Learn Japanese if you want to live in Japan

[dogsbody70]

Originally Posted by tokusatsufan

I can't believe some people actually don't.

don't what?

[WingsToDiscovery]

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

WIngs-- Have you now managed to mix and communicate better now?

I've definitely gotten better than where I started, although I must admit that I don't feel like I'm at the level I should be considering the amount of time and opportunity I've had. But yes, I am slowly and surely getting better.

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

Wings are you Happy living in Japan? Is it what you expected?

I didn't have any expectations coming to Japan. It wasn't a place I dreamed of going to my whole life, I don't really care for the pop culture, the history/culture is cool but I never studied it. I came to Japan because I had the opportunity to travel and I decided to try something different and far from what I'm used to.

Am I happy living in Japan? Well, I'd narrow it a bit and say that I'm happy living in Tokyo. As much as I can appreciate the blue collar lifestyle, I wouldn't move to a foreign country to go live in the sticks. But life in Tokyo is just a nicer, cleaner, safer, more interesting version of any other city I've lived in. Even without being fluent in Japanese, there's always things to do and see.

[Umihito]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

I never really actively made the choice to not associate with foreigners. I did a homestay, so really had no choice. The high school I attended did have exchange students, but we did not get along in any way whatsoever... So I went out of my way not to associate with them because we hated each other. I don`t recall feeling particularly lonely, even when I wasn`t all that good at speaking.
The most depressing experiences I had were bullying at the hands of the other exchange students...

If it's not too much... what were these exchange students doing that was so bad? And where were they from? Were the other Asians or Western?
I find it quite interesting as I've never heard of bullying or bad relations between exchange students in Japan...

If you've talked about it somewhere in another thread then could you link me?

Originally Posted by WingsToDiscovery

I didn't have any expectations coming to Japan. It wasn't a place I dreamed of going to my whole life, I don't really care for the pop culture, the history/culture is cool but I never studied it. I came to Japan because I had the opportunity to travel and I decided to try something different and far from what I'm used to.

This is why you're awesome :L

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Umihito

If it's not too much... what were these exchange students doing that was so bad? And where were they from? Were the other Asians or Western?
I find it quite interesting as I've never heard of bullying or bad relations between exchange students in Japan...

If you've talked about it somewhere in another thread then could you link me?

I am fairly sure I have talked about it to some extent elsewhere, but don`t really remember.
They were from Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The Canadian was the worst of them, and sort of the leader.

I think that some of it was because they were in Japan through some rotary club exchange - in other words, something their parents arranged and not because they wanted to go to Japan. I was there because I wanted to be. Before I came along, there was quite a bit of special treatment given to them. If the "leader" said foreign girls could not do such and such because of cultural or religious taboos... Well, no one was going to doubt it. I guess I sort of ruined the little world that had been constructed by actually wanting to learn Japanese (and succeeding), wanting to experience anything I could (and doing so), etc... Proving that it was indeed possible. When they`d slacked off and said that things were "too hard", no one doubted them... But now here I was, and managing with no trouble at all. I wasn`t trying to make them mad, but apparently did a very good job of it.

The bullying stuff in the school was just nasty remarks, stealing my stuff (all the money I had from my bag, for one), and things on that level. During the school trip it peaked - I was given a private room through some quirk of fate. After lights out, they all came to my room, forced their way in, poured beer on me and threw my stuff out the window. After being given a thorough beat down, they left and reported me for "partying in my room". I had made them very very angry by choosing to get in the onsen - so they were pushed to do the same and weren`t given rooms with private baths as they wanted (they would have had to bathe in a teacher`s room, horror of horrors).

Obviously the teachers saw through the report of me doing the damage to the room, but I don`t think they were able to do anything to punish the girls who did it...

I ended up not sleeping that night, and just sitting at the window watching the city lights of Nagasaki. This has to be one of my most depressing memories.

[Umihito]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

I am fairly sure I have talked about it to some extent elsewhere, but don`t really remember.
They were from Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The Canadian was the worst of them, and sort of the leader.

I think that some of it was because they were in Japan through some rotary club exchange - in other words, something their parents arranged and not because they wanted to go to Japan. I was there because I wanted to be. Before I came along, there was quite a bit of special treatment given to them. If the "leader" said foreign girls could not do such and such because of cultural or religious taboos... Well, no one was going to doubt it. I guess I sort of ruined the little world that had been constructed by actually wanting to learn Japanese (and succeeding), wanting to experience anything I could (and doing so), etc... Proving that it was indeed possible. When they`d slacked off and said that things were "too hard", no one doubted them... But now here I was, and managing with no trouble at all. I wasn`t trying to make them mad, but apparently did a very good job of it.

The bullying stuff in the school was just nasty remarks, stealing my stuff (all the money I had from my bag, for one), and things on that level. During the school trip it peaked - I was given a private room through some quirk of fate. After lights out, they all came to my room, forced their way in, poured beer on me and threw my stuff out the window. After being given a thorough beat down, they left and reported me for "partying in my room". I had made them very very angry by choosing to get in the onsen - so they were pushed to do the same and weren`t given rooms with private baths as they wanted (they would have had to bathe in a teacher`s room, horror of horrors).

Obviously the teachers saw through the report of me doing the damage to the room, but I don`t think they were able to do anything to punish the girls who did it...

I ended up not sleeping that night, and just sitting at the window watching the city lights of Nagasaki. This has to be one of my most depressing memories.

Wow... I'm pretty speechless.

I definitely know what you mean about the leaders and such though... quite a common thing at schools here.

They sound like rich spoiled kids to me, especially if they only went because it was their parents idea, close minded fools.
It's so strange, because usually the type of people who go to Japan are kind, lovely people, as it's the sort of people Japan seems to attract. It's a shame these people take up the space of someone who actually would like to go.

Gah, and I thought I had it bad when I was bullied....

Well I honestly do hope that these people are now working at some dead end factory, while you've made the most of Japan.
It seems people these days are getting so much worse, I can't even believe it... and I'm only 18! :L

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Umihito

They sound like rich spoiled kids to me, especially if they only went because it was their parents idea, close minded fools.

In the case of the girl from Canada, this was definitely the case. Her father was some upper official in the rotary club thing, so no one wanted to offend him... So basically, she was free to do anything she wanted and he would "clean up" after it with money. I got the feeling that she was sent to Japan in an attempt to straighten her up, but it obviously wasn`t working.

It's so strange, because usually the type of people who go to Japan are kind, lovely people, as it's the sort of people Japan seems to attract.

I take it you haven`t been in Japan much.
People who have some strong interest in Japan may fit that kind of image, but the type of people who actually go to Japan are the type of people who have the money to go to Japan. In other words - anyone and everyone, kind people and arrogant jerks alike. I have encountered far more of the latter.

It seems people these days are getting so much worse, I can't even believe it... and I'm only 18! :L

People aren`t getting worse. I really don`t think people change all that much - it just looks that way as past generations are older now... And better at conveniently forgetting the things they did in the past.

The whole bullying thing of mine happened 13 years ago.

[wizard1231]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

I am fairly sure I have talked about it to some extent elsewhere, but don`t really remember.
They were from Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The Canadian was the worst of them, and sort of the leader.

I think that some of it was because they were in Japan through some rotary club exchange - in other words, something their parents arranged and not because they wanted to go to Japan. I was there because I wanted to be. Before I came along, there was quite a bit of special treatment given to them. If the "leader" said foreign girls could not do such and such because of cultural or religious taboos... Well, no one was going to doubt it. I guess I sort of ruined the little world that had been constructed by actually wanting to learn Japanese (and succeeding), wanting to experience anything I could (and doing so), etc... Proving that it was indeed possible. When they`d slacked off and said that things were "too hard", no one doubted them... But now here I was, and managing with no trouble at all. I wasn`t trying to make them mad, but apparently did a very good job of it.

The bullying stuff in the school was just nasty remarks, stealing my stuff (all the money I had from my bag, for one), and things on that level. During the school trip it peaked - I was given a private room through some quirk of fate. After lights out, they all came to my room, forced their way in, poured beer on me and threw my stuff out the window. After being given a thorough beat down, they left and reported me for "partying in my room". I had made them very very angry by choosing to get in the onsen - so they were pushed to do the same and weren`t given rooms with private baths as they wanted (they would have had to bathe in a teacher`s room, horror of horrors).

Obviously the teachers saw through the report of me doing the damage to the room, but I don`t think they were able to do anything to punish the girls who did it...

I ended up not sleeping that night, and just sitting at the window watching the city lights of Nagasaki. This has to be one of my most depressing memories.

Wow Nyororin! Thats unreal! I guess it's so shocking to me because you seem to really have it together. That is the sort of thing that can change someone forever. Make them go into a shell for the rest of thier life!

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by wizard1231

Wow Nyororin! Thats unreal! I guess it's so shocking to me because you seem to really have it together. That is the sort of thing that can change someone forever. Make them go into a shell for the rest of thier life!

It was an unpleasant event, but not really life changing. (Other than making me hate the Canadian girl with an incredible passion. Prior to that, I just strongly disliked her.)

I have a background that really makes that kind of thing fairly insignificant. (Things like... fairly famous serial killers in close relation, families of victims showing up at my elementary school to harass me with police turning a blind eye, etc etc.) It probably has made me a less than friendly person, so I wasn`t exactly shocked by the turn of events. It wasn`t as if these people were friends who suddenly betrayed me. What happened wasn`t out of the blue - it was clear that I was not liked, and it was clear that they were going to do something. My feelings were closer to exasperation with the whole situation.

Anyway though, this has veered quite a bit off topic. If there is more people want to know about my fun and exciting life history, I`ll move these posts to a thread of their own.

[WingsToDiscovery]

Originally Posted by Umihito

It's so strange, because usually the type of people who go to Japan are kind, lovely people, as it's the sort of people Japan seems to attract. It's a shame these people take up the space of someone who actually would like to go.

Yeah, I really hate to sound condescending, but a large majority of people I've met fit into three categories.
- The asshole who thinks he can bang every girl and abuse the system
- The social outcast who thinks they can make it in Japan because they're gaijin
- The fresh worker who doesn't know what they want to do yet so they think teaching in a foreign country will be a pushover job

I've met some really lovely people and also some people I know who will be lifelong friends, but to say that the typical person who comes to Japan (to live) is worth my time is a bit of a stretch.

[Umihito]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

I take it you haven`t been in Japan much.
People who have some strong interest in Japan may fit that kind of image, but the type of people who actually go to Japan are the type of people who have the money to go to Japan. In other words - anyone and everyone, kind people and arrogant jerks alike. I have encountered far more of the latter.

Nope, I've been on a 2 week holiday, I have no experience as a resident. So yes, I did kinda base that off people I've seen on the internet... my bad :L

I would have never thought that, that's definitely new news to me.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Anyway though, this has veered quite a bit off topic. If there is more people want to know about my fun and exciting life history, I`ll move these posts to a thread of their own.

I may just take you up on that offer.
You've got the most interesting history from what you've already said of anyone I've ever met...

Originally Posted by WingsToDiscovery

Yeah, I really hate to sound condescending, but a large majority of people I've met fit into three categories.
- The asshole who thinks he can bang every girl and abuse the system
- The social outcast who thinks they can make it in Japan because they're gaijin
- The fresh worker who doesn't know what they want to do yet so they think teaching in a foreign country will be a pushover job

I've met some really lovely people and also some people I know who will be lifelong friends, but to say that the typical person who comes to Japan (to live) is worth my time is a bit of a stretch.

Looks like I'm very wrong here then. :L
Like I said I based it off the kind of people I see from the internet. Woops :L

With the kind of culture that Japan has, I'm guessing these are the disappointed people who quit early...

And to keep on topic... I bet they don't speak Japanese either! :L