Final report

We have to write up a final report about our goals and results this summer. We also have to write about any cultural things we learned. 

I am struggling with what to write for the cultural lessons portion. This report will be bound into a book and distributed to all the other participants and advisers so I cannot say anything negative. I don't like that I cannot be truthful about my whole experience, good and bad. I have to find a good way to spin everything. 

Before coming as well as along the way, I was told about typical Japanese labs and Japan culture. My experience was right in line with what they described so it was a first-hand experience of what I had already heard. 

1.) People work from 10am to midnight and take a long lunch and tea/snack break during the day. 

2.) People do not have lives/hobbies outside of lab 

3.) People are not involved in all aspects of a project, rather, they specialize in one portion. 

4.) People are overly-helpful in Japan, in a way that makes Americans uncomfortable. 

5.) There is a large gender divide and hierarchy is important 

6.) People do not speak/discuss much in meetings, at all; just the top professor speaks 

7.) Even if something incorrect is said, do not contradict it. 

8.) Japan chooses to expose leg instead of shoulders: you can wear tiny shorts and that is fine but a tank-top is highly-offensive in its sexual suggestiveness. Each country chooses its own body area to focus on. 

9.) English is viewed as "cool" and British apparel is everywhere. 

10.) People LOVE their fish here and do not waste anything. 

11.) Japan is allllll about tourism. Everything is deemed special, "best," "top," "historical." There is a LOT of self-promotion. Nobody speaks negatively about Japan until something negative happens and then speak as if it was obvious. 

12.) There is a lot of "cute" stuff everywhere. There is no age-limit for it. 

I felt very masculine in Japan.