Back home, we used to go to a discount store called "Big Lots". At that time, it was an awesomely awful store that sold strange food (often from developing countries or eastern Europe) near or past its expiration date, fashion that was so utterly unfashionable that those who had any sense of taste wouldn't buy it at any price, and items which were so dubious in their utility or appearance that
lundi 31 octobre 2011
Will Miss #381 - Tsurukame
Posted on 08:00 by Unknown
Back home, we used to go to a discount store called "Big Lots". At that time, it was an awesomely awful store that sold strange food (often from developing countries or eastern Europe) near or past its expiration date, fashion that was so utterly unfashionable that those who had any sense of taste wouldn't buy it at any price, and items which were so dubious in their utility or appearance that
vendredi 28 octobre 2011
Won't Miss #381 - reluctance to confront (the bad)
Posted on 08:00 by Unknown
While not being confronted over niggling infractions like taking a photo in a no camera zone is a bonus when living in Japan, the fact that the Japanese are so reluctant to confront people who break rules can be inconvenient and troubling as well. In particular, when someone breaks a rule which affects others strongly and no one with authority calls them on it, it can be very irritating. One
jeudi 27 octobre 2011
Will Miss #380 - reluctance to confront (the good)
Posted on 08:00 by Unknown
Click to see a legible version.
One of the things you learn pretty quickly in Japan is that Japanese people are quite reluctant to confront people who break the rules (either willfully or unwittingly). If you enter a space which says "no photos", there's a pretty good chance that people won't tell you to put away your camera if they see you taking pictures. This applies not only to
mercredi 26 octobre 2011
Won't Miss #380 - the "gaijin" vs. "gaikokujin" argument
Posted on 08:00 by Unknown
Offense at a word is in the eye of the beholder. Racially insensitive product name or really bad katakana translation of "mommy"?
One of the longest running debates in the world of foreigners is whether or not being called a "gaijin" (outsider/foreigner) is offensive. The term "gaijkokujin" is generally viewed as being more polite. Frankly, I think this is a trivial issue which masks the real
mardi 25 octobre 2011
Will Miss #379 - living in a small country
Posted on 08:00 by Unknown
One of my students recently went on a package tour to the U.S. As part of the deal, she visited Las Vegas and took a bus to the Grand Canyon. I told her that I was surprised at this pairing because those two places aren't exactly easy to hit during one short vacation. She responded essentially with 'they're pretty close to each other.' That was before she went on her trip. After she came back,
lundi 24 octobre 2011
Won't Miss #379 - the "lesser" customer
Posted on 08:00 by Unknown
This woman at Adores gaming center was giving some sort of discount card or ticket to everyone who came in, but didn't offer any to my husband and I. This is despite the fact that we actually patronize their establishments.
Walking down the streets of Tokyo or going into shops, you see people sometimes handing out free samples, tissues, coupons, and flyers. Ninety-nine percent of the time,
vendredi 21 octobre 2011
Random Thoughts: The Big "E's"
Posted on 08:00 by Unknown
Some time ago, I attempted to have a dialog with someone whose experiences in Japan and opinions as a consequence of those differences were rather different than mine. The exchange ended at an impasse because it was clear that we would never agree. It wasn't that there was fundamental disagreement, but we couldn't settle even on a basic structure on which to reach conclusions.
As an example
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