Something surprised me tonight.
I had sent a message to my group members during the week, just regarding preparation for tonight's class. And as usual, they all thanked me for the message, but what one guy said really surprised me.
He was very touched that I had opened my message with "Hi friends~" and said thank you for considering him my friend.
I was so shocked! I feel like in the US, this is not surprising to people, or they don't consider it a big deal. And, I wouldn't ever really expect someone to be affected like that by me calling them a friend (even if it does have a lot of meaning to me).
Granted, being the American that I am (lol), it still makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside too, to hear something like that said to me. To hear that someone considers you important - that's a pretty amazing feeling, right?
Well, to me it is. And that's why I always want to express that to others, so hopefully they get to feel the same way as I do. :)
It makes me wonder though. Is that uncommon here, among Japanese? Is it my frank way of speaking my mind that catches people off guard, or is this truly a rarity in Japan, where we learn in every single language class about how you constantly are dancing around outright saying the truth in Japanese? (For example: you may have the most legitimate excuse in the world, and yet you should often say something related to it, then trail off without finishing your sentence, which is a very important thing to learn to sound fluent...)
It also makes me question though - like I said, in America, I don't think people would ever really say a "wow, thanks for calling me your friend" type of thing. I think they'd mostly keep it to themselves, if they even thought much of it at all… In contrast, when Japanese people are thankful? I can't get them to stop thanking me, even if I feel like I haven't done anything important at all!
Anyhow. It was something that caused me to think. 'Cause this could definitely be a culture difference. Maybe one culture doesn't express itself, while the other does? Or maybe one culture actually responds with their feelings of thanks, while the other hides it?
...Or, you know what? Maybe people just don't make friends quite as fast, no matter where you are. Whereas me? My group mates (and sooooo many other amazing friends I've met here) have already stolen a piece of my heart, and it's only growing with time. ;)
Either way. It warmed MY heart to respond to his comment with a " ใใกใใ！Of course we're friends!" ♥ :)
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