What do you want to know? [it's not life that matters but the journey...]

I've decided that I really would like to start doing more writing, and since I'm in Japan and experiencing a foreign country and language and culture, I thought it would be an even better idea to write about my life here. I did write a bit when I lived here in 2005, but my entries were not seen by many people. And my life was in such turmoil then (my relationship really) that I wrote more about "my life" in Japan than "life in Japan" - if you get the difference...

There's a website called GaijinPot which is well known to foreigners living and working in Japan because they post jobs and apartment listings and other links and advice. Also, they offer people the chance to write blogs on about life in Japan (working, teaching, living, speaking Japanese, culture, etc.)... I just need to submit something to them and get approved, and then I might be able to start blogging... easier said than done.

My problem is the same problem I always have as a writer. I have no great ideas to write about. I know it sounds crazy - I mean the things I experience on a daily basis here would probably be so foreign and weird and maybe even horrible or funny for you all in other countries! However, the problem is, since I'm living it, I don't know what other people would consider interesting. I've lived in Japan three years total, so stuff isn't that foreign for me anymore.

Therefore, I would like to solicit some ideas from you, my lovely friends out there in LJ land. Can you help me to brainstorm ideas for a blog about life in Japan? All you need to do is tell me what you would like to know about life in Japan. What questions do you have? what misconceptions would you like to have cleared up? If you were going to come and live in Japan, would would you want to know? What is weird to you about this country? What is wonderful? What is horrible? anything goes, really!

Here are a few topics I've written about in the past (when I lived in Japan from 2005-2006):
(these are all in my archives, if you look from April 2005 to May 2006)

Bugs
Noise
Smells (food, etc.)
holidays (i.e. christmas, new years)
bad English
vending machines
toilets
Things I Don't Understand about Japan (see this entry: http://laurainlimbo.livejournal.com/67041.html )

Anyway - I could expound on any of these topics, or write on something else. Keep in mind that I don't have a car and don't drive, and I don't live in an exciting big city like Tokyo, so there are some limits to what I can see and do here. But the good thing is that I live with Japanese people, and have Japanese friends, so I can always ask them questions too. Get the Japanese perspective:)

Basically I'm just curious to know what you're curious about my life - or a foreigner's life - in the land of the Rising Sun.

I'm excited for your comments! Thanks in advance!!

December

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
25 1	26	27	28	29	30	31

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

(deleted comment)

oh giggle away - I'm definitely one of those NA drivers who can't back up. I'm petrified of having to take a driving test here and having to do the back up parking. I can parallel park on a street, even in a relatively small space. and of course I have to back up to parallel park. somehow I learned to do that very well in Chicago. But the idea of parking between two cars in a small parking lot freaks me out! the parking lots here are tiny, just like everything else.

everyone says write about anything. that's why I can't write - because there's so much.

[link] [parent] [reply]

well since my husband is Buddhist, I'll have to find another method for researching that. I found some info in a book, but I'll see what else I can find out for you. there are of course lots of shrines around here, and the National religion is supposedly Shintoism, but most people in Japan don't really consider themselves as "religious" per se. they go to shrines or temples for holidays, weddings and funerals, but otherwise don't really pray or do much in the form of daily worship, unless they are priests or monks.

thanks for the idea!

To me, the more simple things are the things that interest me the most... I could come up with a million different things, but here are a few that might be blog worthy.
By no means need you answer them all, or any at all, they are meant to help inspire you. :)

What are the etiquette for meals and how do they differ from America?
What are the usual timing of daily things, like eating, sleeping, working?
How are children viewed?
How are the elderly viewed?

When I was studying sociology I read a bit on suicide in Japan, is it a problem there? I was led to understand their reasoning is vastly different than here in our live for independence America.

How does a family unit work?
What are the traditional role for women?
(On a personal note) Is it more common to breastfeed or bottle feed babies?
What are the views on breastfeeding in public?

What is the school system like?
What about the health care?

Are drug addictions a problem and how are they viewed?
What about crime, is it different than America?
Is there a lot of homelessness, how is it viewed?

What are some laws that are just kind of strange or dumb?

What are the most desirable jobs?
What about the least desirable?

What are they big on that come from America (like telly or music or anything, really)?

What is the popular trends in Japan, like for diets, fashions, tv, music, arts, literature, and whatnot?

What about religion? What is the most popular there?

What are the difference between generations in Japan compared to America?

What does the average Japanese person view of Americans? What are some misnomers that you have come across?

Are hot springs as popular am I am led to believe? And I've heard a lot of things about bathing in general in Japan, like how you wash with soap before getting into the water... and public bathing houses. Is this true?

What are views of nakedness?

I heard, and this sounds so weird to me, that you can show a naked woman in her entirety on television, as long as she hasn't pubic hair. Is this a misnomer? This sounds a bit odd to me.

What is considered beautiful to the Japanese?
What about handsome?

What are common things that people want to do on their free time?

Does the cinema differ any from American?

What sports are most popular?

What about fairy tales, I am interested in telling my children more than the general stories. Are there any interesting stories you could share, that express the difference of cultures?

Do they go out of their way to 'Go Green'?

What kind of pets are popular and/or common to own?
Have they any interesting view of animals?

What are some different manners that the Japanese culture has?

What are some products you have found in Japan that you never saw here?

What are the common flavours of baby food?
(Yeah, I'm a mum, so I have a lot of children related questions.)

What is something that you could do in America without turning heads, but when done in Japan might be shocking?

What are some of the unspoken rules you have learned of (perhaps by breaking)?
Alright, I could probably list so much more (and might later *evil laugh*), but I've already had this window opened quite awhile (had to stop and nurse Kaylee) and I don't know what everyone else is replying (and I would hate to repeat)...

Edited Date: 2010-02-16 05:43 pm (UTC)

[link] [reply]

wow - it will take me some time to get through all your questions. If I can answer them all, I'll be able to write a book and then I can put your name in the introduction as an inspiration!

I especially like the question about what would "turn heads" here that wouldn't in America. I suppose there would be some things, but as I'm very cautious to avoid "head turning" here (I get enough of it just by being foreign), I don't know off the top of my head. I will do some research:)

thanks for all the ideas!

*laughs*
I could keep them rolling! I'm insane like that. *winks*

I hope something out of that will help!

no doubt it will!

thanks!
*hugs*

What are your favorite Japanese dishes and why do you like them?

thanks. I'll have to think why I like sushi and tempura so much:)

I'll have a think about some questions... Hmmm.

I enjoyed that old post. I laughed at the parking. Like Jerry says, it's quite common to back into a space here. I do it myself.

oh do try to think of a few questions. I just want to know what people really are curious about. you must have something:)

see I can parallel park fine, but backing into a space in a parking lot scares me. I've hit things before, and I wonder if it isn't because of my bad eyesight and lack of peripheral vision. but that could just be an excuse - LOL!

Are the Japanese really as keen on karaoke as it's portrayed?

Do they really have a different system for addresses? I read something about the blocks being named, but not the roads. And houses are numbered in the order they were built and not in a line...

yes - they LOVE karaoke. when I was here, we often went to karaoke (my friends and fellow teachers) and it's tradition at welcome and farewell parties and end of year and new year's parties. I could write more...

the addressing system in Japan is a nightmare for us non-Japanese. if you are looking for some building or someone's house, most of the time they will give you landmarks rather than street names. and blocks are always counted too ,but their idea of a block is different than ours in America (not sure how you guys do addresses in the UK)... that would be worth researching though for the interest value!

thanks!!! great questions:P)

Lol. I've never done karaoke... too scared!

That might be worth researching, yes.

I'll see if I can think of more I want to know.

oh I can't do karaoke in front of a bunch of people, like they have in bars in America. no way I can sing in front of strangers! I only did that once at a small bar in Japan, but most of the patrons were drunk old men - LOL! they didn't even care what I sang. here in Japan you can go to places that have little private booths, where you can hang out with just close friends and sing. that way it's not so embarrassing. plus you can order food and drinks and it's very intimate and fun.

there's something else to write about!

That doesn't sound too bad - but I'd still be too self-conscious, I think. Lol.

aw maybe not if you were just with close friends or family:) I'm going next week with my two friends, and I'm sure I'll sing some Beatles or Abba songs. should be fun!

Abba songs might be fun... Or something like Shania Twain. Lol.

oh no - I don't do country. not a big fan of Shania - LOL! might try some jazz standards so I can sing with my hubby:)

Hmm, I can't think of any topic ideas. i am sure if you expanded on any of the other blogs you wrote it would be good :)
::hugs::
Good luck hon

thanks - I'll let you off the hook. LOL! your sister also gave me tons (literally tons) of questions to ponder anyway:)

but if you do have any questions let me know.

*hugs*

Anything you are curious about suffices for me! =) Can't wait to see you write more!

ah but that's the thing. I'm not nearly as curious as those who haven't been here. I've spent so much time in Japan, and with a Japanese person, that it's not foreign for me anymore. I wanted to know what others were curious about:)

but that's okay.

Oh there is so much I want to know... I think for now, the biggest things I would like to know about the culture and the customs. We've talked a little bit about a few things here and there but the traditions and small customs they have fascinate me. Anything you can share in regard to those would be great!

when you say culture and customs, those are very very big and broad concepts. can you think of anything in particular? There could be customs related general day to day life (i.e. way of dressing, way of eating, taking off of shoes, etc.), or traditions such as sports or holidays; or ways of being towards others (bowing, saving face, pauses in conversations, etc.)... there's so much. what really fascinates you? if you were to visit Japan, what would be your biggest expectations?

thanks!!

Well, customs on holidays would be one area of interest for me... what sort of traditions survive from ancient Japan? It's definitely a broad concept but there is so much I'm interested in, I can't narrow it down! lol...

that's a good question... I wonder if we could look at the martial arts, and stuff like sumo wrestling. and yakuza!!!! LOL!

I'll give it some thinking. thanks for the ideas!

Oh don't go lookin' at the Yakuza *too* closely! I'd like to keep you around a while!!!

I've seen evidence of yakuza around here - Masahiko is always pointing out their cars, or their businesses. Once I saw a guy who was really beat up at the grocery story - Masahiko thought maybe he'd been in a scuffle with some yakuza... but they're not really so much to fear these days, mostly I think they're just doing stuff like loan sharking or shady businesses. nothing cool like Kill Bill!

apparently the big HQ for Yakuza is Kobe. wonder if they're in the beef industry - LOL!

Oh wow... how the Yakuza have fallen then!

lol... yeah, that's not beef at Yakuza HQ... methinks it's people that didn't pay their loans!

oh yikes!!! I'd better be paying my loans then - LOL! reminds me of that movie Soylent Green - or the other movie which was called Eating Raoul - did you see that one? dark dark comedy!

lol... I never saw Eating Raoul but I had Soylent Green in my head when I said that. lol...

oh I highly recommend watching Eating Raoul - it's very very darkly funny and brilliant.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083869/

it fits your scenario very well...

I love the most mundane things, the day to day living, how it's different from the USA, it's so fascinating. ♥

some things are indeed fascinating, but some are difficult when you have to deal with them - LOL! like not having a clothes dryer, and not having any central heat in winter. life is definitely different here:)

*hugs*

it's not life that matters but the journey...

What do you want to know?

(no subject)

(no subject)

Danger

Re: Danger

Re: Danger

Re: Danger

Here's my contribution...

Re: Here's my contribution...

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

December