Month: June 2017

This is a topic that I really like. Having lived in Texas for most of my life, having a car is essential if you want to get anywhere. I had to drive to job interviews, special events, to high school, and university. After moving to Japan, all of that changed. Coming from Texas, the train system is something I have never seen before. Although, there are trains in New York City, and I have taken the train in places like Philadelphia, I didn’t understand the convenience of trains until I moved to Japan.

Living in a city like Tokyo makes it really convenient to get to different places. After moving from the Saitama countryside, I now commute to work everyday by train. Using different cards such as SUICA or the ICOCA in Kansai, I can get to my destination without losing a step. This is really convenient, since I can get a lot of work done before getting to my stop. Also, I don’t have to worry about traffic, sometimes having to sit in my car for an extended period of time. For me, I prefer using the train to get around the city. From the Shinkansen to the local train, getting almost anywhere in Japan is a breeze!

 

Questions:

1) Which do you prefer, taking the train or driving? Why?

2) Have you ever driven or taken public transportation in another country? What was you experience?

3) Do you have to take the train to work? If so, how does it take?

4) When is the last time you took the Shinkansen? Where did you go?

5) If there is a train delay, what do you usually do?

Key Words and Phrases:

essential /  in places like / convenience

countryside / commute / destination

losing a step / having to sit / extended / a breeze

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Living in Japan for quite some time, I noticed interesting conversational points from Japanese people and Americans alike. For some Japanese people, I would hear statements such as “We Japanese…” then it would be a general statement or fact. On the other hand, some of the American people I’ve met do the same thing, saying that “Japanese people like to do ____” or “Japanese people think like _____”.

For me, it seems weird to categorize people under such broad terms. I read a book awhile ago about human nature, and because they way brains have evolved, people tend to like labels, lists, and categories. For me, it seems silly to think in such a way, but nevertheless, you often see this type of thinking exhibited from people. In the case of Japan, while there maybe some foundational truths, labeling people as “they behave like this” or “they think like that” is stereotyping, which leaves out some details as to how different people think.

 

Questions:

1) Have you ever used the phrase “We Japanese…” when describing Japanese people? What were you talking about?

2) What is your opinion on stereotypes? Why do you think people like to stereotype things?

3) What stereotypes and generalizations have you heard from others about Japanese people?

4) What stereotypes and generalizations have you heard from others about American people?

5) Why do you think some people like to stereotype things?

 

Key Words and Phrases:

statements / broad terms / way / silly / exhibited

foundational / labeling / stereotype

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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