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]

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,

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

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.

My inner angry feminist is rising once more....

Men, be scared. Be very scared.

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.

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. 

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.

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!

草食性男子 part 1

_:_:_ Bear in mind that from now on, this post will be in a mishmash of English and Japanese. Yeah, I admit it, I'm showing off._:_:_

先週の木曜日に、われわれは草食性男子のドキュメンタリーを見ました。草食性男子は日本に新興の象そうだ。
So, Thursday just gone, after having talked about Minamata disease and the dam controversy in... Hitoshi prefecture, if I remember correctly; the subject of 'herbivore men' (known in Japanese as 草食性男子/そうしょくせいだんし/ soushokusei danshi) came up and we watched a video about them that had been on the TV show Cool Japan the night before.
No, that doesn't mean they're vegetarians! And nor does it mean a term my mum came up with that I won't put down here as it was rather adult.

Herbivore men are, from what I've seen, a gentler, sweeter, less brutish kind of male figure.

Those in the UK who've never heard of herbivore men before but watched them in action [on TV or IRL] are probably thinking that these guys are:

1. Metrosexuals [as in the sort of straight man who takes A LOT of pride over his appearance and acts as a good boyfriend/husband/whatever other role he has to fulfill. Think along the lines of David Beckham]
2. Gay; which I can't imagine many Japanese men full stop - never mind the herbivores - would be very comfortable about telling.

Neither is true. Herbivore men aren't as stuck-up as metrosexuals and even if they WERE gay, would it really matter?

A lot of people looked confused/uncomfortable watching it. I however, saw these sweet, kind, down-to-earth, family-orientated men who were more than happy to talk about their girlfriends' appearances and go shopping with them; and an almost cloying - but somehow not unpleasant - feeling of.... almost-love(!!) came over me.

Worryingly, I even found myself swooning and wondering whether there were any boys like that only to realise that I did actually know the likes of the herbivore man outside of Japan.

そして、可笑しい理由どうしても、草食性男子は本社会に悩みと思います。

　草食性男子は家族と友達より儕輩と監督と入りびたります。草食性男子はお菓子で食べますより酒を飲みます。アグレッシブじゃない、けど「愛してる」と言うけして。かれでなんぱで興味ない。

ショッピングが大好きと恋人にうたいますでうれしい。
If it counts for anything, the fact that they never really say "I love you" and are quite unromantic doesn't bother me in the slightest!

Now, why would any of this be a problem? Certainly judging by the looks of things, none of these personality traits seem to be doing anybody any harm.
But company bosses say that it gets lonely without their herbivore colleagues at parties along with everyone else and that it's impossible to get to know a herbivore beyond a very basic work relationship.
And as anyone particularly familiar with Japanese culture knows, afterhours socialising is vital to the average work ethos.
This could be interpreted as harming the workforce.... somehow.

The 草食性's lack of interest in sex could be interpreted as harming the country's birth rate as Japan - like much of the rest of the developing world - is ageing faster than the rate of reproduction. Of course, we need babies to make up for the elderly and to look after future generations of the elderly once they've grown up. Balance, really.

Also, Japanese girls tend to find the fact that 草食性男子 are reluctant to pick them up annoying.

However, along with the 草食性男子 are the carnivorous women. We didn't find much out about them except they're a lot more proactive in dating than their male counterparts.

Anyway, before the next part, here's a link on what carnivorous women are: http://jccabulletin-geppo.ca/crosscurrents/of-herbivorous-men-and-carnivororous-women/

Aso and a baguely relevant observation from then

In advance: excuse the wierd phrases here and there. Translations provided at the end.

I would put lots of pictures in here but it's now almost half midnight and I can't be bothered to look up the HTML I need, so there. BUT, I will include one of everyone once we got to the top

_:_:_

OK, I was later than I planned to be writing this entry [procratintion 4TW*, righ?], but on the 17th [Saturday just gone], several of us took a trip to Aso.
Since I'd arrived in Kumamoto just over a month back *GASP ZOMG NOWAI DAT TYME ALREDII?* and heard about Aso, I had the idea that it was a mountain.

Apparently, it's not a mountain but a mountain town with 5 peaks.

There's

• 猫山(Nekoyama aka Mount Neko)
• 高山Takayama aka Mount Taka)
• 中山Nakayama aka Mount Naka)
• 杵島山Kishimayama aka Mount Kishima
• 烏帽子だけEboshi-Dake. Now, I'm not sure whether Eboshi-Dake is just a familiar name or whether that's the proper name used without the 山 [I asum?], which was the one we climbed. Anyway, apparently this name translates to 'goose-barnacle' because of its shape.

It was a BEAUTIFUL day although I did get absolutely covered in mud.

And now for something that I hope is relevant......_:_:_

There was a couple among all of us who, judging by my very limited understanding of Oriental languages other than Japanese, sounded like they were Chinese. Although the furthest I ever saw them go was hugging, they were doing it a lot. This surprised me as I'd have thought that it'd be much less frquent than it was.
Not that I minded much. Just an observation.

* * * * *

TRANSLATIONS

* * * * *

4TW - For the win. Id est, a good thing.

*GASP ZOMG NOWAI DAT TYME ALREDII?* - (gasps) Ze Oh My Gosh/Goodness/God [whichever you prefer], No way! That time already?
Actions are often written in between asterisks by myself, thought I'm not the only one by any means.

文化演習３の＊＊一番＊＊！！！！

みんなさん

はじめまして。私の名前はエマ・セルインです。私は２２歳のリバプール・ジョン・モーズに学生です。あそこで日本語とフランス語をべんきょうします。

二週間まえは一番クラスの文化演習でしたとグルプで生すいりました。

このグループの中はマリナさんと愛さん。

マリナと愛は20裁です。マリナの趣味は旅行することと音楽を聞くすることです。愛の趣味はショピングことするとダンシングすることです。

私の日本語はまだ上手じゃありません、ごめんあさい。

次に何が起こることが面白いのに私でわかりません。

次は：阿蘇、温泉と大いに泥。