Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[iswriting]

I'm a Japanese girl!
Please tell me about Japan's image!!

[Bob S.]

Polite
Punctual
Homogeneous
Technologically advanced
Industrious
Insular
Obsessed with "cute"
Long-lived
Adaptive
Hierarchical

[ltp-008]

Japan is a democratic and free country,most Japanese are industrious and intelligent,a few years ago in Sydney I knew two Japanese girls and one boys who were very friendly and hardworking,they came to Sydney to study ,we were in same school.Although one girls 'family own a business,she didn't rely on her family for her finance supporting.She had a Brazilian boyfriend who didn't take her very seriously ,so she decided to go abroad in order to forget him.While studying at school she worked at Japanese restaurant in the evening as part-time job.Another girl is very interesting,maybe she fell into love with one of my friends,but my friend didn't realize her feeling,now the girl had returned to Japan,I don't know how their relationship is now.The Japanese boy was very humour ,he used to carry some flowers to the classroom,we didn't know why he bring flowers , he alway told us that he would give the flowers to someone he liked ,when we finally found he sold flowers as his part-time job,we all laughed.

I like to read historic books,so I know some Japanese history,in the first half twenty century,Japan was one of world powerful nations,Japan accupied big half of China and many Asia countries,if without the help from the U.S.and Soviets Union ,the China and other Asia countries couldn't easily defeat Japan,back then Japanese militarism regime did some harmful things to many Asia countries.Japan itself also suffered a lot during WWT,for instance,the two nuclear bombs attacked two Japanese cities at the end of WWT.

Japan is a great country,after WWT, Japan was in ruins ,but Japanese rebuilt their country very quickly and efficently ,soon after the World War Two Japan became economic power in the world,now Japan is second largest economy in the world following the U.S.

I think why Japan success in global economy is that Japanese government pays a close attention to education,therefor Japanese are highly educated and they can compete with other industried nations .

[manolita]

Hi i,m spanish girl and i think thay people in the world has a very good impression of japan because they are very intelligent they has always showed every millenium so you can do very proud of your country.

[ClarissaMach]

Well, I am from Brazil, and Japan means a lot of things to me... I must confess that, during my childhood, it meant only those anima series like "Saint Seya" (I guess this was the name in English; the main characters were the warriors Seiya, Shiryu, Hyoga, and Shun), that were a fever here in Brazil by the time I was 12.

Then, at school, I�ve learnt about some tragic episodes of Japanese history, such as the dropping of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Second World War (when I was a teen I was told that those cities were full of children, women and old people by the time they were hit, because they were "countryside" cities).

I�ve also learnt that Japan is a country which managed to reconstruct itself after the War, specially by investing in Education (I was told that Japanese boys and girls are accustomed to studying really hard; and that, when they are about 14-years-old, they have to do a very difficult exam; some of them, if they don't pass it, simply decide to commit suicide. Is it true?).

I have also been told that women are not always treated like equals by men. That a Japanese wife must walk right behind her husband, but not by his side (I guess it belongs to the past, doesn�t it?). And by the way, I�ve heard that most of Japanese women don�t think themselves beautiful. What I think is incredible, for I think they�re so beautiful! Specially their hair, it�s always so perfect! So strong! How could them possibly want to change so much?

Well, these are some of the things I know about Japan (I'm sorry for any writting mistakes).
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Stormy Weather.

[03mie17]

Hi.I"m Japanese.18 years old.

Now, it's not natural for Japanese woman to walk her husband back. In the past, that seemed popular.
But, this is things that Japanese woman is humility,kindness of heart ...
I like those woman and want to be that woman.
True of beauty is sparkle of heart, kind consideration..
But ,recently many people have forgotten that. They only look at their
appearance, face, fasshion.
I want people to realize the sparkle of heart!!
So I try to make my heart sparkle!!
Thanks...

[AdamChen]

[*river*]

Japanese are polite, friendly, decent, self-confedent . the country is flourish,clean.

[Ducky]

Many Americans view Japanese culture as a little wierd, not bad, but very different from American culture. Japanese people are seen as very polite, and because of stereotype very very smart.

[callatis]

Hm. If you are curious enough, watch this link.If I think better,I am not very friendly.Sorry.http://www2.rz.hu-berlin.de/sexology/GESUND/ARCHIV/IES/JAPAN.HTM
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Dic puer magister.

[iswriting]

Your topic is very usuful because I am intrested in Japan's image for others.
I have a time that talk about japan's culture.But I don't know yet. Many people answerd this question so that I colud know that how is japan's culture.
Some one said polite. I think so. And I think hardworking, Japan have old histry, technology and fasshionable.

[KIMYEAHYUN]

One day, one japanese woman came over and asked a phone call (I am Korean and I live in Korea). We thought it is a call within Korea, but she actaully made a phone call to Japan!!

In contrast, the person whom I met in japan was really gentle and honest.
I've been to japan last year.
by mistake, I paid 1000 yen forgot to get change (cuz I thought they are 100yen)
when I went to back to the store and I found out that she saved that money for me..
I was impressed, cuz you know, she simply might have said that she doesnt know what that money is.. but, she was very honest and that impressed me. Generally speaking, Japaneses are so kind and honest.

[seventy-two]

i've met very few japanese but the ones i've met were all very polite and friendly.

i also think japanese people are very hardworking and smart.

just one question, though, especially for all the japanese in this forum: is their a particular way of leave-taking for the japanese when they are invited to dinner?

i ask this because one time, my husband and i invited a japanese couple to our home for dinner. and we were chatting when all of a sudden, the Japanese wife checked her watch and said, "it's 8pm" and they both stood up, said thank you (more than a couple of times) and bowed (more than a couple of times) and then left. all this in just about a minute.

when they left, my husband and i tried to remember any gesture or word that we could have made or said to offend them. but there isn't a thing we could think of.

we thought perhaps they had another appointment (it was a Sunday and we all had to work at 8am the following day), or perhaps ... i don't know, they didn't like the food (they did stay to eat for a couple of hours).
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dum vivimus vivamus

[Kitsune]

Everyone knows about the polite, punctual, etc part of Japan's image. However, Japan's image is slowly changing. Japan is an influential world power and that attracts people from around the world to interact with the country. Inevitably, Japan adopts customs of these other countries. Japan has adopted western clothes, and to some extent, traditions, mannerisms, and governmental structure. Even the Japanese language has adopted altered English words to fill gaps. I don't know just how much the Japanese culture will change in the future, but it will. It will. It can't be helped. To be honest, I wish it would not change. I would prefer kimonos to jeans. -And I don't like this whole "melting pot" idea America has. I prefer the idea of a "tossed salad", where each culture contributes its own distinctive, unique flavor. Japan has such a wonderfully profound flavor that I feel would be a great loss if it were dulled. Long live the image of Japan!
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I do not know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. -Tolkien

[Ago Taku]

most japanese people would think that it is kinda rude if they are invited to friend's house and stay there too long. I would think that I don't want to bother you.