About three and a half hours later, I am home. Three and a half hours later I went from a quiet, suburban university to the bustling streets of New York City. The bus came an hour late, which I was kind of fed up about since it was freezing outside, but it was okay because I was with my baby Ting. I rode the bus for the first time with her as we held hands the entire ride without letting go. I slept most of the time while she watched a Pixar animated film.
Today we celebrate our 5 months together.
While listening to Adele's 'Make you Feel My Love', I walk in the hustle and bustle, taking in the metropolitan scenery that I have not landed foot on since the late days of January.
There's this proverb in Japanese 郷に入れば郷に従え, which merely means "When in a village, follow what they do." One of the first things that my mom and I had a discussion about was this very idea. One of the simplest examples is when you are a guest at someone's house. You would show them their respect and manners at their home. The same idea is for immigrants who live in countries not in their hometown. When one first starts to live in a new country, contrary to their own, admittedly they stumble upon some culture shocks. They might accidentally break rules, laws, even, in some cases. But it's important to abide by, and adapt to the country they are currently living in and their basic standards. They can maintain their cultural norms, as they are most comfortable in that fashion, but it's also important to take into account the customs and rules for the country they are in. For example, if one lives in America one should have some effort to watch American movies, television shows, and the like.
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