Strange Japanese men

[pez]

I wrote an entry, but lost it. It's probably better that way, I think it wasn't very coherent. Something about becoming a comedian and making people laugh for a living is better than poking at CAD, especially when there aren't enough CAD licences around so I can't open the programme until somebody closes theirs.


Twice, this time. Once in the afternoon, the other rather late at night, near the pedestrian crossing at the entrance of Sunshine 60 Street. I always just mumbled "sumimasen, nihonjin dewa arimasen" and hurry away, so I never know what they wanted, but even if I'd tried to listen I don't think I'd have understood anyway.

The second time, though, I thought the guy wanted to talk to the girl near me, who was all preened dressed up for the evening, whereas I was in loose t-shirt and jeans, with big heavy rucksack on my back. There's a banner on the street saying "beware of bad catch sales", but seriously, was he wanting to sell me something at that time at night, when the street was quiet? I don't look that gullible do I? He couldn't be wanting to ask me to karaoke considering the way I looked, and definitely not to go to love hotel with him, considering my lack of boobs, the way I dressed, my lack of makeup (very rare in Central Tokyo...) and the fact that there were much cuter girls around on the street. I also walk like a guy. He asked me where I came from, I said Hong Kong, and he went, "ahhh, Hong Kong ka...." and went away. Really, why, WHY? Is this normal? Does it happen to lots of people? Together with that time last summer (before the guy backed off, he shook my hand and said my half-pink hair was kakkoii XD), that's 3 times in total. It's not like they were rude or persistent, but it just freaks me out. WHAT DO THEY WANT WITH ME?

But despite that, I don't think I like England much anymore. Really. I mean, really. *wants to be back in Japan* Just taking the Tube and train this morning threatened to give me high blood pressure. DX The only good things about here I can think of right now are threatre/shows, cheap fruit and veg, and English tea...

Not that the desire to move is strong enough for me to accept a 50+% paycut to go teach English there. Yet.

Lack of grammar, punctuation and general correct English in (work) emails make me cringe and homicidal.

In general, work makes me want to bash things, as usual. But hey, it pays me!

Comments

[elyndys.livejournal.com]

Luckily I only got one random guy talking to me, but it was, like, 2 days after I got to Japan. -_- I think that guy was trying to employ me, by the look of one of his "friends" who went past and spoke to him at one point... o.o I think it does happen to a lot of people - my friend is half-Malaysian (I think it's Malaysian - possibly Filipino, but at any rate, she's American but blends in XD) and she had people coming up and talking to her a lot, and when she got to Japan she didn't speak a word of Japanese! It's funny though, although it's strange, and annoying if it happens a lot, I don't think it's threatening like I would if it happened in England or America. But then, I didn't find anything in Japan threatening (except maybe those super-tan girls with scary hair o.o).

I know what you mean, I feel distinctly uncharmed by England having been to Japan, and you know I'm usually quite affectionate towards the old place! I just hope I still have the motivation next year to go over there and do a Japanese course. Not sure if I want to teach over there, because it invariably involves schoolkids, which I dunno if I want to get involved with in any country. XD But I'm seriously thinking of looking into doing something over there. But like I say just hoping I still want to this time next year! ^^'

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

It's good to know I'm not the only one. O_O It really makes me go "WAH?", though I'm really curious what they're actually selling/want from the girls...

(Super-tan girls with scary hair = ganguro girls. They make me go O_O but that's about it... still think they're less scary than a lot of people near where I live...)

I love England's country side, but at heart I'm a city girl. And it really is strange to hear you say that! XD There are lots of people who just go over for a year to see if they like it. One of the main problems with teaching is that you hardly get any days off to do anything worthwhile, and the pay doesn't allow you to travel very far even if you can get the time off. =/ Always wondered what other jobs there are on offer, though. AFAIK, apart from volunteering, they only welcome foreigners into teaching, finance and computing jobs.

[strawberryjoy.livejournal.com]

Hell, I had guys trying to talk to me late at night in Ikkebukuro and I'M middle-aged and overweight and had made a point of being conservatively dressed! I generally assumed that they were trying to sell me something, who knows what.

I like lots of places in Wales and England but generally find that they are a lot nicer without people in them. If I ever win the lottery I'm moving to St Mary's Island.

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

Am now extremely curious about what they're trying to sell!

I love the countryside but am more a city girl, who likes things fast and convenient. XD Crowds don't bother me too much if it's the Tokyo type of crowd rather than the Oxford Street type. >_>

Reminds me, I should remember to buy the lottery.....

[strawberryjoy.livejournal.com]

Aw, but if I had a cottage in the islands, Keigo would want Tez_plush to visit so they could go for lots of boat trips and invigorating walks on the coastal path together (you'll just have to mail him)!

My chances of winning the lottery would certainly be higher if I bought tickets.

[giving-ground.livejournal.com]

I was actually glad to be back in the UK this time but only because, god, being ill that far from home is an unpleasant experience. I'm really annoyed about that in a way, I could have done a lot more if... but oh well, no helping it.

Don't think I could live in Japan - in a way I'm too obviously foreign and even if by dint of much effort I was one day fluent in Japanese I'd still be such an outsider. But I miss it when I leave. (I keep thinking that I miss being in London, too, but then I realise that what I actually miss is being near friends. London itself... hmm. XD;; )

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

Yeah... I'm glad you weren't on your own or something.

There are bits about London that I love, like having the West End right there and Hyde Park and other places that I don't go to often but know I can go and enjoy easily. But apart from those... yeah, it doesn't mean very much to me.

There are foreigners who integrate quite well. The key is to study the language really really hard, much like trying to live in any foreign country, really.


(btw, if you ever find yourself having an extra Eiji photoset, can I buy it from you, it seems like I've miscounted. XDDDDD *is fail* but should be okay, will just refund the buyer if needs be.)

[giving-ground.livejournal.com]

Damn right. @_@

Yeah... it has its good points. But it's such a bad place to actually live. It has loads of nice stuff for visiting, more, really. But anywhere that's even slightly affordable to live in is just... unpleasant.

Mm... true. But it seems like there'd be far more of a cultural barrier to living there than with a lot of other places. Rather than mostly just linguistic difficulties, which I'd get practically anywhere I'd actually be prepared to live that wasn't the UK. XD

(I think I have exactly the right number of all the photosets, actually. :\ Sorry! If it turns out I do once I've sent everything off I'll let you know, though.)

[karadin.livejournal.com]

After having lived in The City for two years, I would definately go out to the country next time round! Dorset is nice. But I'd much rather go to Japan.

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

XD I like the country but can't stay there for too long... a few weeks at most.

[thirdshade.livejournal.com]

Pez, you so kinky. ;DDD ♥

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

Only for you. ♥

[thirdshade.livejournal.com]

Also, Japanese men are so weird. The two times I went there I got the creepy approach a million times, and I'm as far away as possible from the ideal blond bimbostastic gaijin they'd want to shag. Or rape and murder. They weren't selling anything either (except one who looked like he was trying to sell me drugs o_O;;), so I've no idea what they wanted with me, really.

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

You too? OMGGGGG. And they didn't look drunk, there's no way to tell what they wanted. Creepy...

[animegoil.livejournal.com]

*blink* wait, do you live in Japan or England right now?

And, oooh... weird, isn't it? When random people talk to you? and in the middle of a city at night!

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

England. XD I just went to Japan for holiday.

Yeah..... >_>