It’s almost been four months since I flew to Japan and as a student on scholarship, I find myself privileged to be around many international students who are here to pursue their higher studies in different fields. So, I’m trying to get to know them closely because I know I can learn a lot from them in the years to come. The best way, I suppose to get closer to any human being, is being nice to them rather than treating them as enemies. [break]
By nature we all adapt to different situations. The question is how able are we to handle such moments? Having a better perception towards everything would help but still we are vulnerable to hurting someone because we are all human beings after all.
Being immortal among millions of people is not possible for every individual. But for me, if we can make a positive impact on at least a few people we meet, that would be a big achievement. To be complimented for being nice would be the best award one can ever win. Walking down the street and greeting the unknown people with a smile will fetch you satisfaction when you get an even bigger smile in return. If you are lucky enough, you can even start a conversation and let them know from where you belong and take it from there, beginning of a new friendship.
As an international student, I suppose I carry my whole nation in a foreign world. The behavior I show among my colleagues will be an indicator of how they see us back home. A slight loss of my temperament might confront the way they might have heard about peace loving Nepali people. I try my best to be good and just smile to
everyone.
When I was on a tour of Tokyo recently, I came across a few Nepali folks but the response I got from them was pretty cold. May be they were doing me a favor by providing me with a meal and finding a place to stay but all I wanted from them was a nice talk in a foreign land.
I don’t want to show my anger in front of others because I know by doing so, it would not make me a better person. A short term satisfaction is in no way better than the long term guilt. If a smile of mine is able to fetch many smiles in return, so is yours.
The writer is currently pursuing his MS in Biology at the University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa in Japan.
Related story
Smile
