A difference in Culture

So today the nurse had an interesting request for me. She asked to help her with the check ups for all the students. While we do have such check ups in America, they often stop in grade school and they are not as detailed.. Here in Japan they do things like bust, hip and waist measurements, height and sitting height (not sure what is up with the sitting height...) But they also check for heart problems and other things that I suppose should be check out(since Japanese physical fitness programs are pretty intense!)

I assumed I'd help measure their height or something so agreed. But, actually a doctor must come and check their hearts and they found that many girls were fairly embarrassed and this strange doctor man sans nurse lifting up their shirt and checking on them. So they decided I'd be perfect with that job of the nurse lifting their shirts up for him! I was at first shocked and confused and debated saying wait I change my mind! but then I just kinda was like ok?

So the time rolls around and I got down and they are just about to start, I'm actually a smidge late. So at first I help lift up the shirts, but really I'm HIDEOUSLY embarrassed. And after awhile I realize, I don't even need to be there. The girls don't seem to be embarrassed at all, and lifting up their shirts actually exposes them more than the doctor just quickly sticking his hand up there and checking their pulse. And the next line over, the girls seem way more embarrassed.

So I eventually just give up on the lifting shirts, since it makes me feel like a pervert and holy crap it's embarrassing. So then I am just sitting there feeling even more like a GIANT pervert, after a few minutes of just standing there the nurse comes in and says I can go they are not so shy as the girls yesterday. And I think THANK GOD!

I promptly run away, I feel really creepy uncle..but actually the girls seemed to be fine. They were embarrassed by the doctor but in the room with me just sitting there for no reasons students were waving at me. And afterwards some students who managed to already change back into uniforms saw me in the hall and said hi...I mean this was like 5 minutes after I lifted up their shirt! I assumed they'd all just think I was a pervert, but they all seemed to assume I was just doing my job....

In the end I am sure even I'd be embarrassed at that age to have a male doctor reach into my shirt in public to check my heart, but the fact they weren't embarrassed at me holding their shirts, is surely a difference in culture. Also thinking about it, as second graders it's not the first time they've done it, so I guess to them it was just the thing you periodically needed to do. Either way I high tailed it out of there as FAST as POSSIBLE!

Another funny note, normally the doctor I was helping would not even lift up the shirt more than enough to stick his hand in, and he'd normally look away, but when the one girl who is skinny and yet has largish boobs (there are some chunky students with some as well I suppose) came he kinda lifted up her shirt and took a quick peek! What a perv! I totally spotted it, but I guess she didn't find this odd and kinda just went about her own business and even said arigatou goazaimasu as she left... WEIRD!

Either way....what a horrible experience surely I will not be able to look at some students the same way. This is some what like the teacher who spotted me at the gym showers and of course decided to say hi....we American's don't like the naked nor do we like the touching....it's weird to me, and I'm sorry but this is one thing of Japanese culture I don't think I will soon adjust to...