Job Discussion Forums

coraminta · Joined: 20 Jan 2005 Posts: 8 Location: Canada

Just a thought ... wouldn't being posted in an area of Japan with a high concentration if english speaking people be an advantage? I mean, supposing that this is your first time in the country I'm assuming. If you even manage to run into an american soldier, they would probally be a wealth of information about the local area. AND they speak english. (Well most of them:) ) I wouldn't worry about the drunken frat boy problem very much though... I know in Canada we only got a half day holiday every two weeks while on training - and that was at the warrants descretion. Basically, the soldiers probally have enough to deal with with things like 5:30am Revelery, and training. Its hard to party and drink all night when you know that you have to be up and running your heart out at 5:35am.

Anyway, I should think that it would be a nice way to meet all sorts of people...

Just a hint though... if you go around with long hippi hair and peace signs your going to make yourself a target for hazing Razz

Not recommended. Laughing

Just to clarify, I am Canadian, so I only know about how we do things in the Canadian Forces. I think the only way that you'd run amuck with them is if you got yourself plastered, put on some of that fake camo stuff that rappers like to wear to appear 'army' (EVERYONE in the forces hates that stuff) and stagger onto their base in the middle of the night banging pots and pans or something equally as stupid Smile

But best wishes, seriously, I hope that you end up having a great time. Laughing

Sadken · Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 341

katk · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Posts: 52 Location: Atlanta, Ga

Your gonna end up befriending some military man and become best friends... i can feel it........

your welcome for the hip hop

Albright · Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 39

Big John Stud · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 513

katk wrote:

Without this turing into a political debate I voted for Bush so please don't unsult my leader.

Do you live in the U.S.? I can't understand how any American living abroad would vote for such a war monger! Look what the idiot did to Iraq!

The coward had daddy bush pull strings so he didn' have to go to Vietnam but now because of him thousands of americans and Iraqi are getting killed and crippled. Do you know bush junior got a DUI when other people his age was fighting in Vietnam?

And please everyone insult the idiot to help Americans realize that because of bush junior more people around the world think the U.S. is a greater threat than North Korea or Iran.

katk · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Posts: 52 Location: Atlanta, Ga

Private Pile!!!

phew* I was feeling alone..... Crying or Very sad

Big John Stud · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 513

Albright wrote:

Anyway, please don't fear us Americans, even soldiers. I assure you that any boorish meathead is gonna be straightened up by his commanding officers... Don't think Rambo, think Full Metal Jacket.

I guess you never heard of the time three marines, who raped a 12 year old girl in Okinawa! Kind of tough of them don't you think?

I guess you also didn't hear of another marine attacking an old lady at a park, again in Okinawa. Yea those marines seem to like attacking people that are challenging. What I wonder about is the marines are here to protect Japan, but who is protecting Japan from them?

But you are right over all most Americans are peaceful people. The U.S. has almost no violent crimes! The U.S. would never invade another country for their oil, but say they are invading because the country has weapons of mass destruction! The OP has nothing to worry about!

Big John Stud · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 513

Lister100 wrote:

my heart bleeds for the American international unpopularity. Take a little ownership for the killing you've produced in these fine days. So what if your one of the good ones. You still have to acknowledge that the rest of your country voted for Bush and the world suffers for it! That guys got a little bit too much mad cow in the brain.

Very well put! Yea things were a lot better when Clinton was president! The majori;ty of the international community thought how stupid the republicans were spending so much money investigating who clinton had sex with!!!!!

Albright · Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 39

Nice baiting, Mr Stud, but I'm not going to bite. Put your flamethrower back in the closet.

David W · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 457 Location: Japan

I lived in Okinawa for a year albiet about 7 years ago. I was in Okinawa City literally a stones throw away from Kadena Air Base. Naturally I saw and interacted with military folks on a daily basis. There pro and cons to the military presence.
Pros- THere is a fair bit of "English speaker" infrastructure for want of a better word. For example in Okinawa City there was an excellent English language bookshop as well a great import food store. There was a free weekly newletter in English that although aimed at the military had some useful stuff. There was also AFN the military TV station which for me in the days before I had the internet and cable TV at home was quite handy.

Cons- Everyone, including the Americans will think you are American. There is a fair bit of casual racism in Okinawa and you may find you are barred from certain establishments because you not Okinawan. Now some places will let you in once they establish you are not American others don't care. All round-eyes are bad to them. Case in point- the video shop near my house had a sign saying "Japanese only". I went in there and told the owner I wasn't American and he allowed me to sign up. He said that he had a lot of trouble with military people not returning videos. Another time the owner of a shop eyed me suspiciously and said "Military?" I said no and told him I was Australian. He visibly relaxed and eventually gave me a 10% discount on my purchase.
Another con was that as my house was very near the base we constantly had the jets flying over. A bit noisy as you could imagine. There were plenty of rowdy, drunken military guys floating around but nothing worse than you'd see on the Romford high street at midnight Saturday I'm sure. Wink

Now living in Naha, your interaction with the military will be less. In my experience Naha was for all intents and purposes a carbon copy of any other Japanese city of comparable size. Most of the American bases are to the north of Naha. When you do interact with the military just be aware that no matter what the provocation they will almost certainly get in huge trouble for any altercation they have with a civilian. So if you do wind them up and they snot you, it could have quite serious implications for their career in the military. Quite apart from this they are trained killers. Wink

I generally tried to avoid the military while I was there, difficult though it was where I lived. In Naha it should be easier to keep out of trouble. Very Happy

Sadken · Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 341

goman72 · Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 6:07 pm Post subject:

Sadken, I reckon you and Katk should go to Okinawa together, you'd make a good couple (especially if she really is the chick on the bike!!).

All the best for Okinawa, just do it, do it, do it, do it !!!!

CG

katk · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Posts: 52 Location: Atlanta, Ga

I am going to Hiroshima, and yes that is me on a ducati monster when i used to model for tducati Very Happy

....

goman72 · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 12:04 am Post subject:

Sadken is the person with the crown on his head with the Union Jack in the background !!!

PS: I used to live in Atlanta too, more specificaly on Capitol Avenue, the GSU Building called Carter Hall.

Good lick in Hiroshima !

CG

katk · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Posts: 52 Location: Atlanta, Ga

Kewl, did you go to GSU i have had some friends there and my brother went there, i went to the university of Georgia, and i moved back into atlanta after graduating college, i live off of N. Decatur Rd close to Emory and work in Buckhead.

The picture is just how i imagined him...jk