Gaba Style 無料で英語学習

There are many cultural differences between Japan and Algeria. I can talk about that all day, but in this post, I’m going to discuss three, which are: the service, cleanliness, and food.

I noticed that in Japan, in most places I have been to, people are really helpful. Even if I don’t speak Japanese, they try to help as much as they can. In my country, if you don’t speak Algerian Arabic or French, you won’t get much help.

Let’s talk about Japanese streets and bathrooms! I was amazed how clean they are! I mean, the first time I went to the bathroom in a department store, I felt like a queen! So clean, really convenient, and they have special places to check yourself and do your makeup. In my country, public bathrooms aren’t that common, and usually people avoid them because they aren’t very hygienic.

Food on the other hand took me a while to get used to. In Algeria, we use different spices, veggies and cooking methods. In my first few months here, I got acid reflux almost every day, because I’m not used to eating Asian food. Now, I can proudly say I love ramen, tebasaki, sushi, mochi, and Ogura toast to name a few, and my stomach got much better.

One thing I’d like to add is, in Japan, the portions are a bit smaller than other countries, at least compared to Algeria. So, I often asked for more rice or bigger sizes, but now, one year later, I believe it’s pretty healthy and logical!

I enjoy teaching English here because I get to meet people from different backgrounds with different stories, both clients and instructors. I learnt so many things over the past year. My country is as homogeneous as Japan, so working in a multicultural place opened my eyes to many new aspects of life.

To sum up, my life here in Japan has been the greatest adventure I’ve been on, if we ignore the pandemic. I haven’t had the chance to explore all parts of Japan yet, so I’ll be staying for a while to enjoy what this beautiful country has to offer.