The great thing about Japan so far (this post belongs under the 'Why I love Japan') is that I've noticed people have this ingrained sense of belonging-ness that they very much respect. Some examples I've noticed are
- the people you work with are like family (belonging to a group)
- receiving a gift that once belonged to someone deserves the utmost gratitude
But the thing that makes me really excited to live in Japan is this one....
- things that don't belong to you should be returned to its owner
There has been three times I've lost my essentials and they have all been returned to me after a couple of days! This past weekend, after nomihodai (all you can drink) party to welcome our new colleagues, I found myself wandering around Roppongi, drinking more tequila, shopping in Don Quixote, eating at Almonds, and singing Karaoke until 4am. Sadly, I had left my lifeline keitai (mobile phone) in some Karaoke bar that I didn't know how to get back to. But the next day, my coworker told me where we went and sure enough, it was there at the front desk wrapped in a luxurious plastic bag!
Prior this past incident, I've lost my camera on the ski slopes in Nagano with all my pictures. It was a small Canon click-and-shoot, and worth a few hundred dollars, but after 3 days laster, it was returned to the Lost and Found!
Last year, after a crazy night of dancing at Arty Farty, I must have left my wallet sitting on the counter after ordering drinks for everyone. It still had about $200 dollars still inside when I left the club without it. The next day, I went back and everything was in tact, money, ID, and even my Suica card!
Aah, is it just luck? Or are Japanese morals wonderful?!