ACCORDING TO THE INSTITUTION OF ARRANGED MARRIAGES, SHE KNEW FROM...

20. According to the institution of arranged marriages, she knew from when she was a little girl that her

parents, Mayumi’s grandparents, would choose a husband for her. Mayumi is both modern and traditional. She

raises her children to have Japanese manners. Her son, at 20 months of age, modestly bows his head with his

hands folded before every meal. Mayumi told us, “It is a way of showing respect for the family that provided

the food.The elder members of the family sit at the top of the Japanese family. In Japan, people who work hard

to support the family are shown respect.” Mayumi can remember her brother coming home from work each

night at 10:00 p.m. “We have very few vacation days, and it’s very rare to have a week off." says Mayumi.

When her brother attended her wedding in Switzerland, he had to leave the very next day. On her wedding day,

she dressed up in a kimono of beautiful Japanese fabric. Mayumi doesn‘t think about going back to live in

Japan.