rider69 18 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Question to all you Gaijin out there for my Junior high school gig. Why did you choose to come to Japan or Hakuba. Also what is your impression about Hakuba or Japan. The school's socail studies classes are trying to educate the kids about why people from other countries want to visit or live here. Mick K the old owner from Hakuba house did a wonderful job to help get the ball rolling on this. The interest now from the other teachers is quite high to teach this topic. Link to post Share on other sites
HeatherLocklearRocks 1 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 My impression is that it Hakuba is "bottomless". I wanted a year out and an experience. But that turned into two and then three. An oft told tale, no doubt. Link to post Share on other sites
rider69 18 Posted December 6, 2011 Author Share Posted December 6, 2011 Thank you Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 I came for the women. The fact that there is good snow was merely a bonus. I don't think that's going to be too much help for your project though. Link to post Share on other sites
@tokyo 14 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Yeah similar. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Lost with no direction in life after finishing university. Link to post Share on other sites
Saitaman 1 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 I had no idea there was any skiing in Japan when I came. Came to "teach" English for 1-2 years. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Oh yes me too. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 I wanted to travel after University but had no money to do so....while searching through the University Job centre I found a flyer for NOVA and that was the first time Japan even entered my thoughts, I knew nothing about Japan outside of Samurai's and Sushi, absolute damned luck that I learned of Japan's awesome powder Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Well, it certainly was not for the pies that is for sure. I was always interested in the idea of going to Japan. So I did, via the cliche English teaching route. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 I don't want to sound hurtful to the kiddies, but Japanese people ask the "why did you come to Japan" question like a broken record. Every eikaiwa teacher in Japan must hear it hundreds of times. A fair few end up giving silly answers to break the boredom. The "what do you like about Japan" question is perfectly fine. Perhaps it would be an idea to discourage kids from asking Why did you come to Japan? Can you use chopsticks? Can you eat natto? and all the other cliched questions. If they ask more original questions, English speakers might be more willing to talk to them. Saying the same thing as everyone else sounds much worse in English than in Japanese. Its a cultural difference, but one that is noticeable and does matter if people are looking to speak English well. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Not a very original question is it. Rolled out day after day. Surely something more meaningful would be a better thing than just reinforcing the usual 'ask the gaijin' question. Like, can you use chopsticks? Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Ah, we thought similar Mr Wiggles. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Sorry Mr Wiggles & GG, but I disagree simply for the fact that how often do the kids have the chance to interact with foreigners? Compared to Western countries, foreigners are still not that common to see in Japan, especially in the countryside areas, and perhaps they are genuinely interested as to why people would come to, or even live in, Japan. The homogeneity of Japanese society lends itself to being inquisitive about something that is non-Japanese, or foreign, to them. As you said, a cultural difference, something that some people respect and try to overcome, while others try to fight and drown against it. If you feel that the question is boring, perhaps think about how you feel if suddenly a non Mr Wiggle turned up in your home country. How would you feel? Would you feel surprised? Would you want to know why, of all the places they could have gone/come to, they chose Wiggleton? Simple inquisitiveness is what fuels human invention and scientific development. Perhaps you might inspire them to think, "heck, Mr Wiggles moved to and lived in another country successfully, so can I." Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 I think it's a totally valid question. Unfortunately, the problem is that the answer tends to be pretty boring... In my case, I was working in France teaching in a business school. One of the topics that came up time and time again was the "Japanese business model" which I honestly knew nothing about. So, being the good teacher that I am I started doing some research that got me more and more interested in Japanese culture... and Japanese things in general. Another question that the kids might be interested in asking is why that person left their country of origin in the first place (not necessarily why they came to Japan). Or why they decided to stay in Japan once they got here. One of the things that has made it easy for me to stay is that I can do the things I love like surfing and snowboarding (Toronto is a great city to live in but the mountains and surf there suck)... I also really appreciate the passion that some people have for their hobbies. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Yep, fair points for sure. Link to post Share on other sites
kokodoko 67 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 When Sudanese refugees started turning up in our area in Newcastle, I was really curious about them. I wanted to ask them all these questions about their way of life, but they seemed to be unapproachable and aloof. I don't know what sort of questions I would have liked to ask them. The thing that struck me was that they were so black, their skin was incredibly dark and that they were so different looking to most Australian people. Link to post Share on other sites
rider69 18 Posted December 6, 2011 Author Share Posted December 6, 2011 Just to make it clear this isn't my project this is just a brownie points thing. I'm not going to teach this topic in English class. This was taught first as sort of a Kenkyu Jugou now other teachers want to sort of fill the void before the holidays. Thanks for helping and discussing! Link to post Share on other sites
best skier in hakuba 5 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 In the case of Hakuba, there's enough gaijin around now - especially in winter - for the kids to easily have the chance to communicate with a foreigner. Perhaps they could be taught some good things to say to them, rather than the giggling and "oh my god" that you sometimes hear! Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 All fair points boys and girls, the issue itself is well worthy of discussing with people. Its just that the question is always "why did you come to Japan?" with very little follow up. That's not discussion. Among other things, Hakuba hosted the major Olympic events, so it shouldn't surprise anyone (it still seems to though!) that international tourists might want come here on holiday to ski. To add to best skier's comment, teaching kids to not copy manga/cheap laffs English or the prejudices of their parents ("you Australia?" etc.) might be a start. Link to post Share on other sites
ILoveZao 8 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Yes I think it is good chance for children in Hakuba as there will be chance of communicating. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 I think the question is valid. Like everyone here the answer is tedious. But, 40 years after the fact the Rolling Stones have to sing Jumpin Jack Flash every damn night. So, like the rock star that I am... I suck it up, smile and do the "song and dance". However, a lot of times those same questions come from adults. That's when I feel like smackin someone. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Oh yes definitely. What chances do the kids have when the parents ae like that. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 I think the question is valid. Like everyone here the answer is tedious. But, 40 years after the fact the Rolling Stones have to sing Jumpin Jack Flash every damn night. So, like the rock star that I am... I suck it up, smile and do the "song and dance". However, a lot of times those same questions come from adults. That's when I feel like smackin someone. That said, Mick and co get slightly more than the salary I pick up as an ALT!! It is a valid question,......in fact its probably the most natural question to follow after they ask where you are from. I just think that Japan is not some Asian backwater, with people running round in straw sandals and rickshaws........they have easy access to western media, there are a lot of foreigners living here now (certainly in the Tokyo area) and they were occupied for almost 20 years by the Americans........why the hell do people still stand and stare as if you've walked out of an alien spacecraft??!! Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 I think the question is valid. Like everyone here the answer is tedious. But, 40 years after the fact the Rolling Stones have to sing Jumpin Jack Flash every damn night. So, like the rock star that I am... I suck it up, smile and do the "song and dance". However, a lot of times those same questions come from adults. That's when I feel like smackin someone. That said, Mick and co get slightly more than the salary I pick up as an ALT!! It is a valid question,......in fact its probably the most natural question to follow after they ask where you are from. I just think that Japan is not some Asian backwater, with people running round in straw sandals and rickshaws........they have easy access to western media, there are a lot of foreigners living here now (certainly in the Tokyo area) and they were occupied for almost 20 years by the Americans........why the hell do people still stand and stare as if you've walked out of an alien spacecraft??!! Well, to be fair. Even Canadians stop and stare when some strange beaver is walking down the street... Link to post Share on other sites
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