what's bad in japan?

[masaegu]

Originally Posted by MMM

Opinion, yes, but if he is going to post made-up stories then I am entitles to call BS.

Can you imagine a salaryman whispering "shinde" to a foreigner?

I agree with you, MMM. It's horseshit. No native speakers would say that.

But then there's no use in talking to this expatriate tommasi guy, either. He rarely says anything good about his motherland. Here's a comment by tommasi from another thread about Shintoism.

Originally Posted by tommasi

All you need to do is to warship the Royal Family and prepare for the next war...

[tommasi]

Originally Posted by masaegu

I agree with you, MMM. It's horseshit. No native speakers would say that.

But then there's no use in talking to this expatriate tommasi guy, either. He rarely says anything good about his motherland. Here's a comment by tommasi from another thread about Shintoism.

You think I enjoy hearing someone talk bad about my country?

And how could you be so sure that no native speakers would say so?

I'm just trying to stay neutral in this case.

Like most Japanese, I don't have to mention what I love about my country.

Don't you know anything about Japanese people?

Also about the Shinto thread, I clearly stated that I made a typo and also I was joking about it as well.

[Nyororin]

Let`s not be too harsh on tommasi.
I`ve never had a problem with him, and although our views may not always match, I don`t see a need to bash him for his.

Now to get back to the actual topic at hand. I was out at a BBQ today, so am a bit late. I see that most of my thoughts on the topic have already been expressed.

I don`t really care *what* opinion he has of Japan. If he wants to think it is a horribly racist place - fine, go ahead. Actually, in his case I`d prefer he DOES think it`s terribly racist as hopefully he`ll leave earlier. What I do care about are the opinions of Japan formed by people who have never so much as visited the country. If I felt he was presenting a valid experience and not just randomly bashing - I wouldn`t have said anything.
But that`s not the case. I can say with as much confidence that native speakers don`t go around saying "shinde" as I can that native English speakers don`t go around saying "copulate you" in place of "fuck you". The meaning may be the same, but if someone said that to you I`m sure you`d laugh long before you were insulted. Which is why I and a number of others do not believe his story at all, and called him out on it. Not to mention "Daikokujin".

i know the language quite well, i have been living here for a while

If I am to believe the countless number of other posts you`ve made, you`ve been living here since... March? You may have picked up a bit of the language, but I`d say it`s probably a huge stretch to say well - as if you did, you wouldn`t have screwed up half the Japanese used in your message.

working my ass off for chips (if you want proof look at the hundreds of articles about people teaching english here for long hours hard work and little pay and even illegal work practices on foriegners)

While I find a lot of this suspect for the reasons outlined by Henbaka - there is always someone who makes the mistake of agreeing to awful working conditions. You may very well be having a horrible time at your job.
However... You can look for another. For one thing, you`re here on a working holiday visa, and working part time. The average rate for part time English teachers is around 2500/hr. If you feel you`re being exploited, you`re not here on a working visa... So you can leave your job at any time! Look for something else if things are so bad!
Schools around here just love working holiday visa holders because they can work full time without the school having to go through the trouble of arranging a visa and bringing them to Japan. That alone saves a huge amount of money. They are paid the regular salary, which is VERY comfortable. Look around.

Don't make personal attacks at me for something you obviously have no idea about. If you get a japanese girlfriend and bother to ask her what most japanese guys think about foriegners thats the answer you will get.

I don`t believe that I know no idea about this...
I`ve never had a Japanese girlfriend, so please, clarify - How exactly does having a Japanese girlfriend give you an intimate look into the male mind? I`m honestly curious about this, as I don`t think having an American girlfriend would give anyone a magical understanding of the American guy`s mind.

And with the businessmen thing, its usually if im trying to hand out flyers to them or step infront of them on the train.

Ever think that maybe, just maybe, it`s what you`re doing that`s the problem? Because, you know what, I don`t think anyone likes having someone shove fliers in their face or jump in front of them on the train. It has nothing to do with your color and everything to do with just being flat out irritating.

[billysweird]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Let`s not be too harsh on tommasi.
I`ve never had a problem with him, and although our views may not always match, I don`t see a need to bash him for his.

Now to get back to the actual topic at hand. I was out at a BBQ today, so am a bit late. I see that most of my thoughts on the topic have already been expressed.

I don`t really care *what* opinion he has of Japan. If he wants to think it is a horribly racist place - fine, go ahead. Actually, in his case I`d prefer he DOES think it`s terribly racist as hopefully he`ll leave earlier. What I do care about are the opinions of Japan formed by people who have never so much as visited the country. If I felt he was presenting a valid experience and not just randomly bashing - I wouldn`t have said anything.
But that`s not the case. I can say with as much confidence that native speakers don`t go around saying "shinde" as I can that native English speakers don`t go around saying "copulate you" in place of "fuck you". The meaning may be the same, but if someone said that to you I`m sure you`d laugh long before you were insulted. Which is why I and a number of others do not believe his story at all, and called him out on it. Not to mention "Daikokujin".



If I am to believe the countless number of other posts you`ve made, you`ve been living here since... March? You may have picked up a bit of the language, but I`d say it`s probably a huge stretch to say well - as if you did, you wouldn`t have screwed up half the Japanese used in your message.



While I find a lot of this suspect for the reasons outlined by Henbaka - there is always someone who makes the mistake of agreeing to awful working conditions. You may very well be having a horrible time at your job.
However... You can look for another. For one thing, you`re here on a working holiday visa, and working part time. The average rate for part time English teachers is around 2500/hr. If you feel you`re being exploited, you`re not here on a working visa... So you can leave your job at any time! Look for something else if things are so bad!
Schools around here just love working holiday visa holders because they can work full time without the school having to go through the trouble of arranging a visa and bringing them to Japan. That alone saves a huge amount of money. They are paid the regular salary, which is VERY comfortable. Look around.



I don`t believe that I know no idea about this...
I`ve never had a Japanese girlfriend, so please, clarify - How exactly does having a Japanese girlfriend give you an intimate look into the male mind? I`m honestly curious about this, as I don`t think having an American girlfriend would give anyone a magical understanding of the American guy`s mind.



Ever think that maybe, just maybe, it`s what you`re doing that`s the problem? Because, you know what, I don`t think anyone likes having someone shove fliers in their face or jump in front of them on the train. It has nothing to do with your color and everything to do with just being flat out irritating.

First of all you say the average for a working holiday visa is what? 2500 yen?
mmm, im getting about 700 yen...and my boss for example i did 7 hours work and only got paid for 3 hours and his excuse was...oh because you said you could work on wednesday and then rang a day before and said you couldn't you get penatly....penatly! a 4 hour fucking penatly! And 1 day is plenty of fuckign notification in australia if i give 5 hour notification its plenty of time to find someone who works. Also i am only 18 so even if i have a TEFL/TESOL qualification and experience teaching business japanese (more qualified then some) i still get rejected so work is extremely hard to find.

Secondly you keep assuming i think its a terrible place because i find a few things about it a dont like again read my fucking post...there are plenty of things i like about japan this is just a forum to post the things BAD IN JAPAN
let me post that again in capitals so it might catch your eye and you don't make the assumption that i hate japan again FORUM TO POST BAD THINGS IN JAPAN! get it? again i will say there are plenty of things i enjoy about japan they are just the things i don't like.

You people who think japan is the perfect place to live with no problems whatsoever really need to get your heads out of the clouds. Sure they may not have as much crime in japan but they are extremly uptight and definitly not as loyal. And sure they much not be as much murder in japan but the suicide rate is almost double the murder in the states so i think that more then compensates. Just because a place is easier to live for your lifestyle doesn't mean its a place without problems.

Anywho i digress, Thirdly no a GF doesnt know what a mans thikning you strawman this is possibly the worst argument you have...But they can Magically talk to japanese men (wow isnt that magical) and they can get their opinions of foriegners (holy shit no way!). To Further my example you remember the politician on the news who said in 50 years that half of japan would be pensioners and that they would need to import 1 million foriegners to keep alive the population and economy. Yeh he had over 60% of japan disagree with him and almost got assisinated because of what he said (no japans not racist at all).

Fourthly, with the flyers its sometimes required in my job to hand out flyers for an international school. I get fired if i DON'T DO MY JOB do you understand so its not my fault i have to hand out flyers...i would rather survive then not hand out flyers. Also if you have ever been on a subway it does tend to get slightly crowded so sometimes its not exactly if i can't avoid stepping infront of someone or sitting next to someone.

Fifthly, With the working conditions ect. look up NOVA....i know and irish guy named nick, a kiwi guy named matt and another kiwi guy named arthur who all
are english teachers who all got sponsered over here for work who also got horrible conditions for working long hours with little pay. Infact i know a number of english teachers who say that even KOREA has much better working conditions than a lot of japanese teaching jobs. Normally the ones who you find that are raging on about being an english teacher here were the first (about 7-15 years ago) ones in who got the great jobs and/or masters/bachelor degrees of teaching english and speak fluent japanese.

And as for the language although i can't read it this is not my first time to japan...i came here 2 years ago for a month and also studied japanese in school.

[Wasabista]

Also i am only 18

*screeching halt*

Dude, what are you doing shoving flyers at commuters in Japan when you should be going to school? Please tell us this is a part time gig and you are pursuing an education.

[MMM]

He's 18 without an education, and he has a crappy job. That's not Japan. That's life.

To be honest, I would be suspicious of any company that hired an 18-year-old to be a teacher, even if he had a college education.

Go home, get your degree and come back...it'll be a totally different experience.

[Miak]

Originally Posted by billysweird

Fifthly, With the working conditions ect. look up NOVA....i know and irish guy named nick, a kiwi guy named matt and another kiwi guy named arthur who all
are english teachers who all got sponsered over here for work who also got horrible conditions for working long hours with little pay. Infact i know a number of english teachers who say that even KOREA has much better working conditions than a lot of japanese teaching jobs. Normally the ones who you find that are raging on about being an english teacher here were the first (about 7-15 years ago) ones in who got the great jobs and/or masters/bachelor degrees of teaching english and speak fluent japanese.

Since the demand for English language instruction is so high in Japan, yet there is relatively few teachers, it is no surprise that some (not all...) English teachers are exploited.

A little update for you. Nationals of ANY country generally do not respect foreigners that do not speak the language fluently.

I always hear women here in America complaining about how the Vietnamese ladies at the nail salons talk bad about them (Although the Americans usually don't speak a word of Vietnamese).

I think that the main thing that is stressing you out is the language barrier. A lot of people go to Japan expecting the Japanese to know English.

You mentioned to Nyorin that you love many things about Japan, yet this a "forum for posting the bad stuff" (not a direct quote). It sounds as though there is plenty of stuff you don't like in Japan, so you should go back to your homeland.

If you don't have the money, call your parents and ask for it.

[billysweird]

Originally Posted by Wasabista

*screeching halt*

Dude, what are you doing shoving flyers at commuters in Japan when you should be going to school? Please tell us this is a part time gig and you are pursuing an education.

Yeh im 2 years into my bachelor degree (IT programming), but i took a year off because i want to travel and get some life experience under my belt before i finish University and actually start my life. And make sure what im pursueing is actually what i want to do, Not to mention increase my japanse skill (thought the best place to do that would be japan maybe? :P), And even though it might be hard and and theres a lot i don't like i'm also learning a lot and theres probably double here that i like then that i don't like.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by billysweird

Yeh im 2 years into my bachelor degree (IT programming), but i took a year off because i want to travel and get some life experience under my belt before i finish University and actually start my life. And make sure what im pursueing is actually what i want to do, Not to mention increase my japanse skill (thought the best place to do that would be japan maybe? :P), And even though it might be hard and and theres a lot i don't like i'm also learning a lot and theres probably double here that i like then that i don't like.

If you like more about Japan than you hate, then why such a angry first post?

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by billysweird

Fifthly, With the working conditions ect. look up NOVA....

They were far from perfect, but low pay? NOVA (before the last few months) was still one of the highest paying eikaiwa positions out there. 250,000 yen/month to be an English speaking robot/entertainer, I wouldn't really call that low pay.

Edit: On the note of the penalty, that's why its extremely important to read the contract before you sign when it comes to eikawa/english teaching business. Your gripe here isn't with the country, its with an industry. Its well known that the eikaiwa industy in Japan is one of the least regulated, and so the employers can get away with a lot of scrupulous activity. Afterall, not many people do their research, so they can quickly find another rookie if you bail on them.