Those damn Japanese kids....

[junjunforever]

Kids will be kids.

quote of the thread.

 

[Han Chan]

I think that most japanese children grows up seeing a lot of goofy westerners in children programmes in TV. When they they see you they hope that you might pull of a stunt that will make anyone laugh. I am sure that the children does not mean to annoy you. If their behavior really is a problem to you, I suggest that you tell their parents - in a polite way.

Whe you go to strange places you should expect to be causing some attention. In Nepal I experienced kid who found it very interesting to observe me when I ran to the bushes due to diarrhea. I felt annoyed and humiliated, but later i have only laughed at this.

Keep using your sense of humour - its the best cure for stress.

 

[Ultraman]

Harden up

What a brilliant thread! Thanks for reviving it tomorrow_apple.

The kids have English hamered into them at school, parroting the ALT, and by most accounts having a **** time of it.

They see a gaijin strolling down the street, and there is a real life english speaking oppurtunity. It comes out as drivel, but it is in English.
If the gaijin is uncomfortable, the parents are observing the effectiveness of their kids education. The kids speak, and it has effect.

Brilliant!

By the time these kids grow up, shy/proud/insular and adult mumbling how terrible their english is...

Give the kids a break and reply to the most coherent salutation.
Or find the english teacher at the local school and give some positive feedback. Christ knows the english teacher could always do with a bit of encouragement.

 

[Han Chan]

I've had this happen to me a few times, both with children and adults. They will randomly start talking to me in English, with random phrases that don't have any meaning. Most of the time, it's all innocent fun though. It usually takes me a while to figure out that they are 'practicing' their English one me, since I'm a gaijin, instead of being rude. haha.

Japanese are not the only ones who try to have some fun talking english to strangers:
If you walk down the street in India, you'll hear "how do you do?" and "where do you come from?". I used to get fed up of this, but then I learned to laugh at it - and I felt much better. When Indians doe to confusion asks "how do you come?", I merely smile and respond: "I am fine".

 

[MadamePapillon]

Everywhere you go you'll find jerk kids. A while back when I was going to school in the US I was reading a manga on the school bus and some punk kid asked me what it was so I told him it was a japanese comic and without a second thought he started 'ching chong chinging' me.

I've been hassled for being half black before but this was just wierd, like second hand discrimination or something. Racism by association. XD

 

[maushan3]

If you walk down the street in India, you'll hear "how do you do?" and "where do you come from?". I used to get fed up of this, but then I learned to laugh at it - and I felt much better. When Indians doe to confusion asks "how do you come?", I merely smile and respond: "I am fine".

Most people in India do speak English. In fact, it is the way Indians from different parts of the country communicate with each other, since nearly all are taught English and their local dialect. So they might tell you that just because you look different to them and are a novelty, but they speak English as a first language.

Mauricio

 

[Han Chan]

Most people in India do speak English. In fact, it is the way Indians from different parts of the country communicate with each other, since nearly all are taught English and their local dialect. So they might tell you that just because you look different to them and are a novelty, but they speak English as a first language.
Mauricio

Most educated people in India speak English, but the majority of the population hardly speak a word of English. However, my point is that instead of getting more and more angry when people are trying to make the parrot speak, you'll get a much better time if you choose to take a humouristic stance.

 

[jaytee]

I often had kids staring at me, whispering to each other then, one would shout 'haroo' and they'd all run off, and i mean run. They'd leg it all the way down the street until i was out of sight.

Now u may see that just as their shyness, but when i'm in a street with a few hundred university, junior and high school students walking past, it's f*cking embarassing to say the least, and moreover it's annoying, and i actually love kids and working with them!

 

[Kyoto Returnee]

I think it's wrong, but I'm sure their would be excuses behind it.

I was once walking behind a Mother in Kyoto down a small quite laneway.

Mum was pushing her little Kid, about two years old In a stroller.

the kid kept turning to look at me and the Mother kept telling her not to look.

To be honest, I found the Mother's comments to the child very disturbing.

Most two year olds would look as looking is what our eyes tell us to.

The point is, the Mother was obviously telling the child not to look as she probably thought it was rude to look at a Gaijin..

Funnier things have happened to me in Japan!

Try walking down a busy small laneway in Bangkok, and all the kids are staring and screaming out to you "FARANG" which means foreigner in Thai..

They don't perceive it to be rude, but I tell you what, It is bloody embarassing!

 

[JapanAlex]

In the spirit of controversy, I'd like to bring up another subject; the behavior of little Japanese kids and gaijin. For background, I work at a high school in a suburb of Osaka. I take a train to and from work everyday. My school is about a 15 minute walk from the station. On the way, I pass several elementary schools and one middle school. After school, I usually run into masses of children on their way home. Now, what bothers me is this: Everyday, I am greeted by loud and obnoxious yells of these little kids. Before you go ahead and berate me for not being patient with these youngsters, let me explain. I have no problem smiling, waving, and answering all the little kids who just want to say hello. I always do. BUT, that isn't what annoys me.
Take this for example: I was walking home the other day and ran into a group of children with their parents standing in front of school. One kid looks at me, points, and blurts out something like this:
"Herro! I rike hambaga. Preesed to, apuru! chiiizuubaga!"
and then proceeds to ramble off a bunch of funny sounds made up words, apparently trying to sound like he was speaking English. Other kids got in on it, and it disintegrated into general laughter. The parents, standing there next to their kids, looked on with polite smiles, laughed abit, and didn't do a damn thing.
This kind of thing doesn't happen often, but I still think it's completely unacceptable. Imagine if this happened in America. A bunch of, say, Caucasian people standing in front of a school and an Asian-looking teacher walks out. Imagine if the kids started yelling,
"Nihow! I like fried rice! Lui kang ching-chang-fuhoo!?"
Besides the fact that it's completely insulting, I don't know any parents who would tolerate their children acting like that, at least in public. There are other points to consider, too.
One: These children instantly assume anyone foreign-looking speaks English.
Two: Parents are reinforcing these stereotypes.
Like I said, this kind of thing doesn't happen often. When it does, I can usually just ignore it. Sometimes, of course, I can't. A few days ago I was having a bad day and just couldn't take it in stride, and not only did I not answer the kids but even scowled a little. THIS got some mean looks from the parents, which in turn only made me angrier.
I've talked to some other foreigners in Japan about this. Some suggest I go and explain to the parents that their children's behavior is inappropriate. Others have suggested that it's not their fault, and I should merely remind myself that most Japanese people don't have a good deal of experience with foreigners, and therefore don't know how to act appropriately.
What do you think?

you should check out my Japanese are bad parents thread.

 

[skim]

Imagine if this happened in America. A bunch of, say, Caucasian people standing in front of a school and an Asian-looking teacher walks out. Imagine if the kids started yelling,
"Nihow! I like fried rice! Lui kang ching-chang-fuhoo!?"
Besides the fact that it's completely insulting, I don't know any parents who would tolerate their children acting like that, at least in public.

Oh yeah, kids pull that kind of stuff on me every single week (used to be everyday) where I work. Dumb stuff like
"Hi Mrs. Chan, where's my spring rolls"
(disrupts class to ask "Do you know Jet Li?"
Kids will always be stupid. But it's also within my power to give them the harshest punishments for these kinds of rude, inconsiderate actions, be it detention, phone call or letter home, or an in or out of school suspension.
If they can't behave like civilized people, they don't belong in my classroom.

 

[signosis]

Interesting.

 

[Ashikaga]

Interesting.

What is?

 

[Chidoriashi]

I have never seen little kids behave in this way, living near a high school I sometimes encounter groups of boys that will try to say hi to me for sh*ts and giggles but I generally don't feel they are doing it to be rude, more of like trying to impress their friends or something like that. In any case I still find it ironic that being in a small(er) town I am treated quite normal, whereas when I go out to big(ger) cities seems to be when the ignorant boobs start popping out (if they do).

 

[Chidoriashi]

I think it's wrong, but I'm sure their would be excuses behind it.

I was once walking behind a Mother in Kyoto down a small quite laneway.

Mum was pushing her little Kid, about two years old In a stroller.

the kid kept turning to look at me and the Mother kept telling her not to look.

To be honest, I found the Mother's comments to the child very disturbing.

Most two year olds would look as looking is what our eyes tell us to.

The point is, the Mother was obviously telling the child not to look as she probably thought it was rude to look at a Gaijin..

Funnier things have happened to me in Japan!

Try walking down a busy small laneway in Bangkok, and all the kids are staring and screaming out to you "FARANG" which means foreigner in Thai..

They don't perceive it to be rude, but I tell you what, It is bloody embarassing!

Ok I know this guy was banned a long time ago.. but I want to point out what I have noticed recently. I have not heard the word gaijin.. said upon me in quite some time. In fact most children that I encounter specifically say... gaikokujin... I must only think that it is what their parents have recently taught them to say. It really amazes me because this is not a once or twice thing.. in fact it has become quite the norm...
so i was never around i guess in the "gaijin" heyday but guess I must assume that times are changing.. in fact when i hear the word "gaijin" it more often than not is coming from a "gaijin's" mouth rather from a Japanese... hmm?

 

[Willem]

It are just children, lol

let them have fun while they are young, they dont mean things offensive or anything

 

[caster51]

this is funny

 

[caster51]

 

[kameimori]

It's a homogeneous society so the ignorance is understandable. These kids are just trying to get attention. unfortunately you're their focus.
Like other people say if you're daring and have time, to speak to them in english and japanese. Greet the parents that way too. say that it is uncomfortable when they call out like that. it would be tiring if you had to do that all the time though.
When I went to korea with a friend who was black, she was also very uncomfortable with stares. there was someone who wanted to touch her skin in the subway and most of our pictures you can spot someone staring.

 

[Glenski]

caster,
Why do you find that one post "funny"? The foreigner was describing overly polite teen boys, and I've seen the same thing on my ride to work. Strange reaction from you...

 

[caster51]

caster,
Why do you find that one post "funny"? The foreigner was describing overly polite teen boys, and I've seen the same thing on my ride to work. Strange reaction from you...

these Damn kids did not say""my name is kazuo", "this is a pen", "your head is big"


dont you think it funny ?
I think you have been in japan too long

 

[Glenski]

caster,
I think you need to learn to read English.

I responded to post #67. Go back and look at that video again and tell me why you wrote it was funny. Geez.

 

[caster51]

caster,
I think you need to learn to read English.

I responded to post #67. Go back and look at that video again and tell me why you wrote it was funny. Geez.

funny is funny for me.
why is not it funny for you?
why do you ask me it about such old one?

 

[Glenski]

I guess so.

Because he is merely stating a fact.

Forget it.

 

[kail]

I think you also have to consider that this isn't just a Japanese or Asian issue. This happens everywhere and anywhere there's a racial majority. I'm half-Chinese, and once people find this out (I live in America, by the way), the first question they ask me is "So, do you speak Chinese?" I've also seen this happen with ABC (American-Born Chinese) and other American-born Asians, where others will assume they speak Chinese just because they *look* Asian. The kids you're describing could be less rude about it, but I think it's great that they at least try to speak our language. To be completely honest, I wouldn't try to go to France and do more than ask for a croissant or where the nearest bathroom is based off of my high school French lessons, so you can't get irritated over the fact that their English is garbled. You really can't expect much more from foreign language classes below college level.