It's strange to think about how I only have a little over 3 months left before I stop teaching overseas for good. I've already started looking at phone plans, computer parts (I'm planning to buy an actual desktop when I go back home) and apartment prices. There's things I'm looking forward to going back home and things I don't want to leave here. It's hard to believe that by the time I get back home I'll be halfway to 31 years old. I was 26 when I signed up to come over to Japan. Time is just flying by.
The sakura have started blooming, they're beautiful. I wish they'd last longer than 2 weeks or so. It's my last time seeing them here so I'll probably go around and try to take pictures of them around the schools.
Last week I dislocated my shoulder again playing badminton. I dove for the shuttle and extended my arm too much I guess, and it fell out. It took around 2.5 hours to get it back in, much longer than the 20-30 minutes it took before. I couldn't get it back in so I had to look up ways on my phone which led to me pulling on it until it slipped back in. It's been over 5 years I think since it last slipped out but I don't think I can play things like tennis anymore. I won't even be able to go at my usual 85% at badminton anymore either. Getting older sucks.
脱臼【だっきゅう】 (dakkyuu) dislocation
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Friday, April 11, 2014
The Japanese Lie
Not that other countries don't rely on this as well, but the lie is such a big part of Japanese culture that without it I'm pretty sure Japan would simply collapse. There are so many examples I could use but that would take a book series.
Japanese people lie. This is the simple truth. The example I've had the most experience with is Japanese people telling you that you should hang out together. A lot of the time what they're really saying is "I don't want to hang out with you, but I want you to think I'm a good person and I want us both to be comfortable RIGHT NOW (big key words), so I'll just lie and say "yes!" to you about hanging out." Then, you invite that person to hang out but you just get repeated excuses as to why they can't, along with the slightly hopeful, yet still useless "next time!" Hint: They don't really mean "next time."
When they don't have to see you face to face, anything goes. Gossip flies faster than sound and you can be flat out refused for things that were previously agreed upon. A common complaint of Western businesses that try to do business with Japanese companies is that Japanese businesses will say that they will buy their products (or engage in business with the Westerners) while face to face, but later on won't fulfill on their verbal agreement. This is to appear nice, but it's hard to see where essentially promising someone to do something, then negging on it later (and often messing up plans) is nice.
As much as the lie is an integral part of Japanese culture, Japanese people are actually pretty bad at the whole thing. I believe this is on purpose. I think that Japanese people give lies that are bad enough that people know they're lying, but are plausible enough that others can't really call them out on it. It's like they're saying "I don't want to do (insert action here), but I also don't want to say that outright, so hopefully with this sorry excuse of a lie, you'll get that hint." The worst lie I ever received is when I asked a girl to hang out. She essentially told me no by telling me she wasn't sure, so I asked her why she wasn't sure, and she replied with "because I don't know what will happen!" I thought maybe she didn't want to hang out with foreigners (she did that stuff to another foreigner here), but just a month ago she shipped herself off to Canada for a 1 year study abroad... I did get the hint though, I never contacted her again after that.
I've gotten used to the incessant lying here after 3 years and have started doing it myself. Wonder how long it'll take me to turn that around after I go back home. I do think that this is one of the reasons why Japanese people are not as happy as they could be. True, honest and unhindered communication isn't valued here. In fact, it's often punished.
嘘【うそ】 (uso) lie
Japanese people lie. This is the simple truth. The example I've had the most experience with is Japanese people telling you that you should hang out together. A lot of the time what they're really saying is "I don't want to hang out with you, but I want you to think I'm a good person and I want us both to be comfortable RIGHT NOW (big key words), so I'll just lie and say "yes!" to you about hanging out." Then, you invite that person to hang out but you just get repeated excuses as to why they can't, along with the slightly hopeful, yet still useless "next time!" Hint: They don't really mean "next time."
When they don't have to see you face to face, anything goes. Gossip flies faster than sound and you can be flat out refused for things that were previously agreed upon. A common complaint of Western businesses that try to do business with Japanese companies is that Japanese businesses will say that they will buy their products (or engage in business with the Westerners) while face to face, but later on won't fulfill on their verbal agreement. This is to appear nice, but it's hard to see where essentially promising someone to do something, then negging on it later (and often messing up plans) is nice.
As much as the lie is an integral part of Japanese culture, Japanese people are actually pretty bad at the whole thing. I believe this is on purpose. I think that Japanese people give lies that are bad enough that people know they're lying, but are plausible enough that others can't really call them out on it. It's like they're saying "I don't want to do (insert action here), but I also don't want to say that outright, so hopefully with this sorry excuse of a lie, you'll get that hint." The worst lie I ever received is when I asked a girl to hang out. She essentially told me no by telling me she wasn't sure, so I asked her why she wasn't sure, and she replied with "because I don't know what will happen!" I thought maybe she didn't want to hang out with foreigners (she did that stuff to another foreigner here), but just a month ago she shipped herself off to Canada for a 1 year study abroad... I did get the hint though, I never contacted her again after that.
I've gotten used to the incessant lying here after 3 years and have started doing it myself. Wonder how long it'll take me to turn that around after I go back home. I do think that this is one of the reasons why Japanese people are not as happy as they could be. True, honest and unhindered communication isn't valued here. In fact, it's often punished.
嘘【うそ】 (uso) lie
Friday, April 4, 2014
New Teachers, Tokyo
So the end of the term has come, all my graduations are done, and I've found out who all my English teachers will be for the last few months I'm here. The landscape of my schools has changed quite a bit, none of the students I met when I first came here are here anymore, and 90% of all my schools' staff has changed as well.
Teachers for 2011-2012
Jonan [Takahira Tomoko, Onodera Chisato, Niinuma Sachiko]
Niitsuki [Abe Shizuko, Onodera Masaaki]
2012-2013
Jonan [Takahira Tomoko, Onodera Chisato, Chiba Yoshie, Onodera Masaaki]
Niitsuki [Abe Shizuko, Takahashi Chihiro]
2013-2014
Jonan [Chiba Yoshie, Suzuki Chie, Onodera Masaaki]
Niitsuki [Takahashi Chihiro, Kumagai Junichi]
2014
Jonan [Chiba Yoshie, Suzuki Chie, Onodera Masaaki]
Niitsuki [Takahashi Chihiro, Kumagai Junichi]
All the teachers I taught with when I first got here have moved on to different schools. Teachers only get to stay at any one school for a maximum of a few years (upwards of 7 or maybe 8) before they are forcefully transferred. It's quite different from American schools where you hear of teachers who have been there for over 20 years.
I went to Tokyo for a few days over the break (they get 2 weeks here for spring break, although it's a little hard to call it that since most of the kids are still going in for sports clubs). I met Marika, who is going to (is already in) Eugene, Oregon for a 1 year study abroad. She's a cool girl, hope I'll be able to meet up with her when I get back in 4 months. I also got to see Atsushi and Ami. There's a lot of people I'll miss when I go back who I likely won't see for a long time afterwards.
I also went to see the ramen museum in Yokohama. It's a cool place, but the ramen I ate there was the worst I've ever had in Japan.
Anyway there's a lot of ramen shops all over and it looks like a small town from a few decades ago. Nice atmosphere. I ate my ramen then went back to Kesennuma.
Last night we had a welcome party for the new teachers at Niitsuki. Now I'm kicking myself I didn't try to see if Chihiro wouldn't have gone out with me. I feel like she would have. Seems no matter what I do with girls it's always wrong. At least I can laugh about it a little. Tonight I've got another welcome party for Jonan's teachers. Hoping for some eye candy as there isn't a whole lot there now!
博物館【はくぶつかん】 (haku/butsu/kan) museum
Teachers for 2011-2012
Jonan [Takahira Tomoko, Onodera Chisato, Niinuma Sachiko]
Niitsuki [Abe Shizuko, Onodera Masaaki]
2012-2013
Jonan [Takahira Tomoko, Onodera Chisato, Chiba Yoshie, Onodera Masaaki]
Niitsuki [Abe Shizuko, Takahashi Chihiro]
2013-2014
Jonan [Chiba Yoshie, Suzuki Chie, Onodera Masaaki]
Niitsuki [Takahashi Chihiro, Kumagai Junichi]
2014
Jonan [Chiba Yoshie, Suzuki Chie, Onodera Masaaki]
Niitsuki [Takahashi Chihiro, Kumagai Junichi]
All the teachers I taught with when I first got here have moved on to different schools. Teachers only get to stay at any one school for a maximum of a few years (upwards of 7 or maybe 8) before they are forcefully transferred. It's quite different from American schools where you hear of teachers who have been there for over 20 years.
I went to Tokyo for a few days over the break (they get 2 weeks here for spring break, although it's a little hard to call it that since most of the kids are still going in for sports clubs). I met Marika, who is going to (is already in) Eugene, Oregon for a 1 year study abroad. She's a cool girl, hope I'll be able to meet up with her when I get back in 4 months. I also got to see Atsushi and Ami. There's a lot of people I'll miss when I go back who I likely won't see for a long time afterwards.
I also went to see the ramen museum in Yokohama. It's a cool place, but the ramen I ate there was the worst I've ever had in Japan.
Anyway there's a lot of ramen shops all over and it looks like a small town from a few decades ago. Nice atmosphere. I ate my ramen then went back to Kesennuma.
Last night we had a welcome party for the new teachers at Niitsuki. Now I'm kicking myself I didn't try to see if Chihiro wouldn't have gone out with me. I feel like she would have. Seems no matter what I do with girls it's always wrong. At least I can laugh about it a little. Tonight I've got another welcome party for Jonan's teachers. Hoping for some eye candy as there isn't a whole lot there now!
博物館【はくぶつかん】 (haku/butsu/kan) museum
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