I've been wanting to blog about this for some time now, because whenever I get into an elevator in America I am reminded how personal space is quite closely tied to culture. Being the lazy sod that I am, I always hitch a ride at school instead of taking the more healthy stairs. You would too, if you were saddled with all the books/materials/lunch boxes I lug around each day.Anyway, students refuse to remove their backpacks in order to allow extra people to join in the trip. This means the elevator rides are always only 1/2 capacity, with nary a body touching. It's like we all have cooties.
Those of you w/any experience in Japan will know that it is quite the opposite situation regarding elevators. People will pile in until you are literally on top of one another. Same for the 終電 (last train). I just chuckle to myself when in America, students gape at the "full" elevator and resign themselves to waiting for the next one when surely we could fit others.
On a final Japan note, although it is a totally degrading and quite sexist position, I do miss those elevator girls. "何階でございます?" (or "What floor please?" in the ultimately polite Japanese verb form) just tickles my ears every time I hear it.Also, the look of horror when a gaijin like myself steps into the elevator and the girl freaks out because she can't/doesn't want to speak English is priceless. But it gets better...the look of shock and surprise when I answer in Japanese is always entertaining.
3 comments:
I didn't see any elevator girls last time I was in Japan (Fall 2008), just heard recordings on the elevator speakers. I saw one at a Kyoto department store in Summer 2004, but that was it...
Ebidebby-I'll have to ask my pal Wendy, who's been in big, bad 東京 forever if they have been totally phased out. The last time I was in 横浜 (April 2008), the girls were still there in the biggie dept. stores like Sogo & Takashimaya.
Still, I remember seeing a lot more of them back when I studied in 東京 in 2001.
If you go to Korea, you are going to see the same elevator girls, and realize that the voice tone is really weird. =)
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