So that's what Gaijin think of Japan.

[Steve Bildermann]

This essay describes our adventures in exotic Japan in May 2001. It focuses on the fascinating cultural aspects of Japan, sometimes at the expense of routine descriptions of this attraction or that. Frequent sidebars delve into various things Japanes;subjects as diverse as currency, language, clothing, the geisha subculture, and proper names. (The sidebars on the Japanese language are hyperlinked together so that you can navigate through them;ignoring the rest of the material;if you're particularly interested.) Selected photographs from our set of 700 or so appear throughout the site. We learned not only that standard preconceived notions are untrue, but also that authoritative "corrections" of those notions are often equally untrue!

Warning lots and lots of rambling prose ahead

http://www.nsli.com/.../japan/

[GomiGirl]

Lots and lots of prose... OMG it puts the Iliad to shame!!

Can somebody please offer to edit this!!!

[Taro Toporific]

Originally Posted by GomiGirl

Lots and lots of prose... OMG it puts the Iliad to shame!!
Can somebody please offer to edit this!!!

Closing thoughts
...As techno-sardines, the Japanese live masterfully orchestrated lives. They could probably live out all their days in the same five square blocks: as soon as they die, having overdosed on mediocre-quality sushi procured from the convenience mart around the corner, they will be interred in that tiny cemetery right next door to their 20-story condominium tower, only blocks from the clatter and din of the shinkansen...

http://www.nsli.com/.../japan/index4.htm#closing

[GomiGirl]

Oh I didn't get that far... what an old windbag without a clue!!!

All of these insights were gleaned from the inside of an airconditioned tourist bus!!

Well Taro - lots of Random FG shots to steal from that site!!

[Taro Toporific]

Originally Posted by GomiGirl

Well Taro - lots of Random FG shots to steal from that site!!

http://www.nsli.com/.../japan/images/meiji.jpg

http://www.nsli.com/.../japan/images/shoesoff.jpg

[Big Booger]

Cheryl's got quite a rack on her:



I am sorry, but how long did he work on that expose of Japan? I wonder if he will have a sequel?



NIHON WARS: THE GAIJIN STRIKE BACK

[omae mona]

but they don’t know what an aquarium is, so I write “ocean animal shop” (really, “ocean self move thing shop" ("shop" because I don’t know the kanji for "museum")

You'd better get started immediately learning "self" , "thing" , and "shop" . They occur all the time in Japanese words and phrases

I will!! I will get started! But I am not sure I am as smart as this guy. Can you believe a NON-JAPANESE PERSON has been able to learn the meaning of kanji? And so well, too! I'm glad he has shared this monumental demonstration of his skill with us. It has given me such encouragement... I may some day be brave enough to try it myself! As you can see, it has even figured into his resume (also available in HTML)

FOREIGN LANGUAGES


Conversational and technical Spanish; passable German, Dutch, Turkish; Japanese (reading only)

Of course, he has had plenty of time to build up this impressive skill set, because he was (with original red highlight)

EDUCATION


M.E.E. (1983), B.E.E. (1982), The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, New York, NY. Awarded master's degree at age nineteen.

My question is, which came first: marrying her, or giving her the V.P. of Marketing job at his company?

[kamome]

Perhaps the worst patronizing drivel I've ever laid my eyes on.

"Those Japanese are such funny little people. And now we're such experts from our one week in Japan! Plus we're really smart, imaginative people too!" Puke.

[GomiGirl]

I wonder if anyone should tell them that they are copping a right royal sledging from the FG's?

Was that too much slang in one sentence?

[Taro Toporific]

Originally Posted by kamome

Perhaps the worst patronizing drivel I've ever laid my eyes on.Puke.

Originally Posted by omae mona

literally, "horse deer field son"

Sheeeeeee-it. I think this is my 2nd cousin in-law!
If so, he's literally, "horse's ass ex-field son".
He's a savant ---- a "train spotter" and knows every single train time on the East Coast "dia" (common katakana contraction for "diagram schedule" used by trainyard switchmen).

Ohhhhh... my brain hurts just thinking of the family jokes told about him.

Then again, I think Steve B. is having his fun with us and made the whole thing up.