Types of Japanese friend

[misorano 1]

 Quote:

What's token gaijin?

Token means a small or insignifcant amount.

What I meant was that sometimes you get invited places to make an event seem more international.

Lots of 「国際的ね」comments.

[gamera 0]

Ah, do you mean claque?

[misorano 1]

Never heard of "claque" before.

But after looking it up, I think it's a little different.

What I mean is that you get invited because you are a not Japanese(not because they like you), and they need a non-Japanese to make the event seem more international.

[gamera 0]

Well, in short, ANY foreigner is qualified for it because they need one to organize the event international one?

 

Maybe similar with what we call Sakura?

If there's some event held, the organizers sometimes try to invite some people (sakura) to show the event popular / successful. They don't need to do anything special. They are just asked to be around there.

[snobee 0]

Bets - eastcoasters include bananabenders - you know Qld'er, and convicts - NSWelshfolks.

- totally lacking the sophistication of us "Crow-eaters"

[simop 0]

Ok. So did the topic starter mean that it`s cool to have friends from abroad (if u r Japaniese)?

I get little scared bout that , I hope to have real friends from Japan when I come there , friends who can argue with you and makes fun of you (in not so serious way).

So my message was that I hope that people in japan is`nt my friend just to be polite, but should I take a wiew for that also

 

btw. offtopic- whats up everybody? Any good tricks already done this season

[bettyx 0]

gamera - token has a more cynical edge.

 

eg. most american tv shows about say, a group of kids in high school, would have a token black/asian kid, just to mix it up a bit. but the fact that they are there just because they are asian/black role is so obvious, that it's kinda silly. like, they have no role except to be the token black/asian kid.

 

it might not even be a black/asian kid. there's usually a token fat kid in most ensemble comedies, or a token gay guy, pretty much any minority.

 

i have absolutely no examples to back this up at the moment but that is because it is late & i am tired.

 

your example of the sakura is maybe the same? there's usually a token tarento at japanese events, right?

 

(but then, tarento are kinda meaningless as all they do is sell themselves, so i'm not sure if it's the same?)

[indosnm 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by misorano:

 Quote:

What's token gaijin?

Token means a small or insignifcant amount.

What I meant was that sometimes you get invited places to make an event seem more international.

Lots of 「国際的ね」comments.

Yep, just look at the amount of wedding that I have been invited to by people that I barely know!
I went to one of my friends weddings who I met here and had only known for a year and was introduced as having met him while he klived in OZ for threee years. I had to make a speech and PAY to help them???? These days if I am invited to a wedding I just take a present, unless it's family or a REAL friend. (you should see the reaction!)

[brit-gob 9]

And how much do part with at said weddings? Expensive things.

[misorano 1]

Brit Gob:

I pay usually 20,000yen for an aquaintance, 30,000yen for a close friend, 50,000yen for a relative (not too many of them thank god).

 

Worst is probably your employees, as you have to dump a truckload there.

 

Oh, and there is usally another 5,000-10,000yen req'd for the after wedding funcation.

[veronica 2]

Are they the "list" prices you "should" be paying there?

[Ocean11 0]

How about the good-looking, divorced female friend who greets you with "I haven't had sex for a long time and could do with a good session". Perhaps not a very common type of Japanese friend.

[misorano 1]

Veronica:

Pretty standard rates. Big cities are prob a bit more.

 

I disagree with Indo though. If you're gonna go, then pay the money. If not, then turn down the invitation.

In most cases the bride/groom (family) are charged per guest, so if you don't pay, then it comes out of their pocket.

[indosnm 0]

well misorano, I disagree with ya there ( for this one occasion)

If the japanese people making speeches there get a refund from the bride/grooms parents then why didn't I? Because I was gaijin?

I have only done the gift thing once as I was sflay broke and the guy just wouldn't give up asking me to go...at my expense, for his benefit! (and the bride and groom were pocketing the money in that situation)

 

These days I just say I'm busy. They still don't like that either.

[misorano 1]

INDO:

Sounds like one stingy bugger.

Once had to go up to Kyoto for a wedding. Got to the check in and handed over my 20,000yen, and then got an envelope back with 30,000yen as travel money. Nice suprise (sure had a long night that night).

I have to give a speech at a wedding in Fukuoka this month. Not too sure on the protcol there.

 

Best weddings: Early Kampai's so you can drink through the speeches.

Worst Wedding: Anally retentive matchmaker wedings.

[indosnm 0]

Miso, Stingy indeed.

as for travel costs.... thats the usual, being reienbursed if from out of the area.

My Japanese mate who goes to a few weddings that I have been invited to usually gives 10,000 if he's not at all close to the people getting married.. He tells me he can't understand why he's he was invited in the first place.

 

Weddings at home that I have been to (many) are always fun affairs. alot that I have been to here, have had elements included that border on childish and spoil the whole thing.

[misorano 1]

Unless you know the people well the weddings are boring as hell.

The Japanese love having "kandou" momments, but every weeding seems to be exactly the same.

 

3-4 entrances and garment changes, fake cakes, candlelight sevice etc.

 

One little trick I've learned is that they only use the bubbly for the inital Kampai, then most people switch to beer.

There's usually 20-30 half full champaign bottles around the outside. If you a subtle you can spend the whole wedding drinking the good stuff. (Got to get in before the waitresses clean up though.)

[indosnm 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by misorano:

One little trick I've learned is that they only use the bubbly for the inital Kampai, then most people switch to beer.
There's usually 20-30 half full champaign bottles around the outside. If you a subtle you can spend the whole wedding drinking the good stuff. (Got to get in before the waitresses clean up though.)

Warm beer that has been sitting on tables for hours!
You kn ow if you actually ask you can usually get the bubbly. Works everytime for us , and usually it's decent french chapmas.

[giggsy 0]

 Quote:

most american tv shows about say, a group of kids in high school, would have a token black/asian kid, just to mix it up a bit.

In the UK it often seems to be almost the other way round and over the top.... they have a "token white kid" in with all the blacks/asians/anything elses. (Old people get particularly exasperated about it all).

[akibun 0]

Do many of you have good genuine Japanese friends? I hope so!

[Yuki's Passion 1]

 Quote:

Originally posted by Ocean11:
How about the good-looking, divorced female friend who greets you with "I haven't had sex for a long time and could do with a good session". Perhaps not a very common type of Japanese friend.

You brought it up so Im sure you could tell us a few stories

You dont think セフレ arent common in this country?

[Middleman C Charbroiled 2 0]

I have some wonderful Japanese friends akibun - best I have ever had actually, even though we cannot communicate 100% all of the time.

[gamera 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by Middleman C Charbroiled 2 Gwenda:
even though we cannot communicate 100% all of the time.

Yeah, I often have this.
Sometimes it works better coz I don't understand 100% what the other says. Even when s/he speaks ill of me lol.....

[BagOfCrisps 24]

We have someone in our office from Newcastle. Good guy. Problem is he has a very strong accent and I really find it very hard to understand him lots of the time. Speaks fast too.

[gamera 0]

But he speaks English, right? Or does he speak Scottish? I am not sure if Newcastle is in Scotland or it's still in England though.

 

Well, if I can ask, do you understand each other while you speak English and he speaks Scottish?

Or those two are completely different languages without any common words?