Because I live outside the U.S. and only come back to visit a few times a year, it’s interesting to see what changes I notice. During the nearly 20 years I’ve lived in Japan, I’ve often been on the receiving end of culture shock in my own home country, feeling like Rip Van Winkle at times, or perhaps his Japanese counterpart Urashima Taro. When I went to Japan in 1991, it was not common for manufacturers to print Spanish or French on their products, but then one year I came back home, and suddenly every package was shouting New! Nuevo! Nouveau! at me. I was similarly surprised when overnight (or so it seemed to me) every retail store switched to the newfangled computer terminals with screens you sign. This trip I find myself surprised at how 80% of products are sold as “organic” and how every other eating establishment has “grill” in its name. Also, suddenly America started using the Japanese style vertical flags — the kind you see at J-List’s booth, if you’ve ever seen us at a convention — and suddenly I see them everywhere.
I’m not kidding…every other restaurant has “grill” or “grille” in its name.
