What did they say about me?

[Jack]

Alright folk, not wanting to get into the thick of things (topic wise), the first few pages of this thread were pretty much the same member posting side by side, instead post in one big post.
Another thing, learning japanese is hard, "how about getting off your backside and stand up be a man, be counted make your way in the world." (anyone that has seen jeremy kyle know that quote), in other words dont plague us with mind numbing cheese* and try and tackle things on ya' own.

 

[GoldCoinLover]

Amen to that.

When you're starting out, it may look like someone who has gone before and had some success is standing atop a mountain compared to you. But rest assured the mountain is composed of mistakes, frustrations, misunderstandings and embarassments.

Unfortunately, the only way to get on top of that mountain is to build it out of raw materials that you supply yourself.

And all of that to find one's self to one degree or another linguistically equipped to attempt living in a country that a very large percentage of Western foreigners seem to have a difficult time tolerating for a period longer than about three years.

(I'd go a bit farther than M.O. and opine that practically none of what you imagine Japan to be like is likely to be accurate).

Maybe so, but I doubt it. Sure I'll have some surprises, but I know what to expect. I've done alot of research on this.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Maybe so, but I doubt it. Sure I'll have some surprises, but I know what to expect. I've done alot of research on this.

That's exactly the kind of attitude that will get you in trouble. I suggest that when you actually do make it out to Japan to assume that you know NOTHING. ZERO. Make your mind an empty slate to fill in Japan.

That's what I did, and I think it's one of the main reasons that I seem to be faring better than many other ex-pats here in Japan.

I don't mean to be insulting, just honest.

And as I posted earlier DEVELOP A THICK SKIN! You will need it, for your studies of Japanese, and in life in general.

 

[GoldCoinLover]

Of course, I wont' go there with preconceived notions of what to expect. But you missed my point entirely. Heh

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

GCL, did I really miss your point? I guess you'll find out when you get to Japan some day.

Good luck, friend.