[US] 7. Learning a New Language

Many people have this idea that it is difficult to learn a new language. While I agree that it will take some time to learn, I don’t think it is necessarily “difficult”.

For example, I have two foreign friends in Japan. There names are John and Stacy. John cannot speak Japanese at a high level yet, while Stacy can. Stacy goes to a language school in Tokyo, while John works as a language teacher in Ibaraki. Why is Stacy learning at a faster rate than John? It is because Stacy studies Japanese in class for 3 hours, plus, does her homework after class. John studies by himself, but because he works long hours, he may only have 1 hour to study once or twice a week. Therefore, Stacy learns the language faster.

It isn’t that the language is “hard”, but that there is not enough time being spent studying it. Give it a try. Make time each day to study whatever language you are interested in and you will see how faster it will be to understand it.

 

Questions:

1) Why do you want to study English?

2) How often do you study English? Did you study today?

3) What sort of things to do you use to help you study language?

4) In your opinion, what part of the language do you need to work on? What part are you good at?

5) What other languages are you interested in?

Key Words and Phrases:

foreign / at a faster rate / may only / therefore

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[US] 6. School in Japan

School in Japan is interesting. When I used to teach children and junior high school students, I remember how tired many of the students were when they came to class. Each and every one of them were loaded with homework, studying, and club activities. I would ask them what time they would wake up and it was always before 6 a.m.. These students were around 10-12 years in age, and they already had a rough schedule like this. I could not believe it! When I was their age, I did my homework and made good grades, but I also played video games and watched TV.

However, college was a little different than what I was expecting. For me, I had to do a lot of research and consistently write papers. The same was for graduate school, where writing papers longer than 20 pages wasn’t uncommon. My Japanese friend was surprised. For him, university life was fun and engaging, where he would go out to drink with friends and party. Granted, this was undergraduate, so I’m sure it is different in the graduate level, but it was an interesting contrast.

In America, junior high school (or “middle school”) and high school isn’t as busy or difficult as it is in Japan. But apparently, it switches around when university starts, as universities in America require quite a lot of studying compared to Japan.

 

Questions:

1) What was your life like in junior high school? How busy were you?

2) What club activities were you in when you were in junior high school and high school?

3) Did you go to university? If you did, what did you study?

4) Did you ever go to school in another country? If so, where did you go?

5) What clubs or circles were you in in college? What did you do?

 

Key Words and Phrases:

were loaded with / in age / expecting  /consistently

granted / undergraduate / graduate / Apparently

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[US] 5. Americans interested in Japanese culture: What it means to be “Otaku”

Growing up, I read many books on Japanese culture and history. I was fascinated at how different it was from reading American history, and how much Japan contributed to the world as a whole. Being a child at the time, this of course meant watching anime, reading about samurai, and learning about the Sengoku period. I was also interested in traditional Japanese dress, and how different it looked from American style. While this part of the culture is significant and important, my focus has shifted to other things, leaving majority of this information in my childhood.

However, after coming here and observing my surroundings, it seemed rather strange that there are people who come to Japan strictly for those things and are disappointed when they aren’t the way they envision. People who read too much anime and think Japan is similar to the world of Naruto or One Piece are an example of this. People who are somewhat eccentric in their approach to Japan, and base things off stereotypes and generalizations. In America, we call people like this “otaku” or even more derogatory a “weeaboo”. From what I’ve understood, the meaning “otaku” in Japan basically translates to something along the lines of “geek” or “nerd”. Someone who is really interested in a particular hobby. In America, we use that term strictly for the people who are really interested in anime and manga.

 

As for weeaboo…well, generally those are people who are obsessed with Japan, but in a way that is awkward and strange. For example, watching an anime and thinking people in Japan all behave like the characters in the show. Or running around the country acting like the characters from a manga. These are just a few examples, but it isn’t unusual to think that those behaviors are a little strange.

 

There are many layers that make up a country. As wonderful as it is to appreciate a new culture and society, it is also important to understand that there are different perspectives.

Questions:

1) Do you feel strange if an American or foreign person asks you questions about history and old cultural practices? Why or why not?

2) What is your opinion on otaku?

3) Is it possible for foreigners to like parts of Japanese culture, without being weird or strange? Why or why not?

4) Tell a story about how you met some strange people who really liked Japanese culture. What did they do?

5) Why do you think many people like Japanese culture?

Key Words and Phrases: fascinated, contributed, significant, majority of, envision, eccentric, derogatory, the lines of, in a way, make up, appreciate, perspectives

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[US] 4. Transportation in Japan

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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[US] 3. Stereotypes and Generalizations in Japan

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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[US] 2. Making friends in Japan

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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[US] 1. Service in Japan

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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[UK] 24. UK and Japan : The Ways We Think About Meat 肉についての考え方

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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[UK] 23. UK & Japan: Ways Of Solving Problems イギリスと日本:解説策を見つけ方の違い

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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[UK] 22. UK & Japan : Education Ranking System イギリスと日本:教育のランキングシステム

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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