Job Discussion Forums

ohahakehte · Joined: 25 Aug 2003 Posts: 128 Location: japan

i found the social situation in korea to be dismal. most foreigners there were very uncultured and the highlight of their experience in korea was getting drunk at the bar every weekend. most werent interested in korean culture and were only there for the money - nothing wrong with that, i just found it alienated me from them even more. koreans can be friendly and interesting, but usually more the former than the latter. and even with the most friendly koreans it wasnt really easy to develop meaningful relationships with them.

many, maybe even most foreigners who've lived in both japan and korea say they would never return to korea after spending time in japan. for those people: how does the social life compare?

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Pretty much every foreigner I've met in Japan go to bars on weekends. The ones who don't are married. I guess that's enough "culture" for them.

There ARE, however, other things to do, and I think ohahakehte shouldn't limit himself to what OTHERS think and do. I know people who here in Sapporo have gone mountain hiking every possible weekend. Some have taken up hobbies like ikebana or koto music. Unless you are really into shrines and temples, you could easily get bored after the 3rd or 4th one. Same thing with castles. Probably the best thing to do for culture is check out as many festivals as you can. My own co-workers (with Japanese spouses) and I just try to get out to parks and beaches or our homes, but schedules usually get in the way.

After you've lived here a year, unless you relocate within the country, you become established and have seen so much of the area immediately around you, and you become immersed in your work so much that it just feels like living and working back home. That is, you tend to ignore a lot of the cultural attractions around you. It sometimes takes an effort to think of what would be cool to see. Having Japanese family puts a crimp into that a bit, too, because your spouse may NOT feel it's so cool to see some cultural thing. Boyfriends and girlfriends, too. Just my opinion.

ohahakehte, what would you LIKE to do?

ohahakehte · Joined: 25 Aug 2003 Posts: 128 Location: japan

glenski im not asking about things to do in japan...i already know theres tons more to see and do in japan than in korea. i want to know about meeting people in japan as compared to korea

Celeste · Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2005 11:10 pm Post subject:

I have found it much easier to make friends in Japan than I did in KOrea. I find that people here have more varied lifestyles and interests than people in Korea did. Also, there are more foreign women here than there were in Korea. I have both Japanese friends and foreign friends now, but when I lived in Korea, I had one Korean friend, and almost no foreign female friends. I was so lonely there.

ohahakehte · Joined: 25 Aug 2003 Posts: 128 Location: japan

celeste...it was the same for me in korea. i was lonely to a very unhealthy degree. i think that part of becoming a good teacher and becoming more natural with children was because my students were the only people that i saw consistently and all the time. i hope japan is differnet when i get there

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

When I was in Korea, my experience was much the same as yours, however in the 2+ years I've been in Japan, it seems like the other foreigners I meet are a little more mature, and into doing more than spending every weekend drunk or hung-over. I drink, but don't have an obsession with it, and I've found a lot of people who are similiar. I don't think you'll be disappointed! What part of Japan will you be living in, by the way?

ohahakehte · Joined: 25 Aug 2003 Posts: 128 Location: japan

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

I've never actually been there, but at the risk of possibly pissing off a lot of people from Gunma-Ken, I have to tell you it doesn't have a reputation for excitement!!! I hope somebody can correct me on this, as I'd prefer to have been misinformed than right!
Anyways, I just thought you should know....

ohahakehte · Joined: 25 Aug 2003 Posts: 128 Location: japan

ya ive heard that gunma isnt big on excitement. after coming from korea thats the last thing i want but...we'll see how it goes...

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

Gumma has a famous onsen called Kusatsu, and a soccer team.
I guess they have hiking too. Don`t think they have much else.
Probably is provincial.

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

If you are into hinking and nature it might be good. Also, you may not be far from Tokyo.....