| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
jmatt
Joined: 29 Apr 2012
Posts: 122
|
 Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:18 am Post subject: |
 |
|
| OneJoelFifty wrote: |
I don't think it's easy to make good friends with Japanese people. And by 'good friends' I mean people that will want to go for a drink/shopping/whatever every weekend, rather than every month or two. I suspect the amount of time spent knowing each other, rather than feeling a 'connection' with the person, counts for more in Japan than it does in the west. It seems to me that most friendships are formed at work, and that any significantly older come from club activities while at school. I could be wrong though!
|
I think Japan is a lot like British society and very unlike America in a way----relationships tend to be "an inch across and a mile deep" as opposed to in many parts of the US where people are "great friends" off the bat, but the relationships dissolve very quickly. After living in Japan for a long while and working in the bar business on the West Coast of the US that was readily apparent, and even weird to an East Coast native. People here seemed to make fast "friendships" that were very surface-level and odd to me, considering what I had always thought of as a real "friend"----and my Japanese wife, while having many acquaintances, has made no real American friends---most of the strongest friends she's made have been with other Japanese, and she still maintains friendships with people she's known since JHS and HS.
Generally speaking, if you want to become real friends with a Japanese person it'll take tons of time and effort. Once they make a real friend it's not just a lark, in my experience. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
southofreality
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 579
Location: Tokyo
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2012 3:48 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Not to anyone in particular, but if you're not that hot at making friends at home, you're not likely to be any better at doing it abroad. If you're pretty good at making friends back home, you're probably not too worried about being able to do it abroad anyway... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sublime
Joined: 23 Apr 2011
Posts: 90
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 8:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Would newbie teachers in Japan actually have time to socialise?
From the few job descriptions I've looked at it seems the work schedule can be pretty intense - with hours of travelling and possibly even Saturday teaching thrown into the equation too. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 11:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
How much time does one need? Plenty of people go out after work or on their 1-2 days off. It's all up to the individual.
Some actually let their work (or learning how work) suffer with excessive "socializing". They feel coming here is more of a fun time than a job. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
hagiwaramai
Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 119
Location: Marines Stadium
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 11:20 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Glenski wrote: |
How much time does one need? Plenty of people go out after work or on their 1-2 days off. It's all up to the individual.
Some actually let their work (or learning how work) suffer with excessive "socializing". They feel coming here is more of a fun time than a job. |
That's true, just one quite large point in the teachers' defence that is rarely if ever mentioned though, is that sometimes that is how the job is marketed to them. On the Shane website for example, it sells the Coming to Japan experience just like a travel brochure would, and has a list of the 20 most fun things to do around Chiba/Tokyo according to its teachers. When that is what the company themselves are telling you can't blame the teachers that much for treating it the same way. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 4:42 am Post subject: |
|
|
I know, and to some extent I agree.
I draw the line at people who see the experience as being more important socially and in a sightseeing venture than doing their jobs. Showing up late or hung over is not what the employer wants from its teachers. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
fat_chris
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 8:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Glenski wrote: |
| I draw the line at people who see the experience as being more important socially and in a sightseeing venture than doing their jobs. Showing up late or hung over is not what the employer wants from its teachers. |
Hear, hear!
Warm regards,
fat_chris |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sublime
Joined: 23 Apr 2011
Posts: 90
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 11:29 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Glenski wrote: |
I know, and to some extent I agree.
I draw the line at people who see the experience as being more important socially and in a sightseeing venture than doing their jobs. Showing up late or hung over is not what the employer wants from its teachers. |
Aren't you stereotyping the vast minority to some degree? I doubt that most people who'd like to "see Japan", learn the language, experience the culture and see some of the interesting sites etc. are also turning up late to work with hangovers. |
|
| Back to top |
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
