Last year I visited some family in Okinawa, Japan. First, my family is not from Okinawa, the reason why I have family there is through the Military. Besides that, I wanted to talk about something that I've realized on my previous and current stay in Okinawa. One thing I want to point out is that I feel extremely safe in this foreign country, especially in the island Okinawa. This is surprising but true and there are plenty of signs to point me towards this opinion.
I love living in America, it's beautiful, I have family there, I go to a wonderful university and I have an independent life. What I don't find acceptable in America is the violence and crime rate. The shootings, the car accidents, the sexual harassment, deaths - a system of behaviors brought up by not being careful, by not looking out for one another.
In Japan, a four-year-old can walk by him or herself down the street, to the train station, take multiple transfers, and end up at school. Everyone looks out for one another, and if a child is walking by themselves, the public keeps an eye out for them, yet doesn't get in the child's way or distraction. I see it first hand and it's amazing to see these kids walk by themselves hold hands, with no predator to come up and snatch them.
Peace is thier way of life.
I can walk by myself in this foreign country with no worry that someone will rob me or rape me or even bother me. I'm not saying that this country does not face crime, anywhere and everywhere crime can be committed in every country, Japan just has a small crime and death rate.
As of last year, there were about 6 deaths, most of them being Americans and one of them being a local, murdered by an American. Recently this month a local on a motorbike was killed head-on by an American racing another.
Stupidity like this is what defines Americans.
It makes me disappointed at how unaware and spoiled our society has become. It is important to show respect for one another, in our country or outside it. Human behavior determines a ripple of influence.
