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Spinoza
Joined: 17 Oct 2004
Posts: 194
Location: Saudi Arabia
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 Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 1:50 pm Post subject: |
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Last edited by Spinoza on Fri Apr 27, 2012 9:33 am; edited 1 time in total |
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denise
Joined: 23 Apr 2003
Posts: 3419
Location: finally home-ish
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| Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 3:39 pm Post subject: |
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Ben & Spinoza--You�ve both given a very positive spin to all of the attention we "token foreigners" get. Thank you! I agree that it is nice, and often necessary, to have someone to do things like help us with bank accounts, bills, medical appointments, etc. And I confess I do enjoy the occasional ego boost of being a foreigner (but only occasionally!!!). I didn�t mean to imply that all of the attention was bad. It�s just amusing sometimes.
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Lynn
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 696
Location: in between
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| Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Jizzo T. Clown wrote: |
| JD, I hear ya! In China, every time it was a bit nippy out, any Chinese person in sight would tell me that I wasn't wearing enough clothes. . |
Japanese summer are extremely hot and humid. I was sitting at the dining table in shorts and a tshirt, no air conditioner, and it was 35 degrees and probably 85% humidity. Sweat was dripping down my back, I could feel it. I sneezed. My friend's aunt said, "You shouldn't be wearing those shorts. You should put on long pants. You are cold and are going to get sick."
I looked at her like she was crazy and said,"It is so hot right now I am sweating without even moving." She just shook her head in disagreement.
About people fussing over you more...I think it's just a difference of opionion on what is "good for you". I remember when I had a cold between classes I'd have a little cup of hot water or tea. The Japanese staff said,"you are going to make yourself sick by drinking so much" |
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denise
Joined: 23 Apr 2003
Posts: 3419
Location: finally home-ish
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| Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 11:01 pm Post subject: |
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And Japanese winters? (At least in Niigata...) Zero degrees, three feet of snow on the ground, and those infamous schoolgirls walking around in skirts that barely cover their butt cheeks! No wonder half of our student body was sick all the time... Maybe they just needed some well-meaning foreigners to fuss over them!
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Starry Night
Joined: 24 Sep 2005
Posts: 62
Location: Hubei (Central China), a long way from the ocean
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| Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 9:10 am Post subject: |
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| Jizzo T. Clown wrote: |
| they also said that it's "good for health" to be hot in the summer and cold in the winter, but I think that's just them justifying the fact that they couldn't afford air or heat. |
So true! I remember one particularly bleak Spring Festival, huddled around a tiny electric heater with a family of 10 in their ice box-like apartment, who's prevailing stoicism in the -15 weather (cold for this Aussie!) allowed them to offer these soothing words "The cold makes us strong!". Funny, I didn't feel any stronger, just frozen  |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 10:57 am Post subject: |
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| Starry Night wrote: |
| Jizzo T. Clown wrote: |
| they also said that it's "good for health" to be hot in the summer and cold in the winter, but I think that's just them justifying the fact that they couldn't afford air or heat. |
So true! I remember one particularly bleak Spring Festival, huddled around a tiny electric heater with a family of 10 in their ice box-like apartment, who's prevailing stoicism in the -15 weather (cold for this Aussie!) allowed them to offer these soothing words "The cold makes us strong!". Funny, I didn't feel any stronger, just frozen |
Gambatte masu. So true!
Why can't someone introduce insulation to this country? What a concept.
The first winter in Japan, we tried to skimp a bit on the heat as it was so expensive. Then our 10 month-old got frost nip one night even while wearing a down sleeping blanket and wool sweater. That day we went out and bought 2 new big heaters and kept them going all night. |
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Perpetual Traveller
Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 651
Location: In the Kak, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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If I do make it to Japan next year I am definately going to be aiming somewhere a little more southerly, you've scared me off the northern regions!
As for whether I get fussed over, in a word no. In fact my novelty factor is so low that I am probably almost non existant. Gotta get me somewhere where 5'9, blue-eyed blondes are a rarity, I could use the ego boost.
PT |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Gotta get me somewhere where 5'9, blue-eyed blondes are a rarity, |
Come on over. Here, you would be fussed over constantly.
Justin |
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Perpetual Traveller
Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 651
Location: In the Kak, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 8:25 pm Post subject: |
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Well I have to admit that French is probably a lot more similar to Spanish than it is to Japanese, however I am not so sure about living somewhere where dfat seems to think I could be at risk of kidnapping or stepping on a land mine, but maybe they've just been reading the wrong guide books
PT |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 3:03 am Post subject: |
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Land mines are pretty well unheard of in Ecuador, and not super common anywhere I've been in Latin America.
Erm, kidnapping is a lot less common that it used to be, and following down to earth safety guidelines seems to really eliminate any serious problem. Erm, which is not to say it doesn't happen. Just that the people it happens to are usually in really hair-brained situations.
But you'll stand out in Japan, too!
Justin |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 3:17 am Post subject: |
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Land mines are pretty well unheard of in Ecuador, and not super common anywhere I've been in Latin America.
Erm, kidnapping is a lot less common that it used to be, and following down to earth safety guidelines seems to really eliminate any serious problem. Erm, which is not to say it doesn't happen. Just that the people it happens to are usually in really hair-brained situations. |
Dog doo on the sidewalk is abotu the worst you'll step into in Mexico.
Kidnapping is a problem, but not so much with foreigners. Happens to families with money in Mexico, or of the express-kidnap variety (as they call it here), which is actually armed robbery over a 5 hour period. Calling it kidnapping means the authorities can apply the maximum 40 year jail term to perps. |
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Perpetual Traveller
Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 651
Location: In the Kak, Japan
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| Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:15 pm Post subject: |
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Oh well if kidnapping isn't all that common anymore what am I waiting for!!!! (Note to self, only wear my rolex and tiffany accessories on the well-lit streets)
| Justin Trullinger wrote: |
| Come on over. Here, you would be fussed over constantly. |
You offering me a job Justin?!?! Maybe I should head your way 
Ah the old dog doo on the sidewalk, thank goodness Paris has moved on somewhat from that...I guess it is still preferable to a land mine though.
PT |
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