Tag: http://www.sayinsei.com/

One complaint I hear from Americans living in Japan quite often is how difficult it is to make Japanese friends. The arguments are that people are usually really happy to talk with you in a social situation, but when it is time to meet again, there is no response. Personally, I haven’t had such an experience, as I have a pretty good social circle of friends. But for others, this is not the case? They ask me why. While I don’t have a clear answer, I’m thinking it may be a few reasons

– Firstly, it would be language barriers and communication styles. Oftentimes both the Japanese person and the American person can’t speak each other’s language at a high enough level to make any meaningful conversation.

– Secondly, maybe the Japanese person is talking to the American person “just to be nice” but doesn’t really want to be that person’s friend. As an American, it’s important for us to be able to “read the air”, and gauge whether the Japanese person actually wants to be our friend.

– Thirdly, if you’re a type of person who likes to complain and say how everything in Japan isn’t like it is back home, who would want to be your friend? As a fellow American, I wouldn’t want to be your friend either.

– From the American point of view, sometimes we wonder if this Japanese person actually wants to be our friend, or if they want to use us for “English practice”.

As you can see, there are several reasons why there are a few people who cannot make friends in Japan. However, if you just relax and have fun, generally there won’t be any problems on both ends of the spectrum.

 

Questions:

1) What is your opinion on the statement above? Do you agree or disagree with anything?

2) Is it easy or difficult for you to make American and/or foreign friends? Why or Why not?

3) If people wanted to make more friends, what would you recommend they do?

4) What kind of topics do you discuss with your friends?

5) If you wanted to meet new people, where would you go?

Key Words and Phrases: barriers, gauge, spectrum.

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英語が話せる！「SEI新宿英会話教室」 http://www.sayinsei.com/

♦〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿2-8-1 新宿セブンビル 606
♦メール: sei@kaonnuri.com　TEL: 03-5925-8247

Before coming to Japan, I have read quite a large collection of books on Japanese culture and history. Still, I learned much more as soon as I arrived here in April 2015, and I continue to learn something new almost every day. One thing I noticed and appreciate about living here, is the level of consideration for others that I don’t always see in my birth country. Whenever I go out to places, I’m absolutely surprised at how great and conscientious the service is. From my errands, such as going to the dry cleaners, to going to the combini (“convenience store” in English) for a snack, the respect for customers is something that I deeply appreciate.

If I am not mistaken, there is a saying here that goes something along the lines of “okyakusama wa kamisama”, and I can certainly believe it. In America, we have a similar saying such as “The customer is always right” but outside of treating them nicely, there really isn’t much of a methodical approach as there is here. It is something I tend to really appreciate about living in Japan.

Questions:

1) What is your opinion on service in Japan?

2) Have you ever experienced service in another country? How is it different from Japan?

3) What does the phrase “okyakusama wa kamisama” mean to you?

4) Is there any part of service in Japan that you wish would change? Give an example.

5) Do you agree with the above statement? Why or why not?

Key Words and Phrases:

conscientious / errands / methodical

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英語が話せる！「SEI新宿英会話教室」 http://www.sayinsei.com/

♦〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿2-8-1 新宿セブンビル 606
♦メール: sei@kaonnuri.com　TEL: 03-5925-8247

Horse meat is something that is eaten and enjoyed in Japan. I think a lot of British people don’t know about it and would definitely be surprised if they found out as I was surprised at first. Horses are animals that are thought of as “pets” in the UK and it’s something unthinkable to eat a pet. A few years ago, some supermarkets sold “beef” but it turned out to also include horse DNA. Everybody was furious at the thought of being tricked into eating horse. Of course, a lot of people may not mind eating horse meat as long as it’s labelled correctly on the package. I think people were mostly angry at the fact they weren’t eating what they thought they were eating.

When it comes to eating meat, Japan seems to be more open about what kind of animals we should eat. But I think some western people have a misconception that Japanese people eat dog. Of course people who are familiar with Japan know that’s not true, apart from any Japanese people who travel to China or Korea and eat it there. I should mention, by the way, that some Korean people consider wild dogs and pet dogs to be different and base their edibility on that. Anyway, in Japan, cats and dogs are loved as pets just as they are in the west. And of course, in the west, people feel strongly about eating pets so cats and dogs are off the menu no matter where you go.

1. Why do Japanese people think it’s acceptable to eat horses but not dogs?
2. Do you think people who eat horse meat have the right to be angry at other countries about eating dog meat?
3. If you found out you had eaten something different to what was labeled on the packaging, would you be angry?
4. In your opinion, is there a difference between eating a wild dog and a domesticated dog?
5. Should it be decided by individuals or by governments about what is acceptable and/or legal to eat?

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英語が話せる！「SEI新宿英会話教室」 http://www.sayinsei.com/

♦〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿2-8-1 新宿セブンビル 606
♦メール: sei@kaonnuri.com　TEL: 03-5925-8247

As an English Teacher, I talk to many Japanese people often. And many times I’ve talked to them about their education and how they were brought up. From my conversations and experiences with those people, it seems like there is something in common: most people don’t learn how to debate or how to construct formal arguments in school.

I asked one of my students about this because it was interesting and that person told me something using an example that really surprised me. The example was this:

1. 3 + 4 = ?
2. ? + ? = 7

“In Japan,” he said, “we study hard for passing exams, so a common way of learning in Japanese schools is to find the answer to questions such as 3 + 4, for example. That question only has one answer. It’s direct and absolute. But many Western schools teach children to find the answer to questions such as X + Y = 7. As you can see, this has multiple answers and it’s not about the answer itself; It’s about how to get to the answer.” When I heard this, I stopped for a second. My mind suddenly recalled a collection of memories about my childhood and education and that’s when I thought, “he’s right, I did learn like that.” Of course these specific examples are taught and learned in all countries, but they demonstrate a basic difference in the way some education systems are directed. Perhaps they could also be applied in the business industries, or not. Anyway, I think it’s important to learn both ways of solving problems. But I think that focusing on how to get to the answer instead of the answer itself allows people to practice using their creativity and thinking-outside-of-the-box skills at the same time.

1. Do you think you have problem-solving capabilities?
2. If yes, is this because of what you were taught in school?
3. If no, why do you think you never learned how to solve problems?
4. Is problem solving necessary for being successful in Japan?
5. Which method of learning do you think is better for people to experience (Japan vs UK) ?

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英語が話せる！「SEI新宿英会話教室」 http://www.sayinsei.com/

♦〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿2-8-1 新宿セブンビル 606
♦メール: sei@kaonnuri.com　TEL: 03-5925-8247

Is education something that should be ranked? Should we decide our school based on its ranking? If you think we should, then what does that imply?

I sometimes wonder if these kinds of rankings are actually useful. A ranking system encourages companies, in Japan, to prioritize job applicants’ Universities over their personalities or achievements. Of course it doesn’t make a completely bias system but the most important part of an applicant is the University’s name, according to some companies at least. That’s why most people study hard and even consider studying something at University that’s unrelated to their career choices.

In The UK, it’s quite interesting that the University of an applicant is not the highest on many companies’ priority list. Recently, work experience is something that companies are looking for in an applicant’s resume. Another priority includes having a good score at the University they attended, rather than the University itself. Having a relevant degree to the job is great too. It means companies can reduce the amount of time, money and effort they spend on training people, especially in specialist areas.

1. Is work experience important in order to get a job in Japan?
2. Does your grade at the end of your degree affect whether companies want to hire you, or is a “pass” enough?
3. Do you think it is important to get a high grade?
4. Do you think it is a good thing companies don’t require people to have specific degrees to apply for job opportunities (outside of law and medicine)
5. Should the University attended be so important in the hiring process in Japan?

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英語が話せる！「SEI新宿英会話教室」 http://www.sayinsei.com/

♦〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿2-8-1 新宿セブンビル 606
♦メール: sei@kaonnuri.com　TEL: 03-5925-8247

Something I saw in Japan in 2006 was Japanese people going to school in their uniforms on the weekend! I also saw them go to school in their school vacations! This was very surprising to me because The UK is very different!

The only time I went to school on a Saturday was to play a football (soccer) game against another school’s team. School clubs don’t really operate on the weekend because there are no teachers or staff there to supervise the school. The sports teacher went there to organise the sports game, but that’s all. In many cases, one does not have to wear a uniform when one enters High School. British schools usually finish at approximately 3:00pm and most pupils go home to relax. My school finished at 2:40pm every day. A few people stay for 1 or 2 hours, but that’s all. I heard that in Japan, most pupils are encouraged to join a club and attend club activities often after school. I also see a lot of pupils studying at cafes in Tokyo. That is something I’ve never seen in the UK. Pupils usually just go home to play.

1. Have you ever been to school on the weekend?
2. Did you feel pressured to join a circle when you were in school?
3. Did you have to wear a uniform whenever at school?
4. Would you prefer a school life similar to the UK (as described above) ?
5. Why do you think people study at cafes?

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英語が話せる！「SEI新宿英会話教室」 http://www.sayinsei.com/

♦〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿2-8-1 新宿セブンビル 606
♦メール: sei@kaonnuri.com　TEL: 03-5925-8247

As an English Teacher, I can talk to Japanese people every day. And we usually talk about culture or language. After hosting some debate events, I realized something strange. Many people in Japan don’t know what “debate” is. I was shocked, so I asked the people I meet everyday to tell me about debating in Japan. And the most common answer was also “we don’t know that.” I couldn’t believe it. So I asked them about their education, “don’t you study or practice debate in school?” But they just said they study textbooks and don’t have formal discussions or debates. “But how do you explain your opinion, and how do you argue your point to other people?” They simply replied, “we don’t.”

It’s amazing that a lot of children in Japan are not taught to express themselves freely and be different. And notice I said “not taught to”, not “taught not to.” Whenever I ask a Japanese person for an opinion, the usual response is very neutral in order to not upset anybody listening. Of course everybody has an opinion, but people care very much about the others around them and their feelings. Also, most people in Japan don’t want to draw attention to themselves by saying something controversial. That’s why I think Japan ended up being such a safe and peaceful country.

The opposite to this way of socialising can be found in The United States. It’s the total opposite and you can feel it when you talk to a Japanese person who has lived in The US for some time. Most people become a bit western-like in their way of thinking and speaking. It’s an amazing phenomenon and one that can really surprise one at first. The UK is very similar to The US, except in The UK students are taught to debate. Classes are filled with topics to be debated and discussed amongst students. Debate is something that The UK has incorporated into its conversing culture. Any conversation can turn into a debate at any moment, which can put you on edge. People usually don’t mind being vocal with their opinions, even if those opinions may offend. In fact, many western comedians base their whole comedy routines on using controversial jokes that may – and often do – offend. Ridicule is also common in public debates, or debates in front of an audience. Sometimes debaters try to ridicule to make the audience laugh and gain their favor. Debate is almost an art form in The UK and a very well respected skill to have.

1. Do you debate sometimes?
2. Did you learn how to debate at school?
3. Do you find it easy to debate?
4. Is debating with people necessary?
5. Do you worry somebody may be upset if you debate?

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英語が話せる！「SEI新宿英会話教室」 http://www.sayinsei.com/

♦〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿2-8-1 新宿セブンビル 606
♦メール: sei@kaonnuri.com　TEL: 03-5925-8247

There are multiple ways of apologising to somebody. One is by simply saying, “sorry.” There are more and there are other phrases and terms used in those times, “I beg for your forgiveness” is one example. Japanese is no different. There are several different ways of apologising in Japanese. Another form of apologising is by doing some kind of action. In traditional Japan, the older generations used the “dogeza” mixed with some words as the strongest form of apology – not including seppuku, of course.

We have no such thing in the UK. In fact, there are no physical ways of apologising directly except for doing a kind of task for the person, such as cleaning the house for your wife, or buying a present.

In Japan, it seems that apologizing isn’t something that’s thought about as much as it is in The UK. If a British person does something wrong, first thing usually think about who was wrong and then react accordingly. But in Japan it seems that no matter who was right or wrong, there is an instant and automatic “sorry” that follows. I know that in Japan, children are brought up with the philosophy of resolving problems and fights by apologizing because it causes the least trouble for people around. People put the group and other people above themselves. It sounds kind and sweet from one perspective, but from another perspective it also means that the person who was wrong can walk away without scorn or punishment. In a company, school or public fight, both people are often punished equally, even if one person is totally innocent. It creates a culture where people apologize without thinking about it. Stress accumulates and we’re left with more tension than before.

It also creates a fake arrogance in people. Those kinds of people aren’t actually arrogant, but the stress and culture mixes and it leaves them with the opinion that they are in the right more than they actually are. If disputes and challenges are issued in those times, people may change their perspective. At least, as a foreigner who is new to this culture, I can feel bad intentions and negativity just by watching people walk or looking at their face or listening to their voice and conversations. It’s more visible with the middle-aged generation (40-60). It makes me wonder if it’s related to the high suicide rates. In The UK, there are more confrontations in public and when people fight, they try to resolve it through debate. And by the time those people get home, they definitely feel better for relieving their stress than if they had bottled it up day after day until they break down mentally. I’m not saying Japanese people are wrong. Actually they are very mentally strong for having such a tough culture for years. I worry about their health, general well-being and relationships. I think it also may relate to the reason why many people are not having relationships and children in Japan. There are many single people, especially in their 30s in Japan. Culture plays a big role. Work. Stress. Culture. Relationships. Mental Health. Just imagine how those five factors may be connected and related. It seems almost obvious to me, or am I missing a big piece to the puzzle?

1. Do you often apologise? In what kinds of situations?
2. Do you think you need to apologise every time?
3. What about if you did nothing wrong? Do you still apologise?
4. Do you think it’s true that older people expect politeness too much?
5. Do you think people deserve to be confronted sometimes?

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英語が話せる！「SEI新宿英会話教室」 http://www.sayinsei.com/

♦〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿2-8-1 新宿セブンビル 606
♦メール: sei@kaonnuri.com　TEL: 03-5925-8247

There are some basic differences between Japanese and British cuisine that I think causes confusion and big differences of opinion about the tastes of each.

We hear in Asian countries a lot that British food is “bad” and in The UK that Asian food is “strange and not edible.” It’s mostly tied to a difference of upbringing and being accustomed and familiar to flavours and tastes. Imagine a typical person in Asia and a typical person in Europe. The chances are that the European will like noodles and fried rice. And the chances are that the Asian person will like spaghetti, steak, and fried potatoes.

Why? Isn’t it obviously because they are brought up eating some similar types of food? Asian noodles are similar to Italian Spaghetti. Both continents eat meat, and food like potatoes and rice are eaten by both too, albeit in different forms. I don’t see why this baffles and puzzles people. You can expect the same typical people from each continent not to like the delicacies and more customized cooking from each cuisine too.

So what is fundamentally different between Japanese and British cooking? Well, Japanese food is largely soy and miso based. Modern Japanese people eat a lot of carbohydrates other than rice such as bread, noodles, etc. But there is a lot of soy and miso based food enjoyed by Japanese people. It’s very different to British food, which is largely reliant and often heavy on herbs and spices and has been since the medieval period. But some British food is quite subtle in taste and some is almost flavourless without the assistance of condiments, etc. A few examples that spring to mind are Yorkshire Puddings and Pasties. Quite a lot of British food found in bakeries, such as pasties, are rather stodgy and heavy on the stomach.

When Asian people eat some British food, and when British people eat some Asian food, there’s no wonder they don’t like the taste at first; it’s a new experience! I hated Miso Soup, Seaweed, and Senbei when I first came to Japan, but after eating them several times I got used to the taste and started enjoying them a lot more!

1. Have you ever eaten British food? If so, how was it?
2. What do you think of Japanese food? Is it similar?
3. Have you ever started liking some food after hating it for a long time?
4. What are the most common types of food in Japan? Are they soy?
5. What is your favourite cuisine in the world and why?

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英語が話せる！「SEI新宿英会話教室」 http://www.sayinsei.com/

♦〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿2-8-1 新宿セブンビル 606
♦メール: sei@kaonnuri.com　TEL: 03-5925-8247

In the UK, students usually don’t have entrance examinations in order to enter a University. On the other hand, students in Japan have to take an entrance exam for every University that they apply to.

There is something called “Hensachi” in Japan. It’s basically what helps decide their career as well as their University. It’s a deviation value that tells the students and teachers what type of Universities they should apply to by looking at their statistics. The reason I also say career is because many companies select candidates based on their University. It has some logic, but it breaks down when people who go to prestigious Universities become lazy. What I’ve heard is most valuable in companies – or the average company, at least – is not the level of intelligence, but experience, strong passion and work ethic.

One flaw with this system is the knowledge gained at University. Many people don’t mind studying a subject totally unrelated to what they want to do, or something they are completely uninterested in, as long as they can enter a prestigious University. It creates a system where people are occasionally not able to work straight out of University, or are forced to do a job they don’t like. Some companies spend a lot of time and money training those people, but whether it’s efficient or not is another story. This is not exclusive to Japan, but it’s a topic I’ve come across recently as I teach English to Japanese people.

It’s not totally different in the UK, but there are a few differences with the system. Since entering University doesn’t require an extra entrance examination, High School students only have to focus on their High School examinations. That’s not much of an advantage in and of itself, but the rule of studying only 3 or 4 subjects in High School allows people to think and choose what career they want. In that case, is it possible for a history student to study science or mathematics are University? It’s unlikely. Universities have requirements for applicants. For example, in my case I could study Computer Science in University because I studied mathematics and science at High School. It was one of the requirements.

By the way, we don’t actually say “High School” in the UK. We say “College” or “Sixth Form” instead. They are essentially the same, except Colleges are independent whereas Sixth Forms are joint with a school. For example, I stayed at my school after graduating at 16 years old to enter Sixth Form, where I studied for another 2 years.

And that leads me to one more sub-topic. Students in the UK study for a shorter period than most other countries, including The United States, do. We study for 2 years in College/Sixth Form, 3 years for a Undergraduate Degree, 1 year for an additional Masters (sometimes 2 years) and then only 2 years for a PhD. That’s a total of 6 years in University. In Japan and The USA, the same process in University takes 9 years (4, 2 and 3 years respectively). Education and its quality is something that I believe needs more discussion, but it makes me think about the way people think about what constitutes a good education and how it truly relates to the industry.

1. Are you satisfied with the education you received?
2. How do you think the University system can be improved?
3. Do you think Universities are very important for getting a good job?
4. What do you think about the differences between The UK and Japan?
5. If you could change something with the system, what would you change?

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英語が話せる！「SEI新宿英会話教室」 http://www.sayinsei.com/

♦〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿2-8-1 新宿セブンビル 606
♦メール: sei@kaonnuri.com　TEL: 03-5925-8247