Dating

This is a topic that's come up a few times with some of the SCTI people so I decided to talk about it a little here. Not the fact that everyone in SCTI is hooking up with each other as well as with Japanese people, but, that the Japanese people are so into dating. I mean, yes, of course it's a big deal in every culture, but I've never met one where having a significant other is such a given desirable state. Every Japanese person I've met wants to be in a relationship, and stat!

I'll start with the girls. In our SCTI classes, there are Japanese auditors. A few of us were talking about it and we all agreed that one of them in particular from the start came in looking for a boyfriend out of the Stanford guys. Don't worry -- she has a happy ending -- she narrowed it down very quickly and just recently succeeded. And you should see all the DESA girls that swarm around some of our guys! From blatantly asking them out over a microphone in front of everyone to being invited to dates and getting stood up, the women of Japan have been testing out the American boy.

The boys of Japan are a little more interesting. They too all want girlfriends, at least everyone that I've spoken to. Actually, it's kind of funny, you see so many couples here all the time (it really seems to be a culture that supports and encourages coupling off) and yet almost everyone I know personally does not have a significant other at all. I've heard there's no hooking up in Japan -- it just means you're dating but it sounds like there has been some, at least with American guys -_- Anyway, back to Japanese guys. They're waay shyer than their girl counterparts so I don't think we'll be seeing any American girl/Japanese boy matchups. At the river the other night a few came over to talk to us and they were definitiely like oh yeah we don't have girlfriends ... but we want some, all the while staring pointedly at our group. Poor Lawrence.

This is one of the bigger cultural differences I didn't anticipate. To me, in general it's better to be single. Only when you meet someone who's worth giving up that status for should you enter a relationship. As in, you want to be with that person so much, then you'll be willing to go for it. Conversely, once in a relationship, if being in it is not better than being single, it's not worth it. Nothing should be done halfheartedly is how I view my own relationship status. Thank you Japan, for making me rethink my values ;D

Oh and according to bunchan, about 70% of our Stanford guys are looking for a Japanese girl or any girl in general so that probably helps contribute ;)