In my previous two reddit posts I wrote a bitter and negative experience of my life in Japan. This time I wanted to share some short yet sweet and memorable moment I had just now when going home from work.
On my way home from work to the train station, I passed by a park. I was just enjoying the nice view of Japan’s park as always until a girl around seven or eight years old drew near to me and passed through my right side from the opposite direction while riding a scooter.
I was a bit surprised of her loud voices because she shouted to her friend which is on my left side around 5 meters away. She shouted,”BYEE BYEEE!!!” so loud and her friend shouted back ,”BYEE BYEEE!!!” to her too. They both kept shouting at each other so loud and several times while laughing a bit too. I could feel from their happy shout that they wanted to say to each other that:”It’s so fun playing with you! Actually I still want to play with you! But I need to go home :(“. In the end they shouted,”また明日！(which means ‘see you tomorrow’)” too.
I was surprised with their shouting but I wasn’t annoyed. On the other hand, I was so happy that I could witnessed these kind of children in Japan because I have an image that the Japanese has been taught to not shout especially at the public area since very young age. One of the reasons is because it will disturb some people. That’s why for my fellow Indonesian or foreigners that just arrived in Japan and rode in train, don’t be shocked that why most of the people hesitate to talk especially in a loud voices in train.
As an Indonesian, it was a bit shocked for me because this is my first time I witnessed with my own eyes and so close that two Japanese girls have a shouting spirit like an Indonesian. Indonesian people tend to speak with a loud voices and laughed so loud, maybe it’s because our language and culture. That’s why my Filipina wife always complain when I am talking because I barely can realize that I speak so loud. (Pardon me for that! 😂)
In the end, I just wanted to say that I felt not just happy but touched with their simple shouting. The ‘Parting Shout’ of those two little girls really made my day. I hope my writing can make you feel like you hear their shouting too, feel their spirit, and hopefully can make your day too, and if you have similar moment or experience like this, I am glad to hear it!
Thanks for reading and BYEE BYEEEEE!!! 🙏😁
by OwnCry4189