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Aussie moving to Japan for a year (Yamanashi)


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I don't know about you but when I go back home I keep on bowing and everyone laughs at me... shifty

 

I remember a few years ago that I actually forgot my snowboard bag on the street. I was running to catch the last train so it didn't even cross my mind that I was missing the most important piece of my language. In any other part of the world, I would be probably out in the shops next day to buy a new snowboard. In Japan, the bus driver found it, traced me through my ticket and shipped it to me at home expenses paid by him!!!

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Josh,

 

You need to take some of the advice offered here with the proverbial grain (or six) of salt. A lot of non-Japanese/non-residents will offer advice - yes, I know I am one of them, ... - but the advice to take note of is the nationals and those ex-pats who live there.

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Get your bowing training started Josh.

 

I hardly ever shake hands now. I can't quite remember if I first did when I came here - I think I did but that faded out. I find it to be a quite strange thing to do now.

 

Yes, when I go back I find myself bowing as well, tsondaboy and coming out with the odd yoroshiku and other everyday phrase.

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I'm so used to doing our local gold coast handshake which I guess you could compare to some sort of american ghetto handshake. I'm used to giving 'knuckles' when asked for it. Hah something Ill have to get used to I guess!

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Originally Posted By: tsondaboy
You should be able to get a second hand one for 10 - 20000 yen at a surf shop on the beach.


You can get some really good deals on boards on the Internet as well.

It seems I am not allowed to post links, so you'll just have to hunt around (though best sites are in Japanese so you'll need to make friends).
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Hassled or Robbed in Japan!!!! Very unlikely I found them to be one of the friendliest most honest people. In fact I think we could take a leaf out of their - book even there children were polite. Can you imagine leaving a vending machine (with beer in it) on a street corner in Australia I DON'T THINK SO!!!!

 

We were gob smacked when people were pulling up to the supermarket, leaving there car running and going in and doing their shopping.

 

Joshstar - Go to a book shop and get the Lonely star japanese phrase book and there is another great one (will let you know on that one tonight when I get home) that puts all the japanese words in phonetics which asking simple questions very easy.

 

Japanese people are very willing to help and we found a lot of them could speak a little english.

 

HAVE A GREAT TIME!!! Bring on the POW!!!!!!!!!!

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SH those are some of the points that I love about living here. Still such a structured, polite society comes at the cost of individuality and freedom of thought. I love living here but I'm damned glad I didn't grow up here.

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The more I stay here and only go back on holidays, the more I value the good points about this society. I hope those things don't change. Polite (sincere or not) is so much nicer than just simply rude and couldn't give a shit attitude.

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I heard somewhere that Yamanashi is the sunniest prefecture in Japan, dunno if its true though. Nice area near to Mt Fuji, the lakes are really cool to go and have a trample around. Kawaguchi-ko has a cable car that takes you to the top of a small hill that gives awesome views over the lake and Mt Fuji

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