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If Japan is such a terrible country, why are you in Japan?

I'm going to start a new topic on a similar idea, but heres a point I want to make; If you don't live in Japan, and have not lived in Japan for an extended period, I don't think you should be giving any opinion on this topic.
But how are you going to truly know? I mean look at the location of the OP?
 
I was hoping that honesty would be enough unless people wish to act like little children.
 
PeaceCorp; If Japan is such a terrible country,..

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Anybody see value in my use of Peace Corp Whines-and-Complainers

The Peace Corp whiners and complainers

- -> They whine and complain their whole lives

- -> Peace Corp assignment is a lot of work, and not much to show; whine and complain

- -> Peace Corp assignment turned out very different than expected; whine and complain

- -> Peace Corp assignment was to be "Shangria-La", they ended in a old dirty place; whine and complain

- -> Peace Corp assignment; they are young, naive, and immature emmontially

- -> Peace Corp assignment; they have run into personnel problems, and blame the country and society they are in.

- -> Peace Corp assignment; unhappy just blame the most obvious thing that has changed in your life

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I don't think Ewok's comment was directed at anyone.

We saw your post the first time, TuskCracker. There wasn't a need to make an identical post again.
 
I'm going to start a new topic on a similar idea, but heres a point I want to make; If you don't live in Japan, and have not lived in Japan for an extended period, I don't think you should be giving any opinion on this topic.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?
Me?:?
 
I'm going to start a new topic on a similar idea, but heres a point I want to make; If you don't live in Japan, and have not lived in Japan for an extended period, I don't think you should be giving any opinion on this topic.
Feel free to start up a new thread if you wish, Ewok85, but I disagree with you on this one. Even people who have never lived in or been to Japan can have pertinent things to contribute to this thread.

Let's just say that an illegal immigrant in the U.S. happened to join this forum and see this thread. Illegal immigrants are not very welcome by the general populace nowadays (or so I gather from the news), so they face a lot of obstacles, too. I would be most interested in hearing their take on this subject.

Of course even if we are so fortunate to have such a member in the future, most of us here (at Jref) live under different circumstances. But the point is that if one's observations are sound and pertinent, where they live and have lived shouldn't be an issue. Living in Japan is not some exclusive club.

The OP is a perfectly reasonable question. On this forum and others, we often hear foreigners complain quite a bit about Japan. From an objective standpoint, it does stand to reason that one would wonder why they stay. I think it's also good for us to reflect on why we do stay here, anyway.

For me, this is simply my life. I couldn't imagine living anywhere else right now. Things here are the norm, and I am quite comfortable.
 
.... Living in Japan is not some exclusive club.

Agreed. That attitude often comes across in some postings.

The OP is a perfectly reasonable question. On this forum and others, we often hear foreigners complain quite a bit about Japan. From an objective standpoint, it does stand to reason that one would wonder why they stay. I think it's also good for us to reflect on why we do stay here, anyway.


I would say its like working a bad job. You hate it and have good reason for hating it. But outside responsibilities, perhaps to career or family, keep you from just walking away. Not everyone is single and young.
 
I would say its like working a bad job. You hate it and have good reason for hating it. But outside responsibilities, perhaps to career or family, keep you from just walking away. Not everyone is single and young.

I agree completely, but I'll cut dicek some slack on this one. There are aspects of Japan that I like, but there are quite a few that have me planning a departure some time soon, as soon as it is economically possible.
 
Peace Corp. If Japan is such a terrible....

We saw your post the first time, TuskCracker. There wasn't a need to make an identical post again.
Theis so many smart people in this forum, i wanted to provoke some feedback. Got your point. Know better next time. Peace Corp experience is 2.3 years (includes training)
 
Well to be honest i don't know much about Japan, i mean the real thing, actual life, but still i want to go there, so im learning the language, when i will be there, i will decide if its good for me or not, but you know, if i don't learn the language, i will probably feel that no, this ain't my place, and you know, its way way easier to learn a language when it plays a part in your goals, some people need to encourage themselves more, some people don't, so my opinion is, the people who rant too much about living in Japan, and how Japan is the best just want to justify their actions, they are not proving their determination to you, its more like they're proving it to themselves, so just ingore them and let them be, you can easly tell who is serious, who is serious but needs a little encouragement, and who is a complete ***** who just likes to BS about talking any given language without even opening a language related book. And even though i know almost nothing about Japan, i can tell that no, it can't be that terrible, otherwise we'd hear in the news all the time about the disasters its economy or whatever is facing, its not better or worse, its just different, i mean every single time before you go to a foreign country, you put its merits and flaws on a scale and decide if you wanna go there, than you go there, see it for yourself, discard the old outdated and false information if necessary and decide if you want to stay. We don't have reactions coded into our genes, so some people may like a thing, some may detest it, but one thing is for certain, if you want to experience the sunny side of a country have spine to take the shite without complaining.
Well feel free to disagree.
 
Agreed. That attitude often comes across in some postings.
I would say its like working a bad job. You hate it and have good reason for hating it. But outside responsibilities, perhaps to career or family, keep you from just walking away. Not everyone is single and young.

I am "one example" that had "run away from"... I am not single, I am not young...
I had try hard to adapt to Japan, to be nice (including making presents to all around me when I returned back to Japan from my home-country) and I had try hard to make contacts to the japanese around me, but the result was that I get in exchange only hate and rude behavior from them.
Reasons to run out ? Many.
Only some example :
1. One day I complained about to much noise at my window for days long (and I had no other room where to hide in silent, I was cold, sitting in the bed, having feever and head-ake) and the answer was nice: "this is our country, if you don't like it - GO HOME". (it was first time to say something "bad" and I get this answer from one of the japanese, that I was considering my best japanese friend)
2. obligated to do cleaning work on Cristmas Day (25 Dec) on the grounds of the apartment house, and because I delayed 20 minutes to start the job, I had been panished to clean for 2 weeks (1 hour every day) in Summer alone the trash room (10 m x 6 m)
3. I like very much flowers, and at my window I was having 4 different flower bushes. Because one of my japanese friend had hear how proud I was about my flowers, one day she was watching me going from home, and when I arrived back, there were no more flowers - empty ground remain under my window, and it was no reason to do that, at the other windows there remained flower bushes alive, but not at my window.
This are only some of my bad experiences.
Yes, I had many nice experiences, but after a bad experience even if it happens once a month, I am very sad weeks long, sometimes, and sometimes I am not recovered after the before one and get a new bad experience.
I get borred about this "up" and "down" life style and give up. I had grow up and lived (and live) in a very calm and nice "environment" and I can not understand why people can hate so much the "other", and why they like to make the "other one" to feel bad, only as a "hobby" ?
(but, maybe the problem was, I was not an ordinary woman, I had published 2 books - before the "bad moments" - and they knew this, I had give an interview that was published in a local magazine - in that city - and invited to some popular meetings in that city. - none of my japanese friend was having some similar experiences)
Now, I am visiting Japan for 2-3 months a year (because my husband is living there) and I am never specking again to the other japanese (except greeting or shop clerk). I can not resist more there.
Also because so much stress my medical condition started to go bad.
I think I had take the best decision, and my husband understand my condition, so it is not a problem for our family. (or at least I hope it is not)

Lia
 
Although i dunno much about the social situation of Japan, i have to say, if my friends would be so rude towards me (seriously rude, not just teasing me) i'd tell them to die, i don't want to believe that a whole nation can be that cruel and rude, after all we're living in the 21st century. You know there's trash among us, among you, among everyone, just kick trash away, ignore it.
 
Lia1966 I can see why you got out of Japan. Those people where horrid examples for any country.

I could never live in Japan. Thier way of living, what I have see of it, just doesn't compare to what I already have here in America. I have found the people to be nice enough, but I like space..I own a 4500 sq foot house on 2.5 acres of land...and from what in have seen I might be able to get the same in Japan if I don't mind long commutes and I hate commutes. I did the crowded train bit fun for a tourist, but not so much fun if I had to do it everyday.

Japan is a nice place to viste for me, but living there I am like you I say "no thanks".
 
Japanese culture has entrenched clannishness & in-group mentality is prevalent in overall society ( just my 2 cents )
 
I have been reading all the answers on this thread.

I have been 2 weeks in Japan in 2000, so I can't nor do I have any rights to judge the Jananese people.
But I have a question for the foreigners living in Japan;

Do Japanese have a good sense of humour? It is very important when friends and colleagues can laugh together and about themselves.

I have worked and lived in several countries for years and I grew up in the Far East, I know that laughter does make even an iceberg melt away. Hence my question, is there a good sense of humour to be found in Japan, among the Japanese?
Can the Japanese people laugh about themselves? I wonder.
 
Do Japanese have a good sense of humour? It is very important when friends and colleagues can laugh together and about themselves.

They have a different sense of humour. Sometimes I think it is funny, and sometimes it is just so lame that I can't even give a reaction about it.

It is indeed very important, and I do see a lot of humour in my working eviroment, the elementary schools.
 
I have been reading all the answers on this thread.

I have been 2 weeks in Japan in 2000, so I can't nor do I have any rights to judge the Jananese people.
But I have a question for the foreigners living in Japan;

Do Japanese have a good sense of humour? It is very important when friends and colleagues can laugh together and about themselves.

I have worked and lived in several countries for years and I grew up in the Far East, I know that laughter does make even an iceberg melt away. Hence my question, is there a good sense of humour to be found in Japan, among the Japanese?
Can the Japanese people laugh about themselves? I wonder.

You raise a really interesting point here which could probably create a standalone topic by itself. The Japanese sense of humor. I'll quickly add 2en here. In general I think the thing that Japanese humor lacks (whether this is because the syntax of the language doesn't permit it, or whether it's simply not done for social reasons I do not know) is SARCASM. My friends and family sometimes have difficulty picking up on sarcasm in either language. My Japanese is quite unpolished but even slight sarcasm is sometimes misinterpreted or missed completely. It's even more difficult with strangers I'd imagine.The more we're able to laugh with one another, and AT one another, the more it takes the edge off our differences and strips away the seriousness which can become a barrier. I think this would really help in a situation where gaijin/nihonjin cultural norms are at odds. Perhaps the Japanese sense of politeness also prevents people from poking fun at one others in a serious situation.
 
I have been reading all the answers on this thread.
I have been 2 weeks in Japan in 2000, so I can't nor do I have any rights to judge the Jananese people.
But I have a question for the foreigners living in Japan;
Do Japanese have a good sense of humour? It is very important when friends and colleagues can laugh together and about themselves.
I have worked and lived in several countries for years and I grew up in the Far East, I know that laughter does make even an iceberg melt away. Hence my question, is there a good sense of humour to be found in Japan, among the Japanese?
Can the Japanese people laugh about themselves? I wonder.
yes and yes

Is it the same humor as your own? Not necessarily. Stand-up comedy here is big business, and people make jokes about society all the time on stage.

People that I found who can laugh at my jokes are the ones who have a similar personality. The ones who understand some of the subtle humor are the more well-traveled.
 
In general I think the thing that Japanese humor lacks (whether this is because the syntax of the language doesn't permit it, or whether it's simply not done for social reasons I do not know) is SARCASM.
I don't think this is true at all. The JET handbook says that Japanese people don't understand sarcasm, but I disagree. Japanese people definitely use sarcasm, and a lot. Obviously it's not exactly the same as sarcasm in English, but it's there.
Sarcasm is often very subtle, and a slight change in intonation or word choice can often make it uninterpretable. Anyone who has misinterpreted sarcasm on the internet knows this. So this misconception comes about from three factors:
1. The foreigner is not conveying the sarcasm in Japanese the way a Japanese person would.
2. The Japanese listener is not expecting to hear sarcasm from a foreigner with limited Japanese abilities, and misses it.
3. The Japanese listener is not well-versed enough in English to interpret it in an English sentence.

Japanese people may have trouble catching onto sarcasm from a foreigner, but they definitely use it when they are speaking.
 
I don't think this is true at all. The JET handbook says that Japanese people don't understand sarcasm, but I disagree. Japanese people definitely use sarcasm, and a lot. Obviously it's not exactly the same as sarcasm in English, but it's there.
Sarcasm is often very subtle, and a slight change in intonation or word choice can often make it uninterpretable. Anyone who has misinterpreted sarcasm on the internet knows this. So this misconception comes about from three factors:
1. The foreigner is not conveying the sarcasm in Japanese the way a Japanese person would.
2. The Japanese listener is not expecting to hear sarcasm from a foreigner with limited Japanese abilities, and misses it.
3. The Japanese listener is not well-versed enough in English to interpret it in an English sentence.

Japanese people may have trouble catching onto sarcasm from a foreigner, but they definitely use it when they are speaking.
I agree, sarcasm is used quite a lot over here.
 
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