ー英会話講師の英語日記ー　札幌英会話スクールSTEP UP（札幌駅、大通駅徒歩５分）

Priority Seats

2018年6月26日 (火)

I was recently hit by ill health, which came out of the blue with no known cause. My knee became swollen and I had to walk with the aid of a stick. I was unable to walk far and for the first time in my life I was disabled. I had to sit on priority seats on the tram and use elevators and escalators as I couldn’t manage the stairs. It gave me a window into the world of the disabled and how some people are very helpful whilst others aren’t. I found that young people would willingly give up their seat for me on public transport, but middle-aged people tended to pretend not to see me. Old people also were mostly unwilling to give up their seat even when I was struggling to stand. I was a little surprised by this behavior as I assumed Japanese people to be polite, but it appears this doesn’t extend to public transport. Although I have now recovered and no longer need a stick, it has given me a much bigger appreciation of how hard it is for disabled people to get around, and that we should all do everything we can to make their lives less difficult. So the next time you are tired on the train and see someone who needs a seat don’t just pretend to sleep, give up your seat because one day it could be you standing there.

Come out of the blue – Unexpected

Aid of – help of

A stick – A stick to help with walking

Disabled – to have a health problem that stops you being able to move or function properly.

Willingly – happily, without effort

Unwilling – refuse to do

To appreciate – to understand