What Keeps You Motivated To Stay Here In Japan?

[m3gtr]

m3gtr . i think you clearly missed my original point. your topic title is a question asking people why we/ they stay or are still staying in Japan. So you are asking why do people live / continue to live in Japan ... no? and my question was when these questions are brought up why do people always tell us why they love japan so much , ... why they chose to come here(for a holiday and not to live) .....

these comments are clearly not what the topic was asking.... although now that I read it again in some ways it is.

You see the point in your own response, Akeenan?

You asked me about the thread being about what keeps us here and then you are confused as to why people talk about why they love Japan and what they love about it. Lol, I think loving the country and whatever is in it counts as a start towards someone wanting to stay here, no?

[m3gtr]

not the cheese again.

How long does it take to become iron chef of pounding japanese vahje?

Get uzed 2 it Shan. Cheeze iz guudz///

kthanxbai!

Edited February 1, 2008 by m3gtr

[dodgybrooks]

oh and dodgybrooks. . . not doubting your japanaese ability . . . but post up your statement of results. . . . someone with this kind of level shouldnt have "too much trouble" finding a job away from the English thing. I had a few IT job interviews and my japanese isnt that good.

Akeenan, this is what they look like mate:

[dr1ft.jp]

MENTAL NOTE - Must study Japanese

[HOSTILE]

Similar to NYTSKY I have visited japan. In my couple of short stays(2 weeks at a time) I have been blown away by the cleanliness/friendliness of the place. Obviously, as a car fan I visited many tuning shops and the TAS, which certainly was enjoyable. I also loved the food and the quirky things you see on a daily basis. I have also visited and enjoyed Mt Fuji/ Hakone and caught the shinkansen to Osaka for a few days. All great experiences.

I would love to spend 12 months in Tokyo but not being able to speak the language is a major barrier. It is not too bad as a tourist because a lot of japs can understand a little english or you can point etc. However other than perhaps teaching english what can a foreigner do with regard to employment?

In response to the title of the thread, I would say that my motivation to come over for an extended stay is to enjoy the massive cultural difference and to feed my addiction to high performance japanese machinery.

[dodgybrooks]

MENTAL NOTE - Must study Japanese

I wouldn't worry about it, it is no magic ticket to meanginful employment and you loose the cute angle with the chicks.

All pain no gain.

Edited February 7, 2008 by dodgybrooks

[dr1ft.jp]

I guess I would like to be able to read more than anything. I have learnt to play the ignorant gaijin most times. I have eaten Natto for the first time 5 times

[The Ninja]

Akeenan, this is what they look like mate:

Sorry to be off topic but wow, level 1! Well done!!!

I hope to do Level 4 at the end of the year.

[m3gtr]

Hey Steve, Pete missed out on his 2kyu by 2 percent...

can you believe that?

Heartbreaking.

[akeenan]

Akeenan, this is what they look like mate

thanks mate

[dodgybrooks]

Hey Steve, Pete missed out on his 2kyu by 2 percent...

can you believe that?

Heartbreaking.

I heard. Poor fella, he'll smash it next year though.

And try 'Stephen', it'll stop me from smashing you if we ever meet

[m3gtr]

I heard. Poor fella, he'll smash it next year though.

And try 'Stephen', it'll stop me from smashing you if we ever meet

We've met before, buddy. No need to get hostile.

[ausdrift]

IVe been here 3 and a half years, and I gotta agree with many, its a good place to stay. BUT i gotta say, its certainly not the trouble free paradise that some are building it up to be. And i would never live my life here.

My best year was the first one and its gone down hill since then. Why? because the more I learn abou the Japanese the more i lose respect for them. This comes from having my eyes opened slowly over time.

Now firstly, I do like japan. There are many things Aus could learn from them in many areas, so hats off. but yeah, there is also the same feeling in reverse.

People dont realise this, but Japan is an incredibly racist country. Now thankfully im not talking a "noose the black man" kinda of racism, and I guess thats a good thing. But where as you can enter aus as a forigner, do some hard work,, learn the language, get citizenship and then be seen as an Aussi, this doesnt happen in Japan. Here you do all the above, if your lucky get the passport and then spend the rest of your life being seen as an outsider and stared at. Getting real Japanese friends that last will be very hard and you will have to put up with suble racism and bullshit until you die.

The thing is that Japanese people are very nice and polite to your face, but you will have big trouble being included among most. This is why I and others find that the start of our stays are the best. At this time you dont notice that they are taking the piss; you just think that they are fun, bubbly and friendly, where as afterwards they are laughing it up at your expense. I get near daily examples of this bullshit and I gotta say, it gets really f*ken annoying when its so constant.

So why am i here, you ask? well if i tune out this bullshit, there is still a stack of things i love about being here. The concerts, nightlife, the people (but only when they are being genuine), my hobbies, work, the lifestyle. I mean, can you really get away with downing beers on the train and have noone bother you in Aus? doubt it. car/bike stuff too, i speed (safely) every day on my scooter and i have never had a problem. When i owned my fully tuned mark 2 i only got pulled over once and where in aus the plod would have cracked open champagne at the thought of how many canaries they could give me, here they just said its too loud, fix it, bye. Pretty f**king cool.

[West]

People dont realise this, but Japan is an incredibly racist country

True!

[m3gtr]

IVe been here 3 and a half years, and I gotta agree with many, its a good place to stay. BUT i gotta say, its certainly not the trouble free paradise that some are building it up to be. And i would never live my life here.

My best year was the first one and its gone down hill since then. Why? because the more I learn abou the Japanese the more i lose respect for them. This comes from having my eyes opened slowly over time.

Now firstly, I do like japan. There are many things Aus could learn from them in many areas, so hats off. but yeah, there is also the same feeling in reverse.

People dont realise this, but Japan is an incredibly racist country. Now thankfully im not talking a "noose the black man" kinda of racism, and I guess thats a good thing. But where as you can enter aus as a forigner, do some hard work,, learn the language, get citizenship and then be seen as an Aussi, this doesnt happen in Japan. Here you do all the above, if your lucky get the passport and then spend the rest of your life being seen as an outsider and stared at. Getting real Japanese friends that last will be very hard and you will have to put up with suble racism and bullshit until you die.

The thing is that Japanese people are very nice and polite to your face, but you will have big trouble being included among most. This is why I and others find that the start of our stays are the best. At this time you dont notice that they are taking the piss; you just think that they are fun, bubbly and friendly, where as afterwards they are laughing it up at your expense. I get near daily examples of this bullshit and I gotta say, it gets really f*ken annoying when its so constant.

So why am i here, you ask? well if i tune out this bullshit, there is still a stack of things i love about being here. The concerts, nightlife, the people (but only when they are being genuine), my hobbies, work, the lifestyle. I mean, can you really get away with downing beers on the train and have noone bother you in Aus? doubt it. car/bike stuff too, i speed (safely) every day on my scooter and i have never had a problem. When i owned my fully tuned mark 2 i only got pulled over once and where in aus the plod would have cracked open champagne at the thought of how many canaries they could give me, here they just said its too loud, fix it, bye. Pretty f**king cool.

It sounds to me like you are experiencing the same things i am. Ive also been here for more than 3 years.

The difference is the day you realise that in certain situations you shouldnt care what those around you are saying, thinking and doing is the day you start to become more comfortable being here and being around people that will invariably say whatever they want about you. Just do as the japanese do. I see them ignoring each other every day. Im starting to get used to that. It bugged the hell out of me previously.

Drinking and eating on the train for example. Being a lout a few times a month. Totally acceptable and even socially expected.

Being a foreigner here allows me a huge amount of social freedom, regardless of the latent racial tension, which of course i know is there.

Yes japan is xenophobic. Yes, this society has some serious issues. Every society does.

This is a safe country. Ive already said that but again, the only problems ive ever had with people here have been aggressive foreigners and over trivial matters.

I like the fact that noone sticks their unwanted noses in my business. Good luck trying to get that kind of privacy in Oz.

I can make my own progress in life and know im not going to be f**ked with by people trying to bring me down. The tall poppy syndrome does not exist in this country. If i fail its because i was too damn lazy or incompetent not because of others trying to shoot me off the ladder.

Hahah, besides the point i know but I used to think that Australia had the best beaches. A short trip down to the coast of Izu and over to the 7 islands convinced me otherwise.

I dont know. So many things happen in this country on a daily basis its hard not to think life is better here. Theres more action, fun to be had...the place never sleeps. God, i would dread going back to Adelaide where everything died after 5pm and everyone is in your face. So much ego. So over that. You just cant get your own time and space there.

I suppose that there is a reason why its called the retirement city but im nowhere near retirement yet and id rather go back in a pine box than leave japan any time soon.

[dodgybrooks]

We've met before, buddy. No need to get hostile.

We have? Was that you at Fuji Speedway with Poida at D1 a couple of years ago?

Shit my memory is bad......

[m3gtr]

We have? Was that you at Fuji Speedway with Poida at D1 a couple of years ago?

Shit my memory is bad......

yep twas me with one of his japanese friends too.. You had the black evo 3 at the time. Have you sold that yet?

[dodgybrooks]

yep twas me with one of his japanese friends too.. You had the black evo 3 at the time. Have you sold that yet?

Yep

[m3gtr]

Yep

Did you end up getting what you were after?

[dodgybrooks]

Did you end up getting what you were after?

Close enough to