An intercultural situation that I personally witnessed was
during my cashiering job at the Takashimaya Japanese Food Fair. The chefs were
Japanese while the promoters and cashiers were Singaporean. Due to the hectic
work involved especially during peak hours, there was this particular promoter
who ate while moving from one station to another. However, the Japanese chef
tapped the promoter on the shoulder and asked, “Is it common for Singaporeans
to eat while walking?” The promoter replied with a definite yes. The Japanese
chef chuckled and said, “ Oh in Japan, it is considered impolite to do so. We
normally sit down and have our meals”. The promoter was astonished as her eyes widened in surprise. Nonetheless, she regained her composure before bowing apologetically.
To me, the notion of eating on the go is widely prevalent in
Singapore’s context. Be it grabbing a snack or a drink, the sight of
Singaporeans munching on their food as they embark on their daily activities is
very common, possibly attributed to convenience. However, having travelled to
Japan before, I did realize that this practice was not commonplace. In fact, I
do not seem to recall any Japanese eating while walking on the streets. Interestingly,
I did notice that in the Food Fair, the Japanese chefs always bent down whenever they took a drink (perhaps to ensure that they were away from the sight of others).
Engaging in conversation with other Japanese, I have found
out that the practice of eating while sitting is part of their table manners.
This is simply because walking while eating may result in spills on the ground,
to yourself or others. In Japanese culture where respect plays a key role in
various social processes, it is understandable why eating while walking is
frowned upon.
As I bent down to tuck into the slice of cheesecake that I
was offered to at the Food Fair, the Japanese chef gave an approving nod. Afterall,
respect and proper understanding of each other culture’s is the key to
fostering better communication skills.
