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In the UK, before we go to University, we usually decide what kind of jobs we want to do after we graduate. It’s a natural and logical thing, but I think a lot of people in Japan don’t think so deeply about their future. I think many people in Japan have more stress and pressure from their parents and schools to enter high level universities than people in the UK. Japanese people study hard at school and it’s not unusual to go to school on the weekend. In the UK, it’s impossible to go to school on the weekend unless there is a specific event such as a sports game. After leaving high school, many Japanese people don’t really mind what subject they study. The most important thing to them is entering a famous University. Why?

This is connected to the situation with joining companies. The part of an employee’s resume that companies most care about is the name of the University. Therefore, as many people don’t work in the same field of University study, companies have to spend time and money training new employees to be able to do the job. Or in many cases, many applicants to job vacancies are under qualified. It’s common to find people aiming to study tourism or something at a famous University, just so that they can get the University name on the CV. This is most noticeable in the business sector, where many people study something totally unrelated to business, such as science or literature or religion, and then apply for a company with no knowledge or experience. The sales industry suffers from this problem a lot, and people work harder and longer to make up for their failures or lack of experience.

1. Did you decide your career path early?
2. Did you have a lot of training for your job?
3. Do you think people should stay working at the same company for a long time?
4. Do you agree that companies in Japan care most about the University?
5. Let’s talk about the working life for fresh graduates. Is it hard work?

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♦〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿2-8-1 新宿セブンビル 606
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I feel that UK delinquent children 問題児  are typically more disrespectful and/or do more outrageous things than Japanese delinquent children問題児. I know bullying is a big issue in Japanese schools, but children are strictly taught to respect teachers and elders, and they follow it more than British children do.

Children in the UK are also taught to debate and discuss more. Maybe that’s why they are more tempted to rebel and resist elders and education. In the UK, many people play bad games such as “knock a door, run!” The rule is simple: knock on a person’s house door, and then run away! Other common activities include throwing stones at windows, smoking, taking drugs, being teenage parents, bullying, fighting, and vandalizing buildings. Later, when they become adults, some people steal cars, credit cards, and make fake insurance claims. This is why The UK is a more dangerous place than Japan. Especially when people get drunk or go to football games or go out at night. Japan is a very safe country.

1. Have you seen or experienced bullying before?
2. What do you think about Japanese students behaviour ?
3. Did your school have delinquents? Were you one?
4. Do you think Japan is a safe country?
5. What kind of bad games do Japanese delinquent children do?

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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

 

I think Japanese schools and parents are stricter than UK schools with children and education. Joining a club is strongly expected of students and their lives are much busier than students in Europe of American. Actually, South Korean students have the toughest study life, but it’s also tough in Japan. Classes in the UK are usually more interactive too, with games, powerpoint interaction, debates, and discussion. Whereas in Japan I heard that students just listen to the teacher and write in a book. It sounds like my University life!

As a British student, I didn’t have to study as hard as people in Asia do. But that is probably also why countries in Asia have higher education rankings. However, I wonder if such a serious education is useful for working. Most of our education is not used in our jobs. So even if somebody knows many things, how can they be expected to be great at doing any job? I think we need a balance.

1. How was life for you at school?
2. Did you enjoy studying hard?
3. Do you think club activities are necessary or important?
4. What do you think is an ideal school life? Should students rest more?
5. Do you think people feel too much pressure at school?

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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

A very easy to notice difference between Japan and the UK is the comedy when watching TV. Japan actually has different types of comedy whereas the UK only has two (from what I know). One of Japan’s most famous types of comedy is Manzai, which is where one person is the serious character (straight man) and one is the silly / funny character. The jokes involve a small slap on the back of the head by the serious character whenever the silly character says something silly. It’s an interesting style and easy to follow, unlike UK comedy.

In the UK, comedians mostly use satire and sarcasm to make jokes. For some people, it can be difficult to understand sometimes and it sometimes requires us to think more about the joke to understand it. But at times British comedy shows get so popular that they become international hits. One example of this is “The Office” made by Ricky Gervais, a famous British comedian. In my opinion, Japanese comedy is more interesting because it involves more aspects and I feel there are more ways to create a funny joke than in the UK. But it’s interesting that many foreign people also become interested in Japan’s comedy and start to prefer it, just like me. Although I have talked to some Japanese people who say they prefer British comedy. Actually one person told me they really love “The Office”.

There are also differences between American and British comedy but it’s a long story. Basically, I think British comedy is a bit more complex or difficult to understand for foreign people.

1. Do you like comedy? Which do you prefer?
2. Do you think foreign comedy is difficult or easy to understand?
3. How would you summarise or describe Japanese comedy?
4. Do you know any popular comedy shows? Do you enjoy them?
5. Do you think comedy can be offensive sometimes? Give some examples.

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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

“Foreign chocolate is too sweet.” That’s what many Japanese people have told me. When It sounds kind of strange to me because chocolate is supposed to be sweet. When they told me that they tried my favourite chocolate, Cadbury’s chocolate, I wasn’t expecting them to append “it was too sweet though.”

But in Japan, “bitter chocolate”(ビターチョコ) is popular. Bitter chocolate is also known as “unsweetened” or “baking/cooking” chocolate. The first time I ate bitter chocolate as a snack was in Japan. I can’t imagine eating baking chocolate in the UK and enjoying it. I would feel like something is missing. Anyway, it was strange to me at first but I got used to it and now I enjoy it too.

1. Do you like chocolate or other sweet things? How much do you eat?
2. Do you think Japan’s chocolate is not sweet enough, too sweet, or just right?
3. How about foreign chocolate? Do you have any favorites?
4. Do you think it’s fine to eat chocolate regularly?
5. When do you receive or give chocolate as a present?

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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

Books are something that every nation enjoys reading. But in my experience, I’ve found that you can see more people in Japan reading books in public. It’s not just on public transport, but everywhere. It seems like Japanese people are more well-read in general in Japan. Almost everybody I talk to seems to know many things that are written about in books or other literature. It could be something created and instilled in people from education as they spend more time studying than other countries, but that’s a topic for another day.

Another interesting thing I discovered in Japan is that many people hide their books with a paper cover while reading. They do this in order to prevent people from seeing what they are reading. When buying a book in shops, I found that they usually ask you if you’d like a cover to hide your book when reading. It was a new experience! I was kind of confused at first and didn’t know whether I should use it or not. I never think or worry about what think of the book I’m reading. After all, I didn’t write it. But perhaps Japanese people don’t want to be judged and/or misjudged. Since the smartphone came out, many people have stopped reading books on the trains and started using smartphones, but I think this is common in all countries.

1. Do you often read books? What kind do you like?
2. Do you think it’s better to read books or not? Why?
3. Did you read books a lot in school? Is it a good thing?
4. How do you feel if people can see the book you’re reading?
5. Do you use smartphones for reading instead of books? Which is easier?

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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

Christmas is a big holiday period in many countries but in different ways. In Japan, people tend to celebrate Christmas romantically if they have a partner – New Year’s Day is for family time – whereas in western culture it’s mostly a day to be spent with family, eating a christmas dinner. In terms of food, people in Japan don’t eat a Christmas dinner. Instead, they eat chicken and cake, which can be bought from convenience stores. Some people buy chicken from KFC and some people order it a few weeks in advance.

People in Japan usually have to work on Christmas day if it’s a weekday or if it falls onto their working schedule. But in the UK, the majority of people have a holiday. Some people work such as the people at certain convenience stores or self-employed people who can choose their schedule, etc. Christmas isn’t taken as seriously in Japan as it is in other countries and why would it be? Christmas comes from Christianity.

1. Christmas is a family celebration in foreign countries, how about for you?
2. Do you know why people celebrate Christmas?
3. How does Japan celebrate Christmas differently?
4. Do you spend much money on Christmas?
5. How can Christmas be better?

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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 many people know, people in Japan are expected to respect their seniors and use honorifics in every sentence when speaking to them, even if there is only a 1 year gap. It’s sometimes a very stressful thing to care about, especially at work. But when two people become friends, they decide to drop the politeness and honorifics.

It’s a sensitive topic but as a result, I think many elderly people become sensitive towards younger people. Those people had to be polite to their seniors when they were young too. It’s an inevitable byproduct of this culture and a cycle that never ends. I heard that things are changing slightly these days, but I think people would have less stress without this strict system. If you live in Japan, it’s easy to realize how much it affects us.

In western cultures such as the UK’s or the USA’s, of course people respect their seniors but it’s only noticeably used with senior citizens (elderly people). It’s mostly only when talking to elderly people or in business that westerners use honorifics or formal words. A twenty year old person probably won’t change anything in their vocabulary or grammar when talking to a thirty or forty year old.

1. Do you like the mannerism and respect culture in Japan? (礼儀文化)
2. Do you think it’s better to have them or not? Why?
3. How does it affect your conversations and friendships?
4. What do you think about the people who don’t follow this culture in Japan?
5. Do you stop using polite and respectful speech? When? Do you bow less?

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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

Drinking alcohol is an activity that is enjoyed globally. In the USA in 2013, at least 50% of people said they drank in the last month and approximately 70% drank in the last year according to the NIAAA Alcohol Facts and Statistics[1] page. I suspect that people drink more in the UK. According to an online Guardian news article[2], a group of UCL students did a report and found that my home county (not country), Yorkshire and Humber, drinks the most in the UK at between 15 to 25 units per week. Before talking about the cultural differences, it’s worth noting that a 2014 Japan Times’ article “Dealing With Addition”[3] on says that according to a health ministry research team, potentially 10 million people in Japan have a dependency problem with alcohol. This number has increased by 300,000 in the last decade and only 50,000 people are receiving treatment. Apparently, they seek help when it becomes too severe. But even though many Japanese people have a drinking problem or drink too much, they believe it’s normal and fine.

British people usually drink a lot too, but it’s most noticeable on the weekend when everybody goes to the pub to watch football games together. Many people drink from Lunch to Evening and then head home to relax. It’s a strange culture, and maybe it’s bigger in my home county than in other counties in the UK, but it’s not something new.

In Japan I think more people tend to go out and drink any day of the week. I think it also depends on their situation at work with coworkers and bosses. Going to the local Izakaya after work seems like normal everyday life, or even something that is seen as necessary to keep a good friendly relationship with people at work. We have to be careful and it’s important that we understand how much alcohol is harmful to our bodies no matter how fine we think we are.

[1] Alcohol Facts and Statistics | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics

[2] How Much Alcohol Do We Really Drink? http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/feb/27/how-much-alcohol-do-we-really-drink

[3] Dealing With Addition: Japan’s Drinking Problem

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2014/08/30/lifestyle/dealing-addiction-japans-drinking-problem/#.VpWvfkuPdtE

1. Do you know anybody with a drinking problem?
2. Do you drink? How much? Do you think it’s healthy?
3. What do you think about the drinking culture in Japan?
4. Do you know any foreign drinking cultures? What do you think of them?
5. How can we help people? Do you think it’s possible?

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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 is a habit that the people of every country have, “Spitting” 「つばを履く」This habit is not specific to one age, generation, gender or race. It’s just a habit and many people say it’s a bad habit. I don’t want to say whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing because I know that people do it for a reason. But I think we should definitely be careful about where we do that kind of thing, especially in public places.

We often see spitting on TV in football games. In the UK, this habit is seen most often in the streets but it’s mostly young people that do it. The older generation sees it as something we should never do. In China, Japan and Korea, it seems some people do it openly in the streets too. I even heard some Chinese people use bags if they’re on a bus or train. But in East Asia, especially in Japan, I notice more older people doing it than younger people. In fact, one time I saw an old Japanese cleaner spit on Shinjuku Kabuki-chou’s bridge wall while cleaning it. I couldn’t believe it! To me it seems like the older generation does it more than the younger generation in Japan.

1. Have you ever seen somebody spit?
2. What do you think about spitting?
3. Do you think it’s necessary to spit sometimes? Is it okay sometimes?
4. Is it fine to do it in public, where people are walking or standing?
5. Do you think spitting should be accepted? Do you spit?

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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