So here I am, in Japan thinking, oh yeah, everything should be okay....i mean iv read a lotta manga so i should know the basics of their culture right? WRONG. it is all a lie. okay thats not true, i just felt like saying that. (CAKE!!!) yuppo. I will probably go into this in other journals since it is sucha wide subject but first thing i wanna rant about is MANNERS as i hope uv already read (for the slightly challenged people <like myself lol>, its named in the title)

AHEM.

over the past few weeks i think the most i have learned about one particular area of japanese culture is TABLE MANNERS.

The truth is that every time i go out, i learn something new (because im totally absent minded and forget what im doing)...so for those of u thinking of going to japan, here is a list of rules to follow when chowing down so that u dont have to make a fool of yourself like moi

. when eating, make sure that both of your hands are above the table.

. to eat from a rice/noodle bowl or a similar shaped bowl, hold it in your left hand with your thumb on the rim and your first second and third finger balancing the base. It easiest when your middle finger is centrally placed under the bowl. (totally failed with this one. Im still having trouble gettign it right now...heheh)

. do not rub your wooden chopsticks together (you know, the ones they serve at take-out places?). its rude. (weird right? i thought it was good to do that...apparently nowhaha)

.do not lean with your elbow on the table while eating. (thats common sense i think...i just forgot since i was with my family...lol)

. slurp ur noodles (this one is just plain fun haha)

. dont slurp when drinking. This includes soup from noodles too.

. when you are drinking your soup from whatever meal, balance your chopsticks on the rim of your bowl, so its touching both sides, towards the top, using your thumb to keep it stable and drink like this. (again, im still getting used to this one)

. before you eat say: itadakimasu! usually to the cook or whoever served u the meal which im guessing is similar to: i recieve.

. when you finish eating you say: gochisosamadeshite! again to the cook/whoever served/takes away the meal. this translates loosely to: thanks for the meal!

.when you finish, place your chopsticks neatly together beside your bowl, or rest them together over the bowl rim.

.do not poke or stab ur food. i mean dude.

.dont leave your chopsticks vertically resting in the food. thats very bad juujuu. dont do it.

cant remember any others at the moment, but im sure that theres more to it haha. ill probably learn in the future...

Isn't it convenient to have a sacrifical lamb?

yuppo. thats all for today folks. ill write another one when i get enough info for a topic...or if something big happens. maybe ill write a series of random facts

Note for everyone: i probably wont update for another year since i probably wont have access to a scanner over here...or have time to post it up lol. soz.

bye fur now

bmk