The Way Things Are Done
Greetings are important. Strangers greet each other walking down the street in Tamura with an Ohaio Gozaimasu or a Konnichiwa and a small bow, not always, but often. There is a whole culture of greetings and leavings here. When you enter someone else's workspace, you say shitsurei shimasu (excuse me for being rude), and when you leave you say shitsurei shimashita (excuse me for having been rude). So, at school, all the teachers share a large office space. When a student wants to enter that space, which isn't theirs, they have to say (at my school), shitsurei shimasu, folowed by their name, their grade and class, and the person they've come to see. This, in and of itself, speaks a lot about the importance of greetings, space, and groups, but it gets more interesting. Today is the second day of school, and more than one teacher today brought their entire 7th grade class to the teacher's office to have them practice this little ritual, to teach them how to properly enter the teacher's space (7th grade is the first year of middle school). Some of the kids were really shy, and the whole idea is very foreign to me, but it speaks volumes to what is important to the Japanese.
When I first entered this teacher's room this morning, I said shitsurei shimasu, but now because I am a part of the teacher group, I only have to say good morning frm now on. When I leave at the end of the day, I say osaki ni shitsirei shimasu (I'm being rude by leaving before you). The teachers who are left say otsukare sama deshita (you must be tired/you did a good job). By saying these things, I am being humble and polite.
However, if I enter the principal's office, I have to excuse myself, because I'm entering a space that is not my own.
If I enter or leave the office at the Wakakusa English school, at least for now, I'll say shitsurei shimasu and shitsurei shimashita because, even though I teach a class there, that's not really my group.
So why is this all so important? I'm not sure about the greetings, but Japanese culture is hierarchical and group oriemned. Everything has its place, and everyone has their in-group. These greetings and phrases are a manifestation of these values.
On another note, I sat through a 2 hour school assembly to welcome the new junior high students. All of the clubs presented. (There are too many to mention. Students join a club, which will go on their resume when it comes time to go to highschool. Students have to pass a test to get into higschool, and it's important to get into a good highschool if you want to get into a good college.)
When I first entered this teacher's room this morning, I said shitsurei shimasu, but now because I am a part of the teacher group, I only have to say good morning frm now on. When I leave at the end of the day, I say osaki ni shitsirei shimasu (I'm being rude by leaving before you). The teachers who are left say otsukare sama deshita (you must be tired/you did a good job). By saying these things, I am being humble and polite.
However, if I enter the principal's office, I have to excuse myself, because I'm entering a space that is not my own.
If I enter or leave the office at the Wakakusa English school, at least for now, I'll say shitsurei shimasu and shitsurei shimashita because, even though I teach a class there, that's not really my group.
So why is this all so important? I'm not sure about the greetings, but Japanese culture is hierarchical and group oriemned. Everything has its place, and everyone has their in-group. These greetings and phrases are a manifestation of these values.
On another note, I sat through a 2 hour school assembly to welcome the new junior high students. All of the clubs presented. (There are too many to mention. Students join a club, which will go on their resume when it comes time to go to highschool. Students have to pass a test to get into higschool, and it's important to get into a good highschool if you want to get into a good college.)
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