|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
nukeday
Joined: 13 May 2010
|
 Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 1:44 am Post subject: |
 |
|
I think he meant "Japanese (people) only" signs.
I never saw one in Japan in 8 months, though I was refused entry to one bar in Hiroshima. I believe there was a US military base nearby.
I'd find it difficult to say that's a category where Korea would beat japan in terms of openness, though.
I also didn't need an HIV test to get a teaching visa. Or a ridiculous FBI criminal check with an apostille and a 50,000 won secret handshake with Lee Myungbak or whatever ridiculous crap Kimmi is demanding now. In that sense, we're all fingerprinted in Korea too.
Scaling back JET - again, I don't think that is an openness issue. JET is expensive (far more expensive than EPIK) and also, like EPIK, very ineffective at teaching English. The goal of JET is/was loftier though - creating a positive image of Japan in foreigners and exposing rural Japanese to foreigners. Not Minsu must learn English now! How else will he make his poor, sorrowful mother smile by gaining admission to a SKY university?
Apples and oranges there, I'd say. I'm amazed something like JET would last as long as it did.
Never asked to show my ID. The only police interaction I've heard of is people riding bicycles. They wanted to make sure they weren't drunk or riding a stolen bike. Might happen to Japanese, too.
Debito is a bit of a weirdo anyway. If he were in Korea, netizens would probably mass-crash his site and make a Naver cafe in opposition.
By the way, to the OP - Japan is amazing. Try to make a vacation there. The won exchange rate will suck, but don't let your Korean-American heritage blind you to the place. Spent 8 months in a 'burb near Osaka and Kyoto and I wish I hadn't left.
Seoul I could give or take.
Last edited by nukeday on Wed Jan 26, 2011 1:55 am; edited 2 times in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
tomato
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: I get so little foreign language experience, I must be in Koreatown, Los Angeles.
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 1:51 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Tiger Beer wrote: |
| I see foreigners all over the place here who are quite conversational in Japanese. In return, most Japanese only speak Japanese to them and with them, in restaurants, in the streets, etc. |
Outrageous!
Don't they know that it is their responsibility to speak to foreigners in English?
Don't they know that foreigners are taxing their feeble little brains by speaking a second language?
Don't they know that Asians have a higher average IQ than Europeans and Americans?
Don't they know that foreigners are second-class citizens who should be kept in their place?
Don't they know that they are being traitors to their own country by implying that a person from another country could have a grain of intelligence?
The Miriam Ferguson Society should expand into Japan before any MORE damage gets done! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
happiness
Joined: 04 Sep 2010
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
| nukeday wrote: |
I think he meant "Japanese (people) only" signs.
I never saw one in Japan in 8 months, though I was refused entry to one bar in Hiroshima. I believe there was a US military base nearby.
I'd find it difficult to say that's a category where Korea would beat japan in terms of openness, though.
I also didn't need an HIV test to get a teaching visa. Or a ridiculous FBI criminal check with an apostille and a 50,000 won secret handshake with Lee Myungbak or whatever ridiculous crap Kimmi is demanding now. In that sense, we're all fingerprinted in Korea too.
Scaling back JET - again, I don't think that is an openness issue. JET is expensive (far more expensive than EPIK) and also, like EPIK, very ineffective at teaching English. The goal of JET is/was loftier though - creating a positive image of Japan in foreigners and exposing rural Japanese to foreigners. Not Minsu must learn English now! How else will he make his poor, sorrowful mother smile by gaining admission to a SKY university?
Apples and oranges there, I'd say. I'm amazed something like JET would last as long as it did.
Never asked to show my ID. The only police interaction I've heard of is people riding bicycles. They wanted to make sure they weren't drunk or riding a stolen bike. Might happen to Japanese, too.
Debito is a bit of a weirdo anyway. If he were in Korea, netizens would probably mass-crash his site and make a Naver cafe in opposition.
By the way, to the OP - Japan is amazing. Try to make a vacation there. The won exchange rate will suck, but don't let your Korean-American heritage blind you to the place. Spent 8 months in a 'burb near Osaka and Kyoto and I wish I hadn't left.
Seoul I could give or take. |
I lived in Seoul two years and I would burn it with fire.
Japan is awesome, I still have relationships with maybe 3 of my old friends in Japan, and Ive been gone for like 10 years. K-friends, when I live IN the country, not so many....I speak Japanese and am a hardcore Japan-techofile. I have tons of stuff, and I talk to the most interesting people when I go there a few times a year. Here, is not there. Ive been very fortunate and have made a hell of a good living here (allowing me to go to Japan and buy tons of crap). I know a ton about Korea too, but when I talk about it, I just blank stares (in Korean or English...)
Japan has a way different development history than Korea. They had a hippie movement, a good relationship with alot of stronger countries (postwar), and have tons of ..well..POHRN! Japanese women are rather awesome. well...I do love chatting to Japanese about stuff...here..well..why do I have an apple computer or play guitar when I could be with my friends or whatever...
here is not there, but both places have merit. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Stalin84
Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Location: Haebangchon, Seoul
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:44 am Post subject: |
|
|
| happiness wrote: |
| nukeday wrote: |
I think he meant "Japanese (people) only" signs.
I never saw one in Japan in 8 months, though I was refused entry to one bar in Hiroshima. I believe there was a US military base nearby.
I'd find it difficult to say that's a category where Korea would beat japan in terms of openness, though.
I also didn't need an HIV test to get a teaching visa. Or a ridiculous FBI criminal check with an apostille and a 50,000 won secret handshake with Lee Myungbak or whatever ridiculous crap Kimmi is demanding now. In that sense, we're all fingerprinted in Korea too.
Scaling back JET - again, I don't think that is an openness issue. JET is expensive (far more expensive than EPIK) and also, like EPIK, very ineffective at teaching English. The goal of JET is/was loftier though - creating a positive image of Japan in foreigners and exposing rural Japanese to foreigners. Not Minsu must learn English now! How else will he make his poor, sorrowful mother smile by gaining admission to a SKY university?
Apples and oranges there, I'd say. I'm amazed something like JET would last as long as it did.
Never asked to show my ID. The only police interaction I've heard of is people riding bicycles. They wanted to make sure they weren't drunk or riding a stolen bike. Might happen to Japanese, too.
Debito is a bit of a weirdo anyway. If he were in Korea, netizens would probably mass-crash his site and make a Naver cafe in opposition.
By the way, to the OP - Japan is amazing. Try to make a vacation there. The won exchange rate will suck, but don't let your Korean-American heritage blind you to the place. Spent 8 months in a 'burb near Osaka and Kyoto and I wish I hadn't left.
Seoul I could give or take. |
I lived in Seoul two years and I would burn it with fire.
Japan is awesome, I still have relationships with maybe 3 of my old friends in Japan, and Ive been gone for like 10 years. K-friends, when I live IN the country, not so many....I speak Japanese and am a hardcore Japan-techofile. I have tons of stuff, and I talk to the most interesting people when I go there a few times a year. Here, is not there. Ive been very fortunate and have made a hell of a good living here (allowing me to go to Japan and buy tons of crap). I know a ton about Korea too, but when I talk about it, I just blank stares (in Korean or English...)
Japan has a way different development history than Korea. They had a hippie movement, a good relationship with alot of stronger countries (postwar), and have tons of ..well..POHRN! Japanese women are rather awesome. well...I do love chatting to Japanese about stuff...here..well..why do I have an apple computer or play guitar when I could be with my friends or whatever...
here is not there, but both places have merit. |
I can see why people like Japan and find it fascinating... I do too. However, people who claim that is more open and a more accepting culture than Korean culture are at odds with what I experienced living in Japan. I did have the textbook definition of a bad school but I found Japanese people at best to be quiet and reserved and at worst to be nit picky, anal, backstabbing, hierarchical and controlling. I didn't have many experiences with Japanese people who were inbetween these two extremes (the former outside of work and the latter inside of work).
I can see why people like Japan but I've experienced more kindness, openness and warmth in my two weeks back in Seoul than I did in the entire year I lived in Japan. The only time people even talked to me on my adventures in Saitama/Tokyo/Gunma was when I was inadvertantly doing something wrong and they didn't want me to do it or they were bringing me my food. Every other kind of conversation was "eigowa shirimasen... gomenesai! byeee..." before I could even talk.
Anyway, my peronal experience is at odds with everything the Japan apologists in this thread are harping on about. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
happiness
Joined: 04 Sep 2010
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Stalin84 wrote: |
| happiness wrote: |
| nukeday wrote: |
I think he meant "Japanese (people) only" signs.
I never saw one in Japan in 8 months, though I was refused entry to one bar in Hiroshima. I believe there was a US military base nearby.
I'd find it difficult to say that's a category where Korea would beat japan in terms of openness, though.
I also didn't need an HIV test to get a teaching visa. Or a ridiculous FBI criminal check with an apostille and a 50,000 won secret handshake with Lee Myungbak or whatever ridiculous crap Kimmi is demanding now. In that sense, we're all fingerprinted in Korea too.
Scaling back JET - again, I don't think that is an openness issue. JET is expensive (far more expensive than EPIK) and also, like EPIK, very ineffective at teaching English. The goal of JET is/was loftier though - creating a positive image of Japan in foreigners and exposing rural Japanese to foreigners. Not Minsu must learn English now! How else will he make his poor, sorrowful mother smile by gaining admission to a SKY university?
Apples and oranges there, I'd say. I'm amazed something like JET would last as long as it did.
Never asked to show my ID. The only police interaction I've heard of is people riding bicycles. They wanted to make sure they weren't drunk or riding a stolen bike. Might happen to Japanese, too.
Debito is a bit of a weirdo anyway. If he were in Korea, netizens would probably mass-crash his site and make a Naver cafe in opposition.
By the way, to the OP - Japan is amazing. Try to make a vacation there. The won exchange rate will suck, but don't let your Korean-American heritage blind you to the place. Spent 8 months in a 'burb near Osaka and Kyoto and I wish I hadn't left.
Seoul I could give or take. |
I lived in Seoul two years and I would burn it with fire.
Japan is awesome, I still have relationships with maybe 3 of my old friends in Japan, and Ive been gone for like 10 years. K-friends, when I live IN the country, not so many....I speak Japanese and am a hardcore Japan-techofile. I have tons of stuff, and I talk to the most interesting people when I go there a few times a year. Here, is not there. Ive been very fortunate and have made a hell of a good living here (allowing me to go to Japan and buy tons of crap). I know a ton about Korea too, but when I talk about it, I just blank stares (in Korean or English...)
Japan has a way different development history than Korea. They had a hippie movement, a good relationship with alot of stronger countries (postwar), and have tons of ..well..POHRN! Japanese women are rather awesome. well...I do love chatting to Japanese about stuff...here..well..why do I have an apple computer or play guitar when I could be with my friends or whatever...
here is not there, but both places have merit. |
I can see why people like Japan and find it fascinating... I do too. However, people who claim that is more open and a more accepting culture than Korean culture are at odds with what I experienced living in Japan. I did have the textbook definition of a bad school but I found Japanese people at best to be quiet and reserved and at worst to be nit picky, anal, backstabbing and controlling. I didn't have many experiences with Japanese people who were inbetween these two extremes (the former outside of work and the latter inside of work).
I can see why people like Japan but I've experienced more kindness, openness and warmth in my two weeks back in Seoul than I did in the entire year I lived in Japan. The only time people even talked to me on my adventures in Saitama/Tokyo/Gunma was when I was inadvertantly doing something wrong and they didn't want me to do it or they were bringing me my food. Every other kind of conversation was "eigowa shirimasen... gomenesai! byeee..." before I could even talk.
Anyway, my peronal experience is at odds with everything the Japan apologists in this thread are harping on about. |
well, people here WANT your English. I didnt know alot of backstabbing JPNS, but there are some I wouldnt have trusted. Ive learned to keep my enemys close, at arms length  I do speak Japanese so that helped alot. Even a little can go a long way. I think it also depends on the person you are.
i dont know about schools, but Im guessing its a bit like Korea, if the teacher doesnt make concessions to understand the Japanese, they may not like you as much. Koreas the same.
oh well |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
legrande
Joined: 23 Nov 2010
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 4:47 am Post subject: |
|
|
| happiness wrote: |
| Stalin84 wrote: |
| happiness wrote: |
| nukeday wrote: |
I think he meant "Japanese (people) only" signs.
I never saw one in Japan in 8 months, though I was refused entry to one bar in Hiroshima. I believe there was a US military base nearby.
I'd find it difficult to say that's a category where Korea would beat japan in terms of openness, though.
I also didn't need an HIV test to get a teaching visa. Or a ridiculous FBI criminal check with an apostille and a 50,000 won secret handshake with Lee Myungbak or whatever ridiculous crap Kimmi is demanding now. In that sense, we're all fingerprinted in Korea too.
Scaling back JET - again, I don't think that is an openness issue. JET is expensive (far more expensive than EPIK) and also, like EPIK, very ineffective at teaching English. The goal of JET is/was loftier though - creating a positive image of Japan in foreigners and exposing rural Japanese to foreigners. Not Minsu must learn English now! How else will he make his poor, sorrowful mother smile by gaining admission to a SKY university?
Apples and oranges there, I'd say. I'm amazed something like JET would last as long as it did.
Never asked to show my ID. The only police interaction I've heard of is people riding bicycles. They wanted to make sure they weren't drunk or riding a stolen bike. Might happen to Japanese, too.
Debito is a bit of a weirdo anyway. If he were in Korea, netizens would probably mass-crash his site and make a Naver cafe in opposition.
By the way, to the OP - Japan is amazing. Try to make a vacation there. The won exchange rate will suck, but don't let your Korean-American heritage blind you to the place. Spent 8 months in a 'burb near Osaka and Kyoto and I wish I hadn't left.
Seoul I could give or take. |
I lived in Seoul two years and I would burn it with fire.
Japan is awesome, I still have relationships with maybe 3 of my old friends in Japan, and Ive been gone for like 10 years. K-friends, when I live IN the country, not so many....I speak Japanese and am a hardcore Japan-techofile. I have tons of stuff, and I talk to the most interesting people when I go there a few times a year. Here, is not there. Ive been very fortunate and have made a hell of a good living here (allowing me to go to Japan and buy tons of crap). I know a ton about Korea too, but when I talk about it, I just blank stares (in Korean or English...)
Japan has a way different development history than Korea. They had a hippie movement, a good relationship with alot of stronger countries (postwar), and have tons of ..well..POHRN! Japanese women are rather awesome. well...I do love chatting to Japanese about stuff...here..well..why do I have an apple computer or play guitar when I could be with my friends or whatever...
here is not there, but both places have merit. |
I can see why people like Japan and find it fascinating... I do too. However, people who claim that is more open and a more accepting culture than Korean culture are at odds with what I experienced living in Japan. I did have the textbook definition of a bad school but I found Japanese people at best to be quiet and reserved and at worst to be nit picky, anal, backstabbing and controlling. I didn't have many experiences with Japanese people who were inbetween these two extremes (the former outside of work and the latter inside of work).
I can see why people like Japan but I've experienced more kindness, openness and warmth in my two weeks back in Seoul than I did in the entire year I lived in Japan. The only time people even talked to me on my adventures in Saitama/Tokyo/Gunma was when I was inadvertantly doing something wrong and they didn't want me to do it or they were bringing me my food. Every other kind of conversation was "eigowa shirimasen... gomenesai! byeee..." before I could even talk.
Anyway, my peronal experience is at odds with everything the Japan apologists in this thread are harping on about. |
well, people here WANT your English. I didnt know alot of backstabbing JPNS, but there are some I wouldnt have trusted. Ive learned to keep my enemys close, at arms length I do speak Japanese so that helped alot. Even a little can go a long way. I think it also depends on the person you are.
i dont know about schools, but Im guessing its a bit like Korea, if the teacher doesnt make concessions to understand the Japanese, they may not like you as much. Koreas the same.
oh well |
I lived there a while. Things really turned around when I took a few intensive classes in the lingo. Once I became conversant and could understand what everyone was chattering on about...ALLA KA SHAZAM!- entered a totally different world. In a sense similar to what happens here, but on so many levels not really, because there are so many levels of fascination going on, we're talking distinct outer galaxy subcultures co-existing in swirling disarray yet somehow coalescing on the fundamental Tokyo and Kansai maxim: "Don't live a boring existence."
All the same you do have a lot of backbiters, boring people, sore losers, preposterous posers, just like anywhere else. Sometimes ridiculously closed, anal, and cliquey. Yeah, because the bar is set pretty high, people generally don't let their guard down as readily as they do here and open up to you right away. When they do, however, it's not unheard of for them to be more committed and sincere. Overall, l found it to be a far more fascinating, and, yes, advanced place (naturally they are wanting in some areas as well).
Got time for a mind-blowing read? Don't mind a bit of darkness? Could do worse than "The Black Lizard" by Edogawa Rampo.
Terms of cinema, Kurosawa's "Hidden Fortress" (cited by Lucas as the inspiration for Star Wars), "Yojimbo" (see where they got Dirty Harry from), or "Lady Snowblood"/"Joshyuu Sasori pt. I-III" (Tarantino's blueprint for Kill Bill) ain't too bad.
Oh, and Van Gogh, Monet, and Klimt also owe a bit of debt. Which means, like, everyone else does. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
the4th2001
Joined: 12 May 2009
Location: Tokyo
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:36 am Post subject: Re: Japan is turning more inward than Korea |
|
|
| hondaicivic wrote: |
http://www.debito.org/
I just got done reading this blog by this Debito guy in Japan and it seems that Japan is regressing and turning more inward than ever before. Has anyone notice this or can have any ideas what's going on over there?
Ex:
1) Japanese only sign still prevalent
2) Finger printing all foreigners entering the country
3) Random stop by the police for ID check for any foreign looking persons
4) Scaling back JET
5) Number of foreigners residing have dropped in the last couple of years. |
David (Dabito) is Japan's version of Glenn Beck. He has a decent following and makes valid points from time to time, but he typically attacks and blows problems out of proportion while saying it's okay because he's a naturalized Japanese. People newer to Japan and/or with limited experiences (they live in a bubble) tend to flow with his predominately negative outlook on things.
1. Places that are either very shady (bars, brothels, hostess clubs, gambling joints) or places that have had problems with foreigners in the past (like the onsen he dragged through the mud in the late 90s, ryoukan, some smaller bars) post those signs. They're not as prevalent as he would like people to believe.
2. That started in November, 2007. The US has a longer history of doing it.
3. This is case-by-case. It's only happened to me a couple of times and each time was late at night while I was walking around my neighborhood. The police here will stop anybody for any reason though. I've seen a countless number of (Japanese) cyclists pulled over so that the police could verify the bikes registration numbers. I've also seen several young, Japanese kids stopped and checked.
David likes to say that if you are caught without your card, you WILL be arrested and you WILL be fined. From my own experience and the experiences of others that I know, it's never happened. If anything, the police will take you to where your card is so that you can show it to them. Or, they'll take you to the local police box and take down your information.
4. JET is a failing program that's costing the Japanese tax payers a lot of money. Since JET was implemented, Japan's English test scores remained fairly stagnate and then as of the last couple of years, started to decline. Japan ranks below the majority of Asian countries, including North Korea. Anyway though, with public debt at roughly 200% of GDP, the government is looking to cut as many meaningless programs as possible. JET just so happens to be one of them.
5. True. However, it's also been a lot harder to find work as an English teacher, other sectors of the economy are hurting (meaning few to no jobs for even Japanese), and with the yen as strong as it is, fewer people are able to come here to study. What would you expect? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
the4th2001
Joined: 12 May 2009
Location: Tokyo
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Kwangjuchicken
Joined: 01 Sep 2003
Location: I was abducted by aliens on my way to Korea and forced to be an EFL teacher on this crazy planet.
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
| nero wrote: |
They got the shit bombed out of them in the only nuclear attack in the history of the world. I'm surprised the Japanese let Americans into the friggen country in the first place. It suited them and they hired westerners and now they see the farce that it is and will move on. It's business.
As an aside, they seem far more secure doing their own shit. Koreans are constant followers. I hope, eventually, Koreans will grow up and become their own people without that constant inferiority complex - 'look at us - no.1' annoying b.s. I guess when the rest of Asia is done and done with learning English they will realise it's not proof of how developed you are and follow suit. |
I saw on TV last year something I did not know about. Before they dropped the first A-Bomb, America basically wiped Tokyo off the face of the earth with "regular" bombs. When the Japanese did not surrender, then A-Bomb One, then The Second One. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:38 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Kwangjuchicken wrote: |
| nero wrote: |
They got the shit bombed out of them in the only nuclear attack in the history of the world. I'm surprised the Japanese let Americans into the friggen country in the first place. It suited them and they hired westerners and now they see the farce that it is and will move on. It's business.
As an aside, they seem far more secure doing their own shit. Koreans are constant followers. I hope, eventually, Koreans will grow up and become their own people without that constant inferiority complex - 'look at us - no.1' annoying b.s. I guess when the rest of Asia is done and done with learning English they will realise it's not proof of how developed you are and follow suit. |
I saw on TV last year something I did not know about. Before they dropped the first A-Bomb, America basically wiped Tokyo off the face of the earth with "regular" bombs. When the Japanese did not surrender, then A-Bomb One, then The Second One. |
I've read also that after a bombing raid, they would start rebuilding buildings almost immediately. Also, Japan still ran their inter-city trains in-and-out of Hiroshima after the dropping of the A-bomb, that is hardcore. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:46 am Post subject: |
|
|
| nero wrote: |
| I'm surprised the Japanese let Americans into the friggen country in the first place. |
Ah...Unconditional Surrender... they had no choice in the matter, lucky it wasn't the Russians they had to surrender to. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Lastrova
Joined: 30 Dec 2010
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 4:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Stalin84 wrote: |
I can see why people like Japan but I've experienced more kindness, openness and warmth in my two weeks back in Seoul than I did in the entire year I lived in Japan. The only time people even talked to me on my adventures in Saitama/Tokyo/Gunma was when I was inadvertantly doing something wrong and they didn't want me to do it or they were bringing me my food. Every other kind of conversation was "eigowa shirimasen... gomenesai! byeee..." before I could even talk.
Anyway, my peronal experience is at odds with everything the Japan apologists in this thread are harping on about. |
Wow! That's too bad. Some of my favorite memories of kindness from strangers was in Japan. Too many to name in many, many different cities and prefectures. This also includes getting gouged by an after hours "upstairs" bar for $50 bucks for one beer in the first week, so it's not like I didn't see the dark side as well. Kindness in Korea is not without merit, but it has never been as spontaneous and without some kind of self-interest. For example, just recently, a very nice Korean family took me on a trip, paid all expenses, and treated me VIP. It was a great time--except for too much driving--but the father did jokingly tell me that he would get 5 hours of free English. I didn't mind at all, but it was quite different to the hospitality in Japan. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
redaxe
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 7:12 am Post subject: Re: Japan is turning more inward than Korea |
|
|
| Tiger Beer wrote: |
However, your 4 & 5, the english interest levels are nowhere near as high as Korea. However, Japan is trying to follow some of Korea's example to instill it at a younger age. That being said, Japan seems to attract a lot of foreigners from all over the world who are obsessed about Japan and who come in knowing a high level of Japanese. I see foreigners all over the place here who are quite conversational in Japanese. In return, most Japanese only speak Japanese to them and with them, in restaurants, in the streets, etc.
|
Tomato really should have gone to Japan. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
redaxe
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 7:17 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Stalin84 wrote: |
I can see why people like Japan and find it fascinating... I do too. However, people who claim that is more open and a more accepting culture than Korean culture are at odds with what I experienced living in Japan. I did have the textbook definition of a bad school but I found Japanese people at best to be quiet and reserved and at worst to be nit picky, anal, backstabbing, hierarchical and controlling. I didn't have many experiences with Japanese people who were inbetween these two extremes (the former outside of work and the latter inside of work).
|
...and this is different from Koreans how?
I find the two cultures very similar, except that the Japanese are a little more aloof and don't care as much or try as hard. I guess this article reflects that. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
happiness
Joined: 04 Sep 2010
|
| Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 6:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
the japanese english boom was the late 60s-70 and then again during the 80s-early 90s bubble, but it was not motivated by test scores so much like the Korean, it was born alot of the 50-60s rush on fresh massmedia from the us, esp music. In the 80s-early 90s, Japan was rather booming and they started travelling alot. Japan also imports tons and makes tons, and innovates alot, alot of people dont need to go outside of Japan, like many Americans dont need to leave the US (and dont!).
Korea doesnt have any of this and never have, I feel Korea is basically an exporting country and now needs to to survive, and when China starts to get their game up, who knows then. Seems the only thing really inspiring Koreans English fever is those tests to get into those coveted jobs their dying grannies still rant on about, the big kings of Korea, Samsung or LG and ....THANK GOD for those grannies! They give us jobs and probably will for a while. I doubt Korea will suddenly right itself have tons of great English speakers.
Koreas confucianism is pain in whiteys side, but it keep the locals driven. Now, is that a good thing or not, its debatable. But it does keep the money machine rolling, no? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
