Gift Giving – Nope, it’s not Christmas.

On countless occasions, I’ve come home from a long day of work to my neighbor running out of her apartment to hand me a bag of green peppers, cucumbers, or apples from her garden.  Unsure of why I’m presented with these gifts, especially since we’ve never met; I accept them with a huge smile and a grateful heart. Prior ro Japan, I was told to bring gifts from home ( omiyage) to present to my schools once I arrived. I skimmed a few books about Japanese culture and read a small paragraph about gift giving ,but I didn’t realize how important it is in Japanese culture until being showered with gifts on a weekly basis.  Every Japanese home I’ve visited, I’ve always left with a bag of fruits, noodles, or sweets. My hands are never empty. If it’s not a gift, I’m presented with a tasty meal. Gift giving doesn’t end in the home. When people in the office leave for business trips, they come back with sweets for everyone in the office. It’s a part of  Japanese culture that I really admire – having an attitude of giving. Not to receive something in return but to give because you want to see the person happy. I’ve mentioned this to a few of my friends back home and they always say,” Now in America, you know that wouldn’t happen!” As much as I want to ‘root’ for America, I have to agree 100% that this doesn’t happen.  People would probably look at you crazy if you handed them a bag of sugar before they left your house.   Realizing this, it causes me to reevaluate  gift giving in American. Yes, we have people who set up charity funds, donate money to organizations, etc , but if we examine what’s presented to us in the media – music, commercials, radio, reflect on America’s historical beginnings/history, politics, and the workplace, I’d say we can do a lot better– including myself. Experiencing gift giving in Japan has been one of the most humbling experiences I’ve had.  It has encouraged me to adopt this attitude when I’m home. I even tried here by giving my neighbor a bag of potatoes.  I was hoping she didn’t feel like she had to give me something back BUT she gave me some apples. At times, I feel guilt being mostly  on the receiving end of gift giving, but I recognize the cultural importance of the gesture. It’s not to make you feel guilty about receiving gifts, but to make you  feel honored and appreciated by the person giving ( honor and respect are extremely importance values in Japan). When I return to the States, I hope to adopt this culture of honor through gift giving and bless others just because. However, I will be lying if I didn’t admit that I’m  a little apprehensive because folks are trifling and  could try to take advantage of my kindness. Nonetheless, I will TRY it out. Oh random , but I came back from class and saw two bags of goodies on my desk from someone in the office :)— guess someone went on a business trip again!