"ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi - The family of an American woman who died in the March 11 tsunami has presented students at a primary school in Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture, with a collection of 40 of her favorite books.
'I hope you'll read these books, find your dreams and live with courage, like my daughter did,' Andy Anderson, 54, said Tuesday to a group of about 60 students during a presentation ceremony at Mangokuura Primary School.
Taylor Anderson, 24, was from the U.S. state of Virginia. She came to Japan in 2008 and worked as an assistant Engish teacher at several primary and middle school in Ishinomaki.
On the day of the Great Eat Japan Earthquake, she made sure her students at Mangokuura were safely evacuated. On her way home, she was killed by the tsunami...."
The article concludes: "Taylor's family plans to also present books to other six schools where Taylor worked."
I have heard not a few Japanese individuals saying foreigners (including Americans) have no kindness or consideration toward others, so I want to pick up this newspaper article, so it will help us realize we are actually sharing a lot (whether good or bad/ happy or sad), and interact with each other.
I want to say that this action Taylor's family has been taking is something that Japanese are most unlikely to do. But this, of course, doesn't mean the Japanese are not kind or considerate. They are very warm-hearted and mindful in different ways. One noticeable virtue they have is they show kindness in a reserved way, which often doesn't involve with direct actions or distinct words. And I would say this is one beauty the Japanese individuals can have.
The theme of this article is that there are different places to be focused on when showing kindness, consideration, or gratitude. So one cannot really say one culture is superior to another. The Japanese culture is as unique as all of the other cultures. It is just that we all have different backgrounds, while facing the same problems or issues.
So it could be said, from my own experience, that if one party starts complaining about another, this another side has complaints, too. This sort of gap has been a source of stress when doing business across the border or culture.
I have also encountered with bad guys in Japan and in the U.S. who, for example, didn't have any intention to pay off even if they should have, or guys who just get money to run away and would do me even more with evil intentions. - Rattle snakes are everywhere. But, well, that's another story.
I am writing this article because I wanted to say that people are standing on the same platform in this globalized economy, and without adapting to this rapidly growing trend there would be no favorable result to come out. I think this can be true with any country on earth.
