http://lang-8.com/13545/journals/496888/%E4%BA%BA%E3%80%85%EF%BC%9D%E3%81%8F%E3%81%9D%EF%BC%81
今ひるのゲミ・コールは、二人の女性の間に立ちました。そして、一番大切の理由はビルは私に「７時前に帰りたい」と言わしました。
そして、ビルの帰りたい時間がわからなかっただか ら、「６時」とまちがわしました。
Sadly, I don't know how to say "I didn't think people could stoop that low" in Japanese yet.. I WAS going to put 'Japanese', but of course that's unfair racial stereotyping. ALL races have a few individiduals that don't play nice.
But yeah, that really got me VERY VERY angry.
Wednesday 26 May 2010
Sunday 23 May 2010
Just a little thankyou....
Cheers for coming to Rob's 21st meal on Saturday night, Masden-sensei! It was totally unexpected, but sweet of you to do so.
*sings and headbangs* Communication Breakdown, Communication Breakdown
*stands upright again* OK, so that's all I know of that Led Zeppelin song. Whoo, that felt good!
Anyway, Masden-sensei [Ummm.... what SHOULD I call you on here?] seems to have taken note that a fair few of us wanted to move on from the topic of genders, as our new topic is Communication.
I think this is quite a good choice as - although less likely to be controversial than the last topic - it's still a good wide one and has plenty of scope for differences between countries to be shown.
Several of us gave examples of communication problems;
Kie mentioned that both male and female Japanese have stood her up (no, not necessarily like a date!) despite having told her 「だいじょうぶ」 i.e. indicating that they COULD meet her, which surprised and annoyed me. I was surprised because I thought that if they couldn't go, the Japanese would just say that they couldn't go and not feel a need to give a reason/excuse.
This was mentioned by Carly.
*****
One example I gave - which I was grateful to my Mum for having mentioned to me when she came to visit in April - is that sometimes, when you ask a Japanese person a question, the response you get will be completely unrelated.
_:_
One day in mid-late April, when I was a new kid and looking for a classroom, I walked up to the nearest student I could find, showed her my time table and asked *puts on slowly, badly spoken Japanese with excessively strong English accent which will be written phonetically here for the purposes of entertainment* 「この,クラス[extra emphasis]は・どっこ・[/emphasis]です・[emphasis]か。[/emphasis]」
The response I got was "Oh, you have this teacher? [Can't remember who it was I was having now]. She is very kind".... and then she walked away! WOT.
N.B. I know that どっこ isn't how you say "where"!
My group discussed ひつよい i.e. the sort of pervy men who categorically take no for an answer [in the context we used it for]. In Japan, it'd appear to be the case that it tends to be foreigners who are like this.
At the end of Thursday's class, we all got into a circle and had to answer a question with Yes (blue card) or No (red card), although several people also used Sometimes/Maybe (yellow card).
I put forward a question about whether body lanugage in Japan was different to that in the UK and there was a lot of discussion about gestures.
On reflection, perhaps this question was vague, so Masden-sensei came to the rescue again and asked whether people can read body language of those in their own country. I immediately put the red card on because.... well, I struggle with reading people full stop, basically!
I was surprised, but also very relieved, to note that several Japanese people also put no to people of their own country. Misa mentioned that the Japanese do tend to be fairly hard to read as they don't show emotion as much as Westerners do.
_:_:_
Before I finish off, I think I should mention the final statistics we were shown about gender pay gaps arond the world and attitudes towards women working after marriage and housewives.
See here: http://bunkaseminar.blogspot.com/2010/05/some-statistics-about-gender-equality.html
While the amount of Japanese in full-time permanent work - rather than on temporary contracts - is decreasing all around, women are often the first ones to be laid off. *DEEP BREATH* Now, I shall be mature about this.
Also, the thicker lines on the first table show that while fewer men and women want women to be housewives, there are more women who want to be housewives than men wnating women to be housewives. Unfortunately, forgotten what the dotted ones represent now.
Although things on the work front for women are generally better than they used to be; there are still some rather large hurdles ot overcome.
The third table in the above link shows the gender pay gap in Japan to be higher than [in order of lasrgest to smallest pay gap] Germany, the the US, the UK and Sweden. This taken from looking at the left column.
Anyway, Masden-sensei [Ummm.... what SHOULD I call you on here?] seems to have taken note that a fair few of us wanted to move on from the topic of genders, as our new topic is Communication.
I think this is quite a good choice as - although less likely to be controversial than the last topic - it's still a good wide one and has plenty of scope for differences between countries to be shown.
Several of us gave examples of communication problems;
Kie mentioned that both male and female Japanese have stood her up (no, not necessarily like a date!) despite having told her 「だいじょうぶ」 i.e. indicating that they COULD meet her, which surprised and annoyed me. I was surprised because I thought that if they couldn't go, the Japanese would just say that they couldn't go and not feel a need to give a reason/excuse.
This was mentioned by Carly.
*****
One example I gave - which I was grateful to my Mum for having mentioned to me when she came to visit in April - is that sometimes, when you ask a Japanese person a question, the response you get will be completely unrelated.
_:_
One day in mid-late April, when I was a new kid and looking for a classroom, I walked up to the nearest student I could find, showed her my time table and asked *puts on slowly, badly spoken Japanese with excessively strong English accent which will be written phonetically here for the purposes of entertainment* 「この,クラス[extra emphasis]は・どっこ・[/emphasis]です・[emphasis]か。[/emphasis]」
The response I got was "Oh, you have this teacher? [Can't remember who it was I was having now]. She is very kind".... and then she walked away! WOT.
N.B. I know that どっこ isn't how you say "where"!
My group discussed ひつよい i.e. the sort of pervy men who categorically take no for an answer [in the context we used it for]. In Japan, it'd appear to be the case that it tends to be foreigners who are like this.
At the end of Thursday's class, we all got into a circle and had to answer a question with Yes (blue card) or No (red card), although several people also used Sometimes/Maybe (yellow card).
I put forward a question about whether body lanugage in Japan was different to that in the UK and there was a lot of discussion about gestures.
On reflection, perhaps this question was vague, so Masden-sensei came to the rescue again and asked whether people can read body language of those in their own country. I immediately put the red card on because.... well, I struggle with reading people full stop, basically!
I was surprised, but also very relieved, to note that several Japanese people also put no to people of their own country. Misa mentioned that the Japanese do tend to be fairly hard to read as they don't show emotion as much as Westerners do.
_:_:_
Before I finish off, I think I should mention the final statistics we were shown about gender pay gaps arond the world and attitudes towards women working after marriage and housewives.
See here: http://bunkaseminar.blogspot.com/2010/05/some-statistics-about-gender-equality.html
While the amount of Japanese in full-time permanent work - rather than on temporary contracts - is decreasing all around, women are often the first ones to be laid off. *DEEP BREATH* Now, I shall be mature about this.
Also, the thicker lines on the first table show that while fewer men and women want women to be housewives, there are more women who want to be housewives than men wnating women to be housewives. Unfortunately, forgotten what the dotted ones represent now.
Although things on the work front for women are generally better than they used to be; there are still some rather large hurdles ot overcome.
The third table in the above link shows the gender pay gap in Japan to be higher than [in order of lasrgest to smallest pay gap] Germany, the the US, the UK and Sweden. This taken from looking at the left column.
Saturday 15 May 2010
Thought about it now....
I'd like to move on in a bit. Not right away, but soonish. My masochistic side is not as strong as it once was.
One thing that may or may not be discussable, but which certainly crosses my mind a lot, is decency. I'll go into more detail and include some self-indulgence whining that is so vital to these blogs in my next post, assuming nothing else especially interesting comes up in the meantime.
One thing that may or may not be discussable, but which certainly crosses my mind a lot, is decency. I'll go into more detail and include some self-indulgence whining that is so vital to these blogs in my next post, assuming nothing else especially interesting comes up in the meantime.
Friday 14 May 2010
Yet another reminder that being female sucks!
In Thursday's class, we watched a video from the 1990s about how differently men and women were treated when doing different things.
Here are my notes made while watching it [not exactly ad verbatim for ummm..... VERY good reasons]
Previous job as manager (woman), but talked to about being a receptionist
W Men & women react differently to the discrimination faced by both genders.
Men find it hard to see the problem.
Generally assumed black president will rule before a woman will
the US [HAH! Prophecy, perhaps?]
里心がつく Email tutors
Fukuoka/ bout Amakusa/
じめじめ ＝ depressing (な/の) Minamata/ Hitoyoshi
_:_:_
As pathetic as that sounds, watching that video put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.I spent a lot of the time sat there jaw open in horro and shock, wanting to scream expletives about pathetic the car salesman, golf course owner/clerk and the man offering the job as a planning manager [I think] were.
Other things learned from class
I brokenly tried to say I felt that it worked both ways and that I tried to avoid the pressure as much as possible.
_:_:_
At the end of class, we all sat in a big cirlce like we usually do, with 3 colours of card to each person.
Bill's group discussed the question of whether the mother was more important to the children than the father or both were equally important.
I said both were equally important at the time because both parents play an influence at the time, but on reflection I'm not so sure.
On one hand, there's the common stereotype that the daddy goes out to work while the mummy looks after the children. But the there is the possibility that both parents work, or that there is a single parent for whatever reason. Or even - SHOCK HORROR *GASP* the daddy looking after the kids while the mummy goes to work.
Of course; in these modern, tolerant times, we have to take gay couples of both genders and polyamorous relationships [however many people of each gender] into account too. But that just confuses thing even further, so whatever your orientation, let's just stick with the typical heterosexual married couple.
I almost want to say the mother, but am loath to do so for some reason I can't figure out. What I thought was REALLY odd, though, was that one guy said the father was more important [talking only from a guy's perspecitve] because he'd teach his son all about certain aspects that only happen to males. Stuff like.... making fires;something else that'd only apply if you ever decided to venture somewhee with a lot of woodland; and [one would hope!] the implication that he could help explain to the son what was happening during puberty and adolescence.
_:_:_
As far as I'm concerned, I'm in two minds about whether to continue on the topic of gender identity or not. It's really interesting and it certainly makes me think about how relatively lucky the UK is generally speaking.... but the same time I don't know how much more reminding that men are superior to women I can really take. But then again, being a bit of a masochist, I'd want to push myself further and further.
I'll have to go away and think about this, hopefully remembering to give an answer in my next blog.
Here are my notes made while watching it [not exactly ad verbatim for ummm..... VERY good reasons]
Video from 90s. てんじょ（う）＝ceiling
If a woman wants a test drive (in the US), the salesman will insist on doing it [Citing insurance reasons].
(VERY VERY RUDE WORD THAT I SCRIBBLED OUT DUE TO PARANOIA OF ANYONE ELSE SEEING IT DESCRIBING HOW I FELT ABOUT THE CAR SALESMAN). <--だめ！！！ She got $9400.... instead of $9995.
Man gets $9200->$8900 and is allowed to drive the car himself.
No law protecting women from being pressured to pay higher price for a car.
Some private golf courses don't allow women to play.... and women are seen as less shilled than men & g pushed to later/more undesirable tee times.
Cincinatti newspaper: of course,
Men find it hard to see the problem.
Generally assumed black president will rule before a woman will
the US [HAH! Prophecy, perhaps?]
里心がつく Email tutors
Fukuoka/ bout Amakusa/
じめじめ ＝ depressing (な/の) Minamata/ Hitoyoshi
_:_:_
As pathetic as that sounds, watching that video put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.I spent a lot of the time sat there jaw open in horro and shock, wanting to scream expletives about pathetic the car salesman, golf course owner/clerk and the man offering the job as a planning manager [I think] were.
Other things learned from class
Women usually end up paying more for things than men do
Men treated more importantly than women, generally.
Women paid less than men in some cases
_:_:_
Having got into 6 groups aftere the video, my group (Mira, Yutetsu, Shoma, Marina, myself and maybe someone else) got discussing the question of whether fashion was something we liked or felt pressured to follow._:_:_
I brokenly tried to say I felt that it worked both ways and that I tried to avoid the pressure as much as possible.
_:_:_
At the end of class, we all sat in a big cirlce like we usually do, with 3 colours of card to each person.
Bill's group discussed the question of whether the mother was more important to the children than the father or both were equally important.
I said both were equally important at the time because both parents play an influence at the time, but on reflection I'm not so sure.
On one hand, there's the common stereotype that the daddy goes out to work while the mummy looks after the children. But the there is the possibility that both parents work, or that there is a single parent for whatever reason. Or even - SHOCK HORROR *GASP* the daddy looking after the kids while the mummy goes to work.
Of course; in these modern, tolerant times, we have to take gay couples of both genders and polyamorous relationships [however many people of each gender] into account too. But that just confuses thing even further, so whatever your orientation, let's just stick with the typical heterosexual married couple.
I almost want to say the mother, but am loath to do so for some reason I can't figure out. What I thought was REALLY odd, though, was that one guy said the father was more important [talking only from a guy's perspecitve] because he'd teach his son all about certain aspects that only happen to males. Stuff like.... making fires;something else that'd only apply if you ever decided to venture somewhee with a lot of woodland; and [one would hope!] the implication that he could help explain to the son what was happening during puberty and adolescence.
* * * * *
I think a day trip to wherever we're going - if feasible and possible - is a great idea. Sure it could potentially be more knackering to some and a bit rushed, but it'd more than likely be cheaper and you can do quite a lot in a day._:_:_
As far as I'm concerned, I'm in two minds about whether to continue on the topic of gender identity or not. It's really interesting and it certainly makes me think about how relatively lucky the UK is generally speaking.... but the same time I don't know how much more reminding that men are superior to women I can really take. But then again, being a bit of a masochist, I'd want to push myself further and further.
I'll have to go away and think about this, hopefully remembering to give an answer in my next blog.
Sunday 9 May 2010
Herbivore Men Part 2
Hrmmmm.... not too good at updating this frequently, am I?
前マスデンに「ビデオでありがとうございます」と言う忘れましたと思う。ごめんね。だから、今は「ありがとうございます」。
あいにくに、ビデオ
そして,所在ないし好奇し、一番大切と正しい理由、クイズに答えるとおもいました。
クイズは、マスデンも「ありがとうございます」と言うがいい。このクイズは草食性男子に当て付いてけどちょっとかまいませんだよ。
The image can be found at http://bunkaseminar.blogspot.com (2010/05/05) if it doesn't work here. As an extra precaution, I'll type out the questions. I'm going to answer in English only to save time. Sorry for the lack of showing off there XP
_:_:_
1. Do you pick up girls? I would if I knew how to and girls were interested in me. Having Asperger's Syndrome doesn't exactly help with the 'social ability' thing, either :/.
That being said.... when men have been interested, I've always been the one buying the drinks for them. But only if I'm interested back.
And if you try to flirt with me, use pick-up lines or make any overt attempt to impress me, you can just take yo lame azz home.
That being said.... when men have been interested, I've always been the one buying the drinks for them. But only if I'm interested back.
And if you try to flirt with me, use pick-up lines or make any overt attempt to impress me, you can just take yo lame azz home.
N.B. One thing I found interesting is that the term 'pick-up' is much less sexual in Japan than how I as a Brit would conceive it. I'd probably say 'going out on the pull' en lieu de 'picking up'. In Japan, it's jut going out and talking to people whereas in the UK it's anything up to a one-night stand. Which I assume is always sexual. But then again it could just be that the Japanese tend to be a lot more quiet about the sexual side of things than the English.
2. Do you confess to a girl that you like her? I think I would.... again, apply this to both genders.
3. Should the man pay on the first date? GUGH! Honest to God, I **FUCKING HATE** the fact that people believe there's this idea that men 'should' pay on the first date. Anyway, most of the time, I let him pay and make sure I bring plenty of money that day because it's easier to go along with what society wants than anything else. And I suppose it makes the blokes feel emasculated....
With both genders, I'm more than happy to go Dutch [wonder where that came from?] or even pay for both of us if I can afford it right from the off. But there we are.
To summarise: No, but he'll always try to anyway so STFU cos ur only a wimman bych.Do you want a car more than a bike? I can't ride a bike and don't want to learn to drive, so the Asperger's side of me [i.e. the one that takes everything literally] would say neither.
However, from a status point of view, I think I'd say a bike. A car's fine as well, but not if whoever my potential date decides to sing its praises constantly.
With both genders, I'm more than happy to go Dutch [wonder where that came from?] or even pay for both of us if I can afford it right from the off. But there we are.
To summarise: No, but he'll always try to anyway so STFU cos ur only a wimman bych.Do you want a car more than a bike? I can't ride a bike and don't want to learn to drive, so the Asperger's side of me [i.e. the one that takes everything literally] would say neither.
However, from a status point of view, I think I'd say a bike. A car's fine as well, but not if whoever my potential date decides to sing its praises constantly.
I was surprised at how nearly everyone in the class wanted a car over a bike. Admittedly most cited convenience, but there were some who secretly preferred the perceived status a car has. All of them were girls *rolls eyes*
4. Do you have high ambitions to be successful? I think so... probably unrealistically high, actually. I mean, I can barely understand simple questions put to me in Japanese because I panic and stop listening the moment I realise that I don't know this one little word ANDLYKOMGIHAVETOHAVEHAVETOFINDTHISWORDINMYDENSHIJISHOORELSETHEWHOLEWORLDISDOOMED D:.... BUTIDON'THASDADENSJIJIHSO D: tOt T-T..... and yet I still want to be a translator or an interpreter. Annoyingly, I have the ambitions but not always the impetus to follow things through properly!!
5. Do you go drinking with your boss? First answer would be yes if I worked and if Japanese and English work ethoses were the same. However, on second thoughts, I'd be scared of getting fired from having drunk too much and made a total fool of myself. Not so sure that bosses would be prepared to look after me while I had my head in the toilet bowl/sink for the 3rd time that night. I suppose if they were, then that'd be a testament to how awesome they are as a person.
6. [The wording to this one makes me giggle inside as it's such an old-fashioned translation] Do you think it is not "cool" to spend a lot of money on primping? It's fine as long as it doesn't get in the way of other things/people and [in my ideal world] You have some brains and personality to go along with your looks.
Also, it just wouldn't be practical to spend ALL your time on your looks.
Also, it just wouldn't be practical to spend ALL your time on your looks.
7. Are you the "take the reins" kind of guy? I think generally not, tbh.... I prefer to observe from a distance and make a move when I feel comfortable doing so.
8. Do you like drinking alcohol more than eating sweet things? Yes! The effects are better, alcohol has more variety and I've basically all but lost my appetite since coming to Japan.
9. Would you choose work over friends and family? Don't think so.....
Now, I swear there's one missing that I can't fine now! ¬¬
P.S. I'm quite surprised at how therapeutic it feels writing on this.
P.P.S. Yes, I am bi.
We're all going on a summer holiday...
Now, before I write about anything else, I should write about that proposed trip in July.
The choices thus far seem to be Minamata, Amakusa and Hitoyoshi.
All of them have potential and all I know is I want to see somewhere else in Japan. I've been to Yamaga and Aso thus far.
Maybe at some point if I ever remember/can be bothered, I might mention some stuff I got up to while camping there.
Never been camping so often in my life.... and none of them have been in a tent!
The choices thus far seem to be Minamata, Amakusa and Hitoyoshi.
All of them have potential and all I know is I want to see somewhere else in Japan. I've been to Yamaga and Aso thus far.
Maybe at some point if I ever remember/can be bothered, I might mention some stuff I got up to while camping there.
Never been camping so often in my life.... and none of them have been in a tent!
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