when I came to the US, the first place I lived was New York City where many many peoples from all of the world live and visit. I was such a princess who didn't know much anything about anything even about my own country. there I encountered many peoples and began to learn about ourselves in differ.


one time I went into a store looking for something, there came a sales person and questioning if I was a Japanese. as I said yes, he told me his boss's girlfriend was a Japanese and brought him to talk with me. the boss came with a picture and showed it to me saying that was his girlfriend from Japan. the picture was a girl standing up totally naked. I learned that it was their culture that they do not have the respect to women in the way I could expect. I just wondered if his girl friend knew about him showing the picture to just anyone ... or it was just a photo when she was just having a vacation or something enjoying the freedom of the "foreign country" and to be "a foreigner" which she couldn't experience in her own country. I was very shocked but rather feeling empathy toward the girl in the picture. many of us can go through such a careless moment once or more at younger age of not thinking much about the consequences.


living in NYC I learned " I respect you so please respect me. " many people think and I actually heard many times that the people in NYC are cold. but I must say they are not cold. they are just too busy and serious about life so they do not extend their kindness which to spoil others opportunities to learn things on their own, that they know how important it is to leave others alone, therefore, they can grow. ... it was a first school for myself to be a foreigner in a foreign country. what I do can be seen as what all Japanese do. if I was the first and only Japanese for a person then s/he would assume all Japanese could be like me. as I lived in a foreign country I began to learn to present myself as if the representative of Japan in order to receive the respect I wished for my sake and for the sake of all Japanese.


Earth is one world yet the collection of many tribes. each country or tribe has uniqueness, and different teachings and values, if we understand the uniqueness then we must be able to accept, respect, and (re) evaluate the differences. and when we recognize the uniqueness that also remind us of one's own uniqueness to be reevaluated. so we created this page, we wish many people will contribute the information and perspectives on this subject with encouragement. please contribute here your experience and thoughts on any country you have ever been and how you see your own country ... let us educate ourselves about the world so that we can bring the harmony by understanding and respect in each other, for the yin and yang perspective rather than just good and bad. ( even if something negative or criticism, please provide in compassion and service. )

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