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starteacher
Joined: 25 Feb 2009
Posts: 237
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 Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 2:33 am Post subject: |
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Just a suggestion :
If you are new to Japan :
Bring candy but keep them in the back for a few weeks. Check out the new place. Want to impress but don't want to overdo it, other teachers may feel indifferent about it if you bringing something if the teachers previously didn't.
After a few weeks, bring out the candy and say your mum had just sent you them. Kind of you to share right ?
If you are not new to Japan, :
Bring candy or cookies by all means. You know the customs.
It is all about understanding the etiquette of gift giving in Japan. Once you start, you will need to reciprocate the gesture. After a while, you will find that on your vacation trips abroad, on return half your luggage will be for omiyage ! 
Gift giving is not unique to Japan, quite common in Asia. |
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Cool Teacher
Joined: 18 May 2009
Posts: 930
Location: Here, There and Everywhere! :D
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| Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Apsara wrote: |
The sentence "high I am you're new eigomonkey" (sic) would definitely cause them to worry whether you were qualified actually for the job...  |
Aspara! No! I wouldnt say that  I mean it is nicer to have a box of cookies than someone who calls themself an eigomonkey! I know that wehn I was in school we liked to get exotic thinsg from the foreign teachers and I think if you bring somehting and then say, "Hay! Try a cookie from California it is a good way to start a conversation with a student or new co-worker. 
I think people are mostly the same all over the world so I think that what I would like will proabbly be waht people in foreign countrues will like too. Here in Japan, people do like the presents from abroad and I think it is wrong just to assume that they are "just saying that to make you feel better" this is not true.  |
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cvmurrieta
Joined: 10 Jul 2008
Posts: 209
Location: Sendai, Japan
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| Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:36 am Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
You are not obligated whatsoever to bring anything. This has been brought up many times so do a search.
Whatever you choose to bring, make it small and somehow identifiable to outside Japan:
individually wrapped goodies (cookies, cakes, candies)
foreign logos (U.S. flag on pens, e.g.)
something for everyone (flavored coffee, decaf, tea, e.g.) |
Does this also mean that we aren't obligated to buy farewell gifts either? My Prefectural Advisor just told me that buying farewell gifts for my co-workers is Japanese tradition.
I am the one who is leaving, not my co-workers. |
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iverin
Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 111
Location: Ontario
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| Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 1:34 pm Post subject: |
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| When my head teacher switched branches she bought a gift for all the staff. The females got bath stuff (balth salt, soap and a candle) and not sure what the males got. |
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mintxleaf
Joined: 11 May 2009
Posts: 47
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| Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:16 am Post subject: |
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| starteacher wrote: |
Just a suggestion :
If you are new to Japan :
Bring candy but keep them in the back for a few weeks. Check out the new place. Want to impress but don't want to overdo it, other teachers may feel indifferent about it if you bringing something if the teachers previously didn't.
After a few weeks, bring out the candy and say your mum had just sent you them. Kind of you to share right ?
If you are not new to Japan, :
Bring candy or cookies by all means. You know the customs.
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Good advise! I like the idea about bringing out the gift later, since we won't be sure how many people we need to give the gifts to until we start getting used to teaching at the school. Thanks! |
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cornishmuppet
Joined: 27 Mar 2004
Posts: 642
Location: Nagano, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 4:00 am Post subject: |
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| cvmurrieta wrote: |
| Glenski wrote: |
You are not obligated whatsoever to bring anything. This has been brought up many times so do a search.
Whatever you choose to bring, make it small and somehow identifiable to outside Japan:
individually wrapped goodies (cookies, cakes, candies)
foreign logos (U.S. flag on pens, e.g.)
something for everyone (flavored coffee, decaf, tea, e.g.) |
Does this also mean that we aren't obligated to buy farewell gifts either? My Prefectural Advisor just told me that buying farewell gifts for my co-workers is Japanese tradition.
I am the one who is leaving, not my co-workers. |
If you're leaving who cares? I have my final day at my current visit school tomorrow and was thinking of taking in some cakes, but since most of them don't even acknowledge my presence from one day to the next I don't think I'll bother!
On another point, does the quality of the gift matter, do you think? I recently moved house and while I'm not interested particularly my girlfriend insisted we get presents for all the new neighbours. Since we were going to do it I thought we should get them something decent but she claimed these cheap, individually wrapped towels were enough. Prior to the gifts the neighbours had been round every five minutes nosing about, especially in the garden, but since then we've barely seen them. Maybe just coincidence.... |
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starteacher
Joined: 25 Feb 2009
Posts: 237
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| Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 8:38 am Post subject: |
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| There is not much loss when you can give simple gifts, the rewards can be plenty. It is the thought that counts. It is not important how the other parties (whatever nationality) think, it matters how you think. Do what is in your heart. |
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Cool Teacher
Joined: 18 May 2009
Posts: 930
Location: Here, There and Everywhere! :D
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| Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 9:15 am Post subject: |
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| I agree with startteacher! whys everyone being so mean? We all like presents right? Why not give some and make other's happy? |
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gonzarelli
Joined: 20 Jun 2007
Posts: 151
Location: trouble in the henhouse
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| Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 5:39 am Post subject: Re: small gifts for coworkers etc |
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| G Cthulhu wrote: |
| Don't bring anything. It's not worth it and without know the people you can't get it right. Don't worry, they won't think anything less of you for not bringing anything: eigomonkey is as low as it gets... |
Exactly. It would be a complete waste of time and money. Being an English monkey is being lowest on the food chain. Teachers will not think any higher of you. |
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cvmurrieta
Joined: 10 Jul 2008
Posts: 209
Location: Sendai, Japan
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| Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 6:06 am Post subject: |
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| starteacher wrote: |
| There is not much loss when you can give simple gifts, the rewards can be plenty. It is the thought that counts. It is not important how the other parties (whatever nationality) think, it matters how you think. Do what is in your heart. |
I opted to buy my colleagues at the prefectural government a bag of some karintou that costs 315 yen. Since my presence wasn't acknowledged so much, this gift is appropriate.
Now for the people at the international association who made me feel included, I bought a box of chocolate for them  |
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Cool Teacher
Joined: 18 May 2009
Posts: 930
Location: Here, There and Everywhere! :D
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| Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 6:29 am Post subject: Re: small gifts for coworkers etc |
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| gonzarelli wrote: |
| G Cthulhu wrote: |
| Don't bring anything. It's not worth it and without know the people you can't get it right. Don't worry, they won't think anything less of you for not bringing anything: eigomonkey is as low as it gets... |
Exactly. It would be a complete waste of time and money. Being an English monkey is being lowest on the food chain. Teachers will not think any higher of you. |
I dont get it!!! Where do you guys work? You are all saying like spoilt kids "no one likes me! No one appreciates me! No one talks to me! I wont buy presents! Dont buy presents!" In my school I talk to the teachers and other staff like the office lady and when I go on a trip or back home I bring a preset of cookies or sweets and they are popular and it is good for team spirit and morale.
Oh yeah but I nearly forgot "If you buy cookies they will get broken and then you will give broken cookies to co-workers and that is bad in Japan! The co-workeres smile and say thanks buit they dont mean it because in Japan everyones a big fat liar and what they really mean is we dont care about your cookies and sweets and we dont like you it is all just a big act!"
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cvmurrieta
Joined: 10 Jul 2008
Posts: 209
Location: Sendai, Japan
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| Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:22 am Post subject: Re: small gifts for coworkers etc |
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| Cool Teacher wrote: |
| gonzarelli wrote: |
| G Cthulhu wrote: |
| Don't bring anything. It's not worth it and without know the people you can't get it right. Don't worry, they won't think anything less of you for not bringing anything: eigomonkey is as low as it gets... |
Exactly. It would be a complete waste of time and money. Being an English monkey is being lowest on the food chain. Teachers will not think any higher of you. |
Where do you guys work? |
Until tomorrow, I work on the 13th floor of the Miyagi Prefectural Government office building in the International Affairs Division.
I am actually going to buy some jelly gifts for my English class students tomorrow because I go to party with them. |
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Jamerikoi
Joined: 13 Jul 2009
Posts: 17
Location: Tokyo
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| Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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| I'd recommend good beef jerky. Just tell customs you don't have anything to give as a gift, and you'll be all good (otherwise they'll take it and eat it). For the ladies, I'd probably get some wierd stuff like TUMS or mints, authentic native stuff from your zone... some shiz they don't have in Japan. That's what they get most stoked about. |
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