Handing Things to Japanese People
I was really bad last week. With a co-worker, we walked up behind this Japanese Deaf guy I know, grabbed a book and said, “Watch this.” “I bet he can’t take this book with one hand.”
So I tapped him on the shoulder and handed him the book. Sure enough he took it with two hands.
She said, “So.”
“No. No. I’ll do it again. Watch.” So I took the book from him and handed it to him the second time. He took it with both hands again.
“See.”
By this time my Japanese Deaf friend signed, “What’s going on?”
My co-worker signed, “She’s making fun of you.”
“No, I’m not.” “Here. Take the book again.” The third time he grabbed it with both hands. I’m cracking up.
Then I signed. “He’s Japanese. He can’t take the book with one hand.”
At which point he looked at me quizzically and signed, “What? Americans don’t take things with two hands??”
“Nope.”
aud'acious 
interesting. do you know why this cultural difference? i’ve never heard about it before.
Yeah. In Japan and some other parts of Asia, it is considered disrespectful to take things with one hand. When you take things with two hands you are giving your full attention to the giver and Japanese people will usually bow with the giving/receiving.