[quote]Chushin wrote:
[quote]Varqanir wrote:
[quote]Quasi-Tech wrote:
Chushin, I’m not being argumentative by the following question, just honestly curious, where am I off-base?
Perhaps it is only based on my experience, but the folks I know here in Japan are very shy and intro-verted, many women in their 30’s still single and wanting to be married, and families do put a lot of weight on men’s shoulders - especially first-borns to represent the family.
To answer your second question, 7 months.
Edit: Oh and to your third question. I can read hiragana and katakana. I speak some, but its more grammatical Japanese, not common Japanese (ie the lingo is different). I can usually understand people if they speak slowly enough but get lost if they speak too fast or use large sentences. Both happen quite often.[/quote]
I don’t want to read too much into Chushin’s question, but I believe the reason he asked you about your Japanese ability is that Japanese is an extremely nuanced language, with circumlocution practically built in. The thing is, without being able to speak deeply with your Japanese acquaintances in their native language, it’s going to be very difficult to understand who they are in real life. In other words, who they are when you don’t see them through a filter of their English, or your inexpert Japanese.
I hate to sound critical, but your assessment of Japanese society sounds very cliched; like something, in fact, written by someone who had read a little something about “traditional Japanese society”, and had seen enough to comment from a gaijin’s perspective to other gaijin who dont know anything about the place but what they’ve seen on TV, but hadn’t lived in the country long enough, or learned the language or culture thoroughly enough, to understand the trees, let alone see the forest. [/quote]
Varq - you hereby have my authority to speak for me on such issues. That’s a great expression of my thoughts.
Quasi - You seem like a good guy, open minded and willing to learn. Welcome to the “Japan guy” club here at T-Nation. I’m off to work myself now, so not sure when I can get to this issue. For now, just in case you’re not aware, let me explain that Varq, Cortes and I have all spent roughly between 1 and 2 decades here each, all are fluent in Japanese, and all have been married to Japanese women (with kids in some cases). At least one of us also has a graduate degree in Japanese studies. Varq and Cortes are among the most intelligent and articulate men you’ll ever come across. I know I risk sounding like a dick telling you those things, but I really just want you to have some idea of who we are when we engage in any future Japan discussion. I hope you can take it that way. BTW, what part of the country are you in?[/quote]
And Chushin’s one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.
Even if he does get a little jealous from time to time. (^_~)v