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teacheratlarge
Joined: 17 Nov 2011 Posts: 192 Location: Japan
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 7:59 am Post subject: things you cannot get used to |
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I noticed this thread in the Vietnam forum and tried a search in the Japan forum, but was unable to find anything like this.
I give 4 examples to start us off;
-people being shy to the point they do anything to avoid you (even my student running away from the uni elevator rather than ride with me down)
-people swinging their arms when walking in crowded city areas, especially when they do it while holding umbrellas
- wearing slippers inside (recently I don't like doing it, and my wife has to chide me to get me to do it inside my own house)
- people not trying to avoid running into you when trying to go straight to their destination, including when they pop out of doorways |
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fat_chris
Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 8:06 am Post subject: |
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Here's one that I never got used to and could never wrap my head around:
--foreigners who have lived for several years in Japan and who seem eternally p!ssed off with Japan, yet are married to Japanese women, have kids, and have made no plans to leave the country.
Warm regards,
fat_chris |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Posts: 1116 Location: Narita, Japan
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:33 am Post subject: |
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I don't think I'll ever get used to the efficiency, reliability, and excellent value for money of Japan's postal and parcel delivery systems. |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 11061 Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:54 am Post subject: |
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I wear slippers inside. Where else would I be supposed to wear carpet slippers? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 11:43 am Post subject: |
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I can't get used to people making lists like this. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: |
-people being shy to the point they do anything to avoid you (even my student running away from the uni elevator rather than ride with me down) |
I have absolutely no experience in Japan, but I do work every year with a group of students from Meiji Gakuin (Tokyo) who come to our uni for a month in the summer for an intensive course.
They're never so shy - in fact, I find that they are really eager to seek time outside of class at every opportunity, with both me and their other teachers.
I don't know how typical this is in Japan, but it happens consistently here, year after year....maybe it's the geographical distance or some other factor I can't pin down. |
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Mr_Monkey
Joined: 11 Mar 2009 Posts: 661 Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 3:52 pm Post subject: |
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spiral78 wrote: |
Quote: |
-people being shy to the point they do anything to avoid you (even my student running away from the uni elevator rather than ride with me down) |
I have absolutely no experience in Japan, but I do work every year with a group of students from Meiji Gakuin (Tokyo) who come to our uni for a month in the summer for an intensive course.
They're never so shy - in fact, I find that they are really eager to seek time outside of class at every opportunity, with both me and their other teachers.
I don't know how typical this is in Japan, but it happens consistently here, year after year....maybe it's the geographical distance or some other factor I can't pin down. |
They would be the ones whom the system has designated as 'special' and 'with something to contribute', so I would be surprised if they weren't as eager as any other student you've ever met. I would also expect to see in them an arrogant streak more than a mile wide. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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They don't come across as arrogant in the least; in fact, they are far too obsequious for the context, usually.
Perhaps it's because I'm in a country where most people are quite a lot above-average in height, and the Japanese students are seriously shorter |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 1373 Location: Way, way off course.
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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Pitarou wrote: |
I don't think I'll ever get used to the efficiency, reliability, and excellent value for money of Japan's postal and parcel delivery systems. |
That's one of the things I miss about Japan. They barely have a postal service here in the US. It's expensive, very limited services, and loses things all the time. |
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Cool Teacher
Joined: 18 May 2009 Posts: 930 Location: Here, There and Everywhere! :D
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 12:06 am Post subject: |
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Hot and humis summer. Pheeeeeeeeeew!
I still try and say cool thought: |
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Inflames
Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 486
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 2:33 am Post subject: |
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G Cthulhu wrote: |
Pitarou wrote: |
I don't think I'll ever get used to the efficiency, reliability, and excellent value for money of Japan's postal and parcel delivery systems. |
That's one of the things I miss about Japan. They barely have a postal service here in the US. It's expensive, very limited services, and loses things all the time. |
I agree with the last one but, when compared to the Japanese post office, USPS is actually quite cheap. |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1562 Location: Kawasaki
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 9:24 am Post subject: |
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Spiral, I know that at Meiji Gakuin, Japanese English teachers have to have a TOEIC score of 940. They have two years to get at least a 940. Otherwise they are fired.
So, perhaps they are able to motivate their students to study abroad. My wife will start working there in April.
One of my former students went there. She was good at English, although she was a returnee from the USA. |
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steki47
Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Posts: 1029 Location: BFE Inaka
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 11:06 am Post subject: |
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One of the core attitudes that I can't get used to is the idea that Japan and Japanese things are unique and not found anywhere else on Earth. Hence the assumption that foreigners can't eat rice/use chopsticks, etc. |
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Mr_Monkey
Joined: 11 Mar 2009 Posts: 661 Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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spiral78 wrote: |
They don't come across as arrogant in the least; in fact, they are far too obsequious for the context, usually. |
You have to witness it in their daily context, I guess.
I totally hear you about the obsequious behaviour. Now imagine them expecting it from their underlings. |
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Cool Teacher
Joined: 18 May 2009 Posts: 930 Location: Here, There and Everywhere! :D
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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Japans a lovely country I can't get used to it. |
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