), so that is where is started.

In short, I did give away the Cliff Bar, and it was awkward, but I hope it made the person happy. I'd like to think it did; I know I would be excited to get a free Cliff Bar.

Japanese Customs

'Customs' is a scary word. Either it refers to the stone-faced, merciless process you have to through to leave or enter a country, or the traditions and behavior associated with a particular region or culture. Either way, it is intimidating, mysterious, and if you don't act in the expected manner, bad things happen.

I can't really help much getting across the border, but I can give some tips about Japanese customs!

As usual, I couldn't possibly list all of the things you need to know, but I can at least give you some pointers. And by pointers, I really mean a pointer: DO NOT NEGLECT AN UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION OF JAPANESE CUSTOMS.

Seriously. Take your shoes off when you enter people's homes, learn the proper salutations, learn the ins and outs, the dos and don'ts. Will you get into trouble if you make a mistake? No, the Japanese are very forgiving. Will they be impressed by your knowledge and effort? DEFINITELY. 

Sensei means more than just teacher

If you were to ask an American what three Japanese words they know, they would likely say konichiwa, domo (arigato mister roboto), and sensei. If you then asked them what sensei means, they would likely say teacher, and they would be right! But to say sensei means teacher is like saying Porsche is just a car maker, or the grand canyon is a rock formation; correct, yet a complete understatement.

Sensei is used to refer to doctors, lawyers, CPA, and politicians, clergymen, and other positions of authority. It is also used to refer to someone who has achieved mastery in in an art or some other skill: novelist, artist, and martial arts, to name a few.

The point is, Japanese culture holds the position of teacher at a much higher level than in the US. To be a teacher is to be one who is a holder of and deserving of great respect. US society does not hold their teachers to such high regard as a doctor, but in japan they are one in the same.

My point is, while US culture isn't going to change any time soon, you can start to respect your teachers from this moment onward a lot more. It is no wonder they deserve so much respect, after all a good teacher can change your life.

Which brings up another point. Of course not all teachers have an equal impact; regardless of respect, some teachers are average, and some are... not so good. Regardless, in Japanese you refer to them by saying 'I was their pupil,' their 教え子 (oshiego). When referring to a past teacher who you feel indebted to, who really changed your life, there is a different word. You say you were their 恩師 (onshi). It is beautiful to me that the distinction exists in Japan, and I feel it truly reflects how much respect they reserve for their teachers. Hopefully it inspires you to show a little more respect for the teachers in your life.