Tips for Colleen

My friend Colleen will be studying abroad in Tokyo soon. I thought I would give her some tips and let you guys read them too, to get an idea of the stuff I encounter during my life here:

1. Carry a small washcloth with you. The public bathrooms don't have paper towels or hand dryers; everyone carries their own personal washcloth.

2. It rains a lot here, so bring a foldable umbrella and practical pants.

3. At the train station, on the edge of the platform are markings where the train doors will open. People line up behind these markings while waiting for the train. It's rude to cut in front of the line, so be careful where you stand.

4. Convenience stores and supermarkets have inexpensive and tasty food, good for lunches. You will learn to love them.

5. 7-11 stores are everywhere, and they have international ATMs where you can use your American ATM card. (Probably. It doesn't work for everyone, but I use it.) It charges your card $5 per transaction.

6. Bring cash. Credit cards are not used as widely as they are in the US, so don't rely on being able to use yours at a store or restaurant.

7. People may refer to you as "gaijin-san," but this is not meant offensively.

8. In restaurants, sometimes a warm, moist towlette will be brought to you before your meal. This is to clean your hands with before you eat.

9. I haven't seen many 3-prong outlets here, so bring a converter if you need one.

10. When paying for something at a store or restaurant, usually there will be a small tray on the counter or fixed to the register. You put your cash in the tray, and the cashier will take it from the tray. I don't know why. That's just the way it is. Before I knew this, at a store I handed my cash directly to the cashier. She took it from me, placed it in the tray, and then took it from the tray. It's serious business.