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The Dog Ate My Keitai
Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 67
Location: Japan
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 Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 1:33 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, I kinda considered that it might just be an attempt at making small talk... But still, I hope I don't sound THAT bad when I try to do it with others...
"So, uh... I guess you're a teacher huh?"
"Well, we ARE in a school and this IS the staff room... Whatever tipped you off?"
Anyway, I don't think I need to lighten up.... As I said, I just needed to vent. I feel, much better now, thank you.
silent-noise. Thanks. I wondered if anyone would see it that way. I am indeed familiar with the Bryan Adams song. 
fox1... I wish I WERE exagerating. Why do you think I needed to vent? I'm not exactly a FOB here. I've lived in Japan over two years so far... I thought I heard just about everything already (as far as silly comments go) but today took me WAY by surprise... For instance, why did they wait until the THIRD day of eating lunch with them before telling me how "jouzu" my chopsticks skills were? You'd think I'd have gotten that on Day 1....
Traveller/Homer: Wow! Don't take this too seriously, guys.... This was supposed to be MY rant..... 
Lynn/pnsweater: touche. I HAVE gotten into such conversations with people, unfortunately, and heard all the bad American stories about whether or not Canadians live in igloos n' stuff....
My favorite conversation was with an American fellow who was SO convinced that there were 51 states in the union, he was willing to get into a fistfight with me over it. I recommended he go count the stars on his flag, but in the end I had to back off lest I start seeing more than 50 stars... That was a very eye-opening experience for me. (No exageration there)..... |
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Zzonkmiles
Joined: 05 Apr 2003
Posts: 309
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| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 1:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Iowa is two states away from Texas?! Since when? |
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homersimpson
Joined: 14 Feb 2003
Posts: 569
Location: Kagoshima
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| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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homersimpson wrote:
Your story seems lame, and fake, but even if it were true, it is no different from someone who speaks Kansai-ben or Kagoshima-ben.
Why would I lie??? I have better things to do with my time than make up stories merely to prove a point. And if you'd pay a bit more attention before jumping down my throat you'd see that the boy not only thought that Iowan was a completely different language but also that Iowa was a country outside of the United States. I find that worrying considering that Iowa is only two states away from Texas.
homersimpson wrote:
And I don't know any American child who would ever utter the words "How are you?" unless forced. Most would say "What's up?" or hip-hop-inspired "Whassup?"
Oh how could I be so stupid as to not remember the conversation word for word so that I could report it accurately...gimme a break! As for your assertion that no American kids would say 'How are you', what a ridiculous generalisation, they don't all speak like wannabe rappers.
homersimpson wrote:
I commend you, however, on yet another fantastic America-bashing rant. I'm sure more to follow.
Excuse me??? And when exactly have I been on an America-bashing rant??? I have lived an worked there happily and have many good friends from the USA, care to make sure you're not confusing me with someone else?
homersimpson wrote:
Where did you work in Texas and what did you do?
What, now you want to be friends? For whatever difference it makes I was working in a YMCA camp near Fort Worth that took school groups for week-long outdoor education programs. |
Your post never even suggested that the boy thought that Iowa was a completely different country, but even if he had, that would not be irrational. The U.S. is a big place. An 11-year-old kid has a very limited grasp of place; I have had kids in Japan ask me if I lived in the U.S. and (commuted) to Japan everyday. Why would you lie? I don't know. Liars lie. Drinkers drink. Rapists rape. Your location has Paris, yet you post in Japan and Latin America forums. If you have ever been in America you'd know no 11-year-old kid who wasn't raised in a life of privilege would ever utter, "How are you?" It's ridiculous. Maybe, "How's it going?" or "What's up?"
By the way, asserting that Americans are ignorant, is indeed ranting. Of course many are, but so are your host parents here in Japan. It's fun and easy and scores points with many, but bashing Americans for being ignorant ultimately results in a very cheap thrill. |
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homersimpson
Joined: 14 Feb 2003
Posts: 569
Location: Kagoshima
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| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 2:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Iowa is two states away from Texas?! Since when? |
Since the Traveling (Jackass) has re-zoned it, I suppose. He's working on making Hawaii and Florida neighbors. Amazing such a "Traveler" or, if preferred, "Traveller" can even find his way to the airport. |
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Celeste
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 814
Location: Fukuoka City, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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I had to laugh at a lot of the things on this thread. When I returned to Canada a couple of months ago, I had to patiently explain to people that I mostly just wore normal clothes in Japan, and that the kids were the same there as anywhere else (there is an amazing myth that Japanese kids are all really respectful of one another and their teachers and that they always study hard...  I would love to see the faces of some of the teachers from Canada if they were ever confronted with a rowdy class of Japanese kids!)
My favourite overboard moment in Japan was when a new teacher at a school I had taught at for 2 years wanted to make sure that I didn't get lost on my way into the city so she made me a map, walked me to the bus stop, got on the bus with me, took me to the train station, bought my ticket, and told a JR employee to make sure that I got on the right train home. (He thought this was really funny, as I'd been through his station every week for 2years and never required assitance before.) THe wierd thing was, none of the other teachers at the school stopped her from helping me and she did it over my protesting in Japanese that I was fine and could go home by myself! |
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Perpetual Traveller
Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 651
Location: In the Kak, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 4:07 pm Post subject: |
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I LOVE IT, I'm being flamed!!! I feel like I've really come of age on Dave's now 
OP, oh come on, it's not a good rant unless other people join in!
| homersimpson wrote: |
| Your post never even suggested that the boy thought that Iowa was a completely different country |
| Perpetual Traveller wrote: |
"Do you think that Iowa is somewhere outside of the United States?"
"Well isn't it?" |
Note the quotation marks, that means the last line was said by the boy, but let me spell it out for you, he thought that Iowa was another country outside America. I find this worrying, as did my colleague, the Iowan, so it's not America-bashing ok (still waiting for evidence of all the bashing I have apparently been doing...  ).
| homersimpson wrote: |
| I have had kids in Japan ask me if I lived in the U.S. and (commuted) to Japan everyday. |
Any you weren't even slightly disturbed by their grasp of geography? Oh but you wouldn't want to say anything because that would be Japan-bashing.
| homersimpson wrote: |
| Why would you lie? I don't know. Liars lie. Drinkers drink. Rapists rape. Your location has Paris, yet you post in Japan and Latin America forums. |
Thank you so much for lumping me in with the alcoholics and rapists , and I'm soooo sorry that I don't restrict myself to posting only in the French forum, but unfortunately no one there seems to be able to answer the question I have regarding moving to Japan next year, strange that. As for Latin America, Guy Corchesne and I chat, so I go there to see what he's up to. Guy also posts here despite the fact that he's in LA (how dare he?), why don't you go and flame him? Shall I post a copy of my bank statement to prove that I really live in Paris, or perhaps you'd like a copy of my carte de sejour?
| homersimpson wrote: |
| If you have ever been in America you'd know no 11-year-old kid who wasn't raised in a life of privilege would ever utter, "How are you?" It's ridiculous. Maybe, "How's it going?" or "What's up?" |
So now I am lying about having been in America too, would you like my social security number as well? I'll be sure to tell my young American friends not to use 'how are you' under any circumstances if they don't want to be thought of as a member of the privileged classes, I'm sure they'll be glad of the advice, they've been going wrong all these years. 
| homersimpson wrote: |
| By the way, asserting that Americans are ignorant, is indeed ranting. Of course many are, but so are your host parents here in Japan. It's fun and easy and scores points with many, but bashing Americans for being ignorant ultimately results in a very cheap thrill. |
Let's face it there are ignorant people all over the world, that doesn't mean we should just accept it. The OP mentioned right from the start that this was a rant thread and not to continue if you didn't want to read one. Or is the problem that you can dish it but you can't take it? 
| Zzonkmiles wrote: |
| Iowa is two states away from Texas?! Since when? |
Since you can drive out of Texas through Arkansas and Missouri to get there (count them, that's two).
| homersimpson wrote: |
| Since the Traveling (Jackass) has re-zoned it, I suppose. He's working on making Hawaii and Florida neighbors. Amazing such a "Traveler" or, if preferred, "Traveller" can even find his way to the airport. |
Last dictionary I looked in had traveller with two Ls in it, as an EFL teacher I am surprised that you are not familiar with the concept of regional spelling variations, or is it just wrong because I don't choose to use the American version? And while we're dissecting usernames let's look at yours...oooh it's so clever and original, I bet it took hours to think of. Gosh aren't I smart, I can sling insults too. But I can't sit around here all day doing so, I have a flight to catch in 6 months, I'd better go and start looking for the airport.
Anyway homer go flame someone else, (why not Celeste, she's obviously Canadian-bashing) I'm done here.
PT |
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canuck
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 1921
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:36 pm Post subject: |
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| homersimpson wrote: |
| lost of garbage in the above posts |
Homer, how are you?
You've shown your ignorance, almost to a level of what PT was illustrating. For the record, you're in the wrong.
traveler/traveller: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=traveler |
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ronin
Joined: 22 Feb 2003
Posts: 50
Location: canada
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 12:52 am Post subject: |
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Whoa! 2 years in Japan yeah you're a pro!
Last edited by ronin on Wed Oct 05, 2005 3:17 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 11:45 pm Post subject: |
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| homersimpson wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Iowa is two states away from Texas?! Since when? |
Since the Traveling (Jackass) has re-zoned it, I suppose. He's working on making Hawaii and Florida neighbors. Amazing such a "Traveler" or, if preferred, "Traveller" can even find his way to the airport. |
Flawaii. The capital is Miamalulu
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Zzonkmiles
Joined: 05 Apr 2003
Posts: 309
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 3:06 am Post subject: |
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[quote="Perpetual Traveller"][quote="Zzonkmiles"] Iowa is two states away from Texas?! Since when?[/quote] Since you can drive out of Texas through Arkansas and Missouri to get there (count them, that's two). [/quote]
Yes, I know about Arkansas and Missouri. However, that only means two states [i]separate[/i]Iowa and Texas. These two states are actually [i]three[/i] states away since you have to cross state lines three times to get there. Surely you wouldn't say Arkansas is zero states away from Texas since there are no states between them. You would say Arkansas is one state away from Texas. |
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oyttam
Joined: 09 Sep 2005
Posts: 4
Location: Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 8:04 am Post subject: arn't you cold? |
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| hi just thought I'd ad my two cents. Now that the weather had turned cooler (thank god!) everyday the Japanese staff in my school comment on my clothes. I have worked here for 4 years with the same staff and starting in Late Sept every day they ask me "arn't you cold" because I am still whereing dress shorts and short sleave shirts. And everyday I calmly tell who ever it is that I'm finnaly comfortable and that i will be whereing shorts until chirstmas |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 8:09 am Post subject: Re: arn't you cold? |
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| oyttam wrote: |
| hi just thought I'd ad my two cents. Now that the weather had turned cooler (thank god!) everyday the Japanese staff in my school comment on my clothes. I have worked here for 4 years with the same staff and starting in Late Sept every day they ask me "arn't you cold" because I am still whereing dress shorts and short sleave shirts. And everyday I calmly tell who ever it is that I'm finnaly comfortable and that i will be whereing shorts until chirstmas |
Do you think it is their way to suggest that you dress up more? Where do you work wearing shorts?
I too love the cooler weather and enjoy not being sweaty, 24/7. |
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Perpetual Traveller
Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 651
Location: In the Kak, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 9:53 am Post subject: |
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| Guy Courchesne wrote: |
| homersimpson wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Iowa is two states away from Texas?! Since when? |
Since the Traveling (Jackass) has re-zoned it, I suppose. He's working on making Hawaii and Florida neighbors. Amazing such a "Traveler" or, if preferred, "Traveller" can even find his way to the airport. |
Flawaii. The capital is Miamalulu
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I love you Guy.
(In a strictly platonic, don't-let-your-wife-get-worried kind of a way of course)
| Zzonkmiles wrote: |
[Yes, I know about Arkansas and Missouri. However, that only means two states separate Iowa and Texas. These two states are actually three states away since you have to cross state lines three times to get there. Surely you wouldn't say Arkansas is zero states away from Texas since there are no states between them. You would say Arkansas is one state away from Texas.
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Whoa, Zzonk, I think you're taking this way to seriously/technically! Actually, I would probably say 'Arkansas is adjacent to Texas', but I don't think that was really the point, do you?
PT |
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ronin
Joined: 22 Feb 2003
Posts: 50
Location: canada
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 3:21 pm Post subject: |
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| the dog ate my sounds like the type of person that would do oragmi and Karate katas during his lunch time. |
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