Job Discussion Forums

Marcoregano · Joined: 19 May 2003 Posts: 872 Location: Hong Kong

This is a bit off the topic, but I wonder if anybody else out there is sometimes confounded by the remarkable facility that many Asian people have of being able to sleep just about anywhere anytime. How do they do it?

bnix · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 645

Your post is a bit unusual...but why not?Maybe they are just bored.Right now, I am sitting in front of my PC and ....Yawn!!!! Smile

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

I can't speak for any other than the Japanese, but here goes.

High school kids in my private HS are worked to death. Some have to commute 60-90 minutes one-way. Most are in school from 7 to 7 taking part in a zillion club activities, after school tutoring, sports events/training, and more. The ones who live in a dorm are forced to study from 9pm to 11pm (yes, forced; they are monitored nightly by teachers). They have 6 national exams a year, plus 2 TOEIC-style tests, plus several practice exams for them. On "breaks", they have major research assignments and/or club activities and/or sports training. It is no wonder that they have no home/social life and that when asked what their hobby is, or what they plan to do in their free time, they say "sleep". It is also no wonder that many sleep in class (and Japanese teachers let them!!).

Japanese businessmen don't have it much easier. Off to work at 8 or earlier, do business till 5 or 6, then stay overtime till 7 or 8, and often thereafter go out drinking as part of business until midnight. They put in these hours Monday through Saturday. So, when they have Sunday at home, they sleep in front of the TV.

All of the above find it quite easy to sleep on subways, trains, buses, in class, in the office (including teachers dozing in office and staff meetings), etc.

johnslat · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2003 4:49 am Post subject: Lullaby and goodnight

Dear Sunaru,
No kidding - I once ( swear this is true ) fell asleep whle on an overnight hike at Camp Geiger, NC. I can vividly recall coming to consciousness a few times, looking around and then going back to sleep again. As for insomnia - that's a problem I had for many years. Even went to the Vets Hospital once to try to get some pills. The doc there wouldn't do it, bless him. As he told me, " No one's ever died that I know of from lack of sleep. When you get tired enough, I promise, you'll sleep. " He then suggested exercising - and you know something: it sure works for me. I haven't had any trouble getting to sleep for many years now.
Regards,
John

Seth · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 575 Location: in exile

In most of China there's a naptime from lunch until 2 or 3, mostly due to the hot summer weather. There are trucks parked all over the place and a few guys hanging out of the door sleeping while a guy with a jackhammer tears up the road right beside them. Sometimes you'll see people sleeping on the sidewalk on bamboo mats while businessmen walk around them, albeit you'll only see that in the more rustic areas. Sometimes you'll see a truck parked on the side of the road with a guy sleeping in the grass a few feet away.

I thought about leaving my current job here in the US and say 'it's my lunchbreak...gonna go take a nap on the sidewalk, be back in a few!'

Marcoregano · Joined: 19 May 2003 Posts: 872 Location: Hong Kong

Thank you Seth. This is the kind of thing I'm talking about...most 'westerners' I know simply wouldn't be able to sleep in such situations even if they were dog tired. They wouldn't be able to relax sufficiently in such circumstances. Take a train journey in the UK...relatively few people will fall asleep, even on a long trip. I take a half-hour ferry trip into central HK most days...and I'd say a third to a half of the locals are asleep within 5 minutes. Rarely do you see a westerner asleep on the same trip....except when they're drunk.

Celeste · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2003 6:09 am Post subject:

I have gotten into the alarming habit of sleeping on the bus and the subway during my commutes to various elementary schools. I never did this in Canada, but here in Japan I do it on a near daily basis! I haven't yet missed my stop or been robbed, though.

Steiner · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Posts: 573 Location: Hunan China

When I lived in HK and Taipei I slept on buses and subways. Also never missed a stop.

Once a guy was dead to the world in the aisle seat of a double-decker HK bus when the driver took a turn. He planted his face in the floor. But he didn't miss his stop.