Strange Japanese men
Aug. 20th, 2007 11:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pezI 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!
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!
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no subject
Date: 2007-08-20 10:36 am (UTC)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! ^^'
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Date: 2007-08-20 11:18 am (UTC)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.
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Date: 2007-08-20 11:34 am (UTC)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;; )
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Date: 2007-08-20 11:41 am (UTC)(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.
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Date: 2007-08-20 11:44 am (UTC)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.....
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Date: 2007-08-20 11:48 am (UTC)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.)
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Date: 2007-08-20 11:56 am (UTC)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.)
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Date: 2007-08-20 02:31 pm (UTC)My chances of winning the lottery would certainly be higher if I bought tickets.
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Date: 2007-08-20 02:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-20 03:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-20 03:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-20 03:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-20 03:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-20 03:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-20 07:24 pm (UTC)And, oooh... weird, isn't it? When random people talk to you? and in the middle of a city at night!
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Date: 2007-08-21 04:49 am (UTC)Yeah..... >_>