week 7 post 3

Pick one concept from the assigned reading that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

Japanese people usually avoid body touch. But I like hugging and shaking hands. When I meet my friends I haven’t seen for a while or farewell my friends, I feel like I want to hug them, but since Japanese culture don’t have such a custom, I don’t do it in Japan. However, I think hugging and shaking hands are natural nonverbal communications for humans.

I remember my grandfather gave me a strong hand shake every time we farewell. He lived far away with my grandmother, so I could only see him once or twice a year. Since my childhood, he never forgot to shake my hand when he say goodbye to me. To be honest, I didn’t like to shake hand with him when I was a child. But when I think about it, now I understand seeing a grandchild must have been a precious thing for him. Maybe, he felt very sad every time my family goes back to our home.
He passed away several years ago, but when I recall him, I see his smile and the warm and strong hand shake. Actually, he was a very strict person, and I was scared him, but from the hand shake, I felt his kindness and love for me. I believe it is because of the hand shake we had that makes me feel that I am close to him and my memory about him more vivid.