What is the question you never want to hear again?

[Mels]

I dont know how to on this site. I see that people can....

[vir-jin]

FWIW, the Chinese aren't much different when it comes to the questions (though I've never heard Chinese say 'China's xx is no. 1').

A white face= American
Anyone over 18=you must be an English teacher or work for a foreign company
Broken Chinese=You must have studied Chinese before coming or you've lived in China for years

But at least there are no obvious same-sex attempts to check out, ahem, package size.

I've found a way to forestall the broken English onslaught, though, by immediately claiming to be German (profound apologies to any actual Germans). That curbs their attempts at broken English, though it invariably leads to a detailed discussion of how good German cars are. And to maintain my 'cover,' I've even had to research pricing info on German cars in Germany because sooner or later I'll be asked 'how much is such and such in your country?'

May I reward you with my German passport? I would still have my swiss one left. You'd make a better citizen than me- I don't eat their food, drink their beer, hate soccer and german cars. my family fled to china during ww I & II. And one of my grandgrand fathers revived the hebraic language for Hertzel and the new state of Israel.

[hakuman]

Betsuni ijyanai no? Toki doki koko de monku ittate, sonna OGESA na kotto jyano no ni, anatawa ogesa ni shitte iru. Nihon jin datte monku bakari, anta date monku iteiru. Sonnani yaddatara, yomanaide inoyo. Hontou ni, ERASOU ni. Hito o baka ni surun jyanai noyo.

I dont know if you are trying to look cool cause you can write a whole lot of romaji, but you just look like the baka you are trying to call me. Put in a couple more years Japanese study before you start trying to post in it.

Either way, I could say the same thing to you. If you dont like seeing my complaints, dont read them.

I will take that liberty with your romaji posts in the future.

[vir-jin]

Betsuni ijyanai no? Toki doki koko de monku ittate, sonna OGESA na kotto jyano no ni, anatawa ogesa ni shitte iru. Nihon jin datte monku bakari, anta date monku iteiru. Sonnani yaddatara, yomanaide inoyo. Hontou ni, ERASOU ni. Hito o baka ni surun jyanai noyo.

I dont know if you are trying to look cool cause you can write a whole lot of romaji, but you just look like the baka you are trying to call me. Put in a couple more years Japanese study before you start trying to post in it.

Either way, I could say the same thing to you. If you dont like seeing my complaints, dont read them.

I will take that liberty with your romaji posts in the future.

darling, take a break! she's half japanese and native speaker. She was polite giving you some romaji- nobody knows whether you can read kanji or not. if you post here, anybody is able to answer you and express a certain point of view. If you dislike it, go ahead and ignore others posts. but in the post above, your guessing is just too wrong.

[hakuman]

nobody knows whether you can read kanji or not.

She also didnt know if I could speak Japanese and that didnt stop her.

if you post here, anybody is able to answer you and express a certain point of view

and I took that same liberty for myself.

[FG Lurker]

[nullpointer]

You guys are a bunch of whiners. These people are asking you these questions and making these statements to be friendly, and you are all hosttile about it. Suck it up, smile, and answer the question. If you dont like it, go home and quit whining.

What is there to suck up to if they are trying to be friendly?

[Tomoko]

[vir-jin]

nobody knows whether you can read kanji or not.

She also didnt know if I could speak Japanese and that didnt stop her.

if you post here, anybody is able to answer you and express a certain point of view

and I took that same liberty for myself.

Yeah, but maybe both is misleading. I personally prefer reposts that give a review how the other person thinks. That's a reply. We are all limited in the way we can reply to another person and reach this person.

did you introduce yourself somewhere? can you give us a link?

[Mulboyne]

These people are asking you these questions and making these statements to be friendly

I think there is a definite difference between people asking a question to be friendly and people asking a question to reinforce a prejudice.
One of the great things about Japanese is the regular conversation patterns it has. Once you get the hang of those, you can have have a meaningless exchange and sound quite fluent.
Sometimes questions about natto/chopsticks/do you like Japanese girls etc. are just a hardwired way of starting a conversation but, sometimes, they turn out to be the main purpose of the conversation which can quickly veer into nihonjinron territory.
I'm happy to take advantage of the chance offered by someone being friendly but I have no problem being a slightly abrupt if I sense the latter motive.

[jingai]

[Mels]

Hakuman obochan:
chill out man. otokono kuseni....you can dish out your crap but cant take the heat? You do act like a know it all, holier then tho. You have only been in Japan for a little over four years. That is not anything compared to some of us here.

Hey, I am baka all the time.. ...I dont care. Life is good.
Maybe you need to start looking on the lighter side of life sometime...you may enjoy it better.

Peace out

[Socratesabroad]

May I reward you with my German passport?

You'd make a better citizen than me- I don't eat their food, drink their beer, hate soccer and german cars.

Thanks for the offer. My apologies about the cover-up were mostly intended for you since I knew you were actually German

And, yes, I've had to learn the names of the famous German soccer teams and players (all in Chinese, of course). And naturally German beer is no problem (sure beats most local Chinese brands). As for German food, I haven't found many (actually any) decent German restaurants here. There are a few older places - one built in 1905 - that serve 'traditional' German fare, but I much prefer modern stuff. 'Traditional' German beer circa 1905 is a flat (little/no carbonation), room-temperature beer that tastes much like modern English draft. I shudder even thinking about it...

[Mulboyne]

I encourage you to stop asking gaijin the question about blood type. You'll have better success if you ask what their astrological "sign" is as people care more about this in America (don't know about Europe).

Asking someone from Britain about their blood type is equivalent to asking about their measles shot.

[FG Lurker]

[Mels]

I dont know if you are trying to look cool cause you can write a whole lot of romaji, but you just look like the baka you are trying to call me. Put in a couple more years Japanese study before you start trying to post in it.

Either way, I could say the same thing to you. If you dont like seeing my complaints, dont read them.

I will take that liberty with your romaji posts in the future.

Hakuman obochan:

Thanks for the laugh.
I see that your nihogo is not very good. When someone writes: hito o bakani surun jyanai .....you think they are calling you baka?? Comon now. I said you act 'ERASOU' (know it all, holier than tho)..that I admit and dont retract.

In english, I am saying to you: Dont treat people like they are idiots. what a punk

[Ketou]

Incidentally, my blood type is A (Rh negative) which is very uncommon and required by the Red Cross. Therefore, I often donate my blood to contribute to the society. I am proud of it. The blood donation is needed all over the world not only in Japan, so I want many people to contribute to it.
Please give your opinion on this.

Being an Rh neg myself I think it's great you are donating. From what I know the neg factor is much more common in Europeans (15%) than Asians(?%anyone know?). You must well and truly be in the minority there.

[B Gallagher]

It is similar to "horoscopes" in many western countries. Most people view horoscopes as being meaningless (or worse!), but there is a certain percentage of people who believe strongly in them. The majority of people who view horoscopes as meaningless tend to look at people who take them very seriously as being a bit (or a lot!) odd.

For me anyway, blood type deciding the type of person is pretty similar to a horoscope deciding the type of person. Trying to split the entire population into a small number of groups based on blood type or horoscope is impossible. Yet many people try to do this, and many people take it way to seriously.

I think that is why (or at least one reason why) many FGs roll their eyes at the "blood type" question.

Very good point, Lurker. It may simply be that the blood-type question et al is far more part of Japanese culture (certainly seems so) than horoscopes are in Western culture. I think...

And man.. this sure has gone OT badly. Shame.

[Mels]

Tomoko-san:

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I can say many people here do like Japan and Japanese people. Heck, my mom is Japanese and I have tons of relatives in Tokyo, Chiba and Shizuoka. Watakushi wa Nihon daisuki.

This thread reminds me of the many time my relatives and I sit around and they want to complain to me about America-jin. They ask me all sorts of questions Doesnt mean they dont like America or Gaijin's in general. But it helps them to understand better.

Sometimes people want to vent. By venting, they may learn some things.And I know many nihonjin that love MONKU.

I use to ask my relatives and mom WHY do Japanese always ask about Blood type, for example. What they said to me is different from what you wrote. They said, by knowing someones blood type, they are looking at the personality type of that person. Kind of like what we in the US would say---that person is an A type.

There are many differences. Some people may not understand why the sitting order is the way it is......I dont understand why people have to be so pushy. My relatives are like that too. But, when it comes to my aunts pushing me, I best listen or I end up hearing MONKU for days!!

Also, I use to get irritated whenever my young cousins would ALSO cover their mouths when they laughed or smiled. Well, they told me it was rude to show their open mouths....makes sense. Also why they always want to be cute and buy things that I think are for kids. Well, they grew up with it.

I am grateful my cousin didnt choose to have a HELLO KITTY wedding. Damn, I would have been so embarrassed. I dont think my aunt would have allowed it...whew.

I am sure, Tomoko-san, there are things FG do that you dont understand. I would also be interested in what Japanese think are stupid questions they are asked all the time.

I can only share to a limit. When people know I am half, they will ask:
1. So, what do you think about Pearl Harbor? I say, so what do you think about Hiroshima and Nagasaki
2. Hey, do you carry cameras around all the time? No, but I bet I can break that smile on your face (jokingly, of course)
3. So, what part is Japanese, the bottom part or top part.
4. Your english is so good. I say, jerk, english is my first language, Japanese is my second. Pisswad (always with a fake smile)
5. What are you: nisei, sansei. Japanese american? you idiot. Nisei and sansei...etc are full blooded Japanese who are american. I can be called Ainoko (love child ), Amerasian. Double, Eurasian and whatever hell else names they are inviting. Oh, even half breed
6. So, where would you like to live, Japane or US? I say, anywhere that you arent living.
7. You have such an exotic look. Does that come from the Japanese side? HUH? who the hell cares
8. Are you BUDDHIST. Damn, I always get this just because I am half. They think my mom is too. SO I love it when I tell them...I am agnostic and mom is atheist. Plus, I tell them....Many Japanese believe in Shinto....Nature...and then tell them to go look it up

So you see. there is always many sides. Monku is just a natural human thing to do.

I hope you are enjoying your time in school and look forward to hearing from you again.

Peace out

[maraboutslim]

Tomoko-san, most new gaijin will have no idea why you are asking their blood type so they will be confused. Those who know about Japanese society and the theory of blood type determining personality will likely react badly to the question because they will think you are trying to put them in a category before getting to know them. If they answer "type A", you'll think to yourself, "ah ha, now I know what kind of person they are...." They will feel offended because we believe that our personalities are things we can determine ourselves by our actions and that they change over time with our beliefs and experiences, and are not determined for us when we are born like our blood type is. Am I making any sense?

[Samurai_Jerk]

[FG Lurker]

Tomoko-san, most new gaijin will have no idea why you are asking their blood type so they will be confused. Those who know about Japanese society and the theory of blood type determining personality will likely react badly to the question because they will think you are trying to put them in a category before getting to know them. If they answer "type A", you'll think to yourself, "ah ha, now I know what kind of person they are...." They will feel offended because we believe that our personalities are things we can determine ourselves by our actions and that they change over time with our beliefs and experiences, and are not determined for us when we are born like our blood type is. Am I making any sense?

Yes!! That is exacly what I wanted to say. Thanks for putting it a lot better than I managed to.

[GomiGirl]

These people are asking you these questions and making these statements to be friendly

I think there is a definite difference between people asking a question to be friendly and people asking a question to reinforce a prejudice.
<snip>
I'm happy to take advantage of the chance offered by someone being friendly but I have no problem being a slightly abrupt if I sense the latter motive.

I am with you on this one Mulboyne..

However, how patient I am often depends on what mood I am in or how much alcohol I have consumed. (I can speak for gomichild as well on this one as we are often ratbags together and have been known to torture people - usually salary men types - in izakayas and bars etc)

Sometimes I am friendly and open and other times I can be very very sarcastic to a sap with poor conversational techniques. Perhaps this is due to my AB(Rh.neg) split personality issues.. (Hey maybe there is something in this Blood type thing).

I always answer the "Where are you from?" question with "Toshima-ku". There has only ever been one occassion where a very sweet young boy asked me "where were you born?" which is a much more enlightened question IMHO.

What also frustrates me is the automatic assumption that foreign=FOB (fresh off the boat)

I have lived here a number of years and I really don't know what the weather is like in the Southern Hemisphere on a given day unless I check out the weather channel like everybody else. Also, I have no idea about the price of eggs in downtown Sydney. But as a Queenslander I have never known what Sydney prices are anyway.

Also, the other thing I have very little patience for is the assumption that I am always open to the advances of random strangers when I am just minding my own business. Yes I know this is not very gracious of me, but I am not a freak in a circus tent (although some may disagree) and occassionally I do like to mind my own business.

Case in point, this weekend I was with some girlfriends at an onsen resort in Gunma. It was gorgeous and we were trying to relax and soak as one is want to do in such places. While we assume that we are going to be stared at to a certain degree, we didn't appreciate the chap who wanted to include us in his karaoke performance by showing off his 3.5 words of English.

Again my patience is related to the number of alcoholic beverages I have consumed but really an onsen resort is not the place to be bothering random strangers, foreign or otherwise. It is not clever and it is not smart.

This is just venting - I do love my life here and the advantages about being a little bit odd far outweigh the negatives. However, why is it these same questions that happen often enough for all of us to notice these patterns? When/where do people learn these stereotypes about foreigners?

I do know that how I react to these silly questions, will either reinforce or dispell some of the prejudices so I do think twice before being truly sarcastic.... or do I? hhmm food for thought

[Taro Toporific]

Incidentally, my blood type is A (Rh negative) which is very uncommon and required by the Red Cross. .

Being an Rh neg myself I think it's great you are donating.

Gee, you're lucky. Even though I led my college's Red Cross blood drive for many years in the States, the Japanese Red Cross refuses my gaijin blood even though I have a Red Cross blood donor card.

Hey. Do any you you other FGs get refused or does the Japanese Red Cross just hate handicapped donors like me as I suspect?

[FG Lurker]

A great post GG!

However, why is it these same questions that happen often enough for all of us to notice these patterns? When/where do people learn these stereotypes about foreigners?

I think it's the same in most countries... I'm sure we all (or most of us) learnt stereotypes of various cultures too. The camera-packing nerdy Japanese tourist, for example...

[gomichild]

The Red Cross here have a lot of strict rules in place - they don't necessarily just discriminate against foreigners. The standards for donating are strict.

You can't donate if you have been pierced recently or tatooed pretty much ever or if you've had more than 1 sexual partner in the last year.

Definitely out if you are on any medication.

*proofread their forms in English way back when*

On a side note - I would like it to be known that I have never been out drinking with GG and been a salaryman-baiting ratbag.


The inane questions annoy me because they are so standard - I appreciate it more when people talk to me like a person not as a "type of foriegner". I don't ask Japanese people if they wear kimonos or crap like that.

There are much more interesting things to talk about.

[GomiGirl]

On a side note - I would like it to be known that I have never been out drinking with GG and been a salaryman-baiting ratbag.

Bull!!! I have the photos...

Love ya girl.. get better OK!!

[sillygirl]

Incidentally, my blood type is A (Rh negative) which is very uncommon and required by the Red Cross. .

Being an Rh neg myself I think it's great you are donating.

Gee, you're lucky. Even though I led my college's Red Cross blood drive for many years in the States, the Japanese Red Cross refuses my gaijin blood even though I have a Red Cross blood donor card.

Hey. Do any you you other FGs get refused or does the Japanese Red Cross just hate handicapped donors like me as I suspect?

Gave blood in Japan 1994, no problem. A couple of years ago there was campaigning in the high street, having nothing better to do, I walked into the place only to be refused. British=Mad cow disesase! (even tho I pointed out I'd been living in Japan for the last 9 years or so, and hadn't eaten meat products for about as long)and was told that I probably couldn't read the forms, being a foreigner, how could I possibly read Japanese! One of the very rare times I have flipped out at Japanese ignorance.

[gomichild]

Bull!!! I have the photos...

Love ya girl.. get better OK!!

Damn photographic evidence...

Trying to get better - damn this cold!

[Taro Toporific]

The Red Cross here have a lot of strict rules in place - they don't necessarily just discriminate against foreigners. The standards for donating are strict.
Definitely out if you are on any medication.

Ahhh, now I remember that it was meds that bumped me off the blood donation list in Japan, even though it was only the prophylactic aspirin that I take.

The inane questions annoy me because they are so standard - I appreciate it more when people talk to me like a person not as a "type of foriegner". I don't ask Japanese people if they wear kimonos or crap like that.
There are much more interesting things to talk about.

Ahh yes.... "The inane questions." I once was caught by a sharp Japanese lady asking the gaijin version of the inane questions.

Taro: So, why are you studying English?
Sarcastic J-lady: For the same reason you cannot eat natto. Touche'