demagogue on 19/2/2007 at 02:13

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I worked in Japan for a year (teaching English, what else?) and am now spending some time there, uh, here now in Tokyo.

One doesn't "deal with" the Japanese language, to say the least. You know from the beginning you are going to be hopelessly inadequate, rude, and boarish. But fortunately, for a nation that is so insane about dutiful politeness & proper social behavior, at least that extends to Japanese being duty-bound to politely understanding foreigners' total inadequacy, which doesn't come across as patronizing at all for the first few months. After that, and you start to understand that there's more to the ability of foreigners to integrate into the society than just language ability.

demagogue on 19/2/2007 at 08:14

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No shit? I was teaching English in Nagasaki-Ken in 2001 (actually an island called Tsushima still in the prefecture, but I visited the city all the time). It's interesting to read that another TTLG'er is there. It's far from the first Japanese city people think of when they think about living there, although if you're from the Netherlands it makes more sense, since that country has had such a long connection to that city. Although I heard that Haus Ten Bus (spelling?), the theme park, shut down recently. Zan-nen desu (too bad), but I have to admit it was sort of odd to see this random exact-replica of a 17th Century Dutch town in the middle of Kyushu.


(I don't want to hijack the thread ... just interesting to read that. Back to the stories.)

Insertnamehere on 19/2/2007 at 09:29

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didn`t know Tsushima was in Nagasaki-ken too..thought it was It`s own `ken`. :)

cool to know that you taught in this city... it`s a nice place (although Fukuoka, being a bigger place obviously is much more a vibrant city)

the Huis Ten Bosch (right spelling:cheeky: ) re-opened actually, don`t know when exactly. I haven`t been there yet but I expect it to be kinda odd, seeing traditional Dutch buildings with mountains on the background (the Netherlands is an almost completely flat country).

I am here with a special study program by the University of Leiden and the University of Nagasaki. The Japanese lessons are kinda dull, but live in Japan is anything except dull!:cool:

Shayde on 19/2/2007 at 12:19

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SA has 11 official languages. I only speak 3 so a lot of the time I have no idea what anyone is saying.
On the plus side I've become adept at reading body language.

I am moving to the UK sometime this year and I have to admit I'm looking forward to having mostly English speakers around.

SD on 19/2/2007 at 15:22

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"Hand me your wallet", if the crime rate is anything to go by ;)