Advice for non-Japanese speakers in Japan

[transrelativity]

Originally Posted by Kaedan94

ok, disregard my previous post here. I got my Aion account activated and everything's fine. After my Bro purchased it from Steam using a US computer, I was able to register and everything fine. Thanks for all the help though everyone.

Kaedan

Glad to help Kaedan! Enjoy the game.

[Devara]

Originally Posted by vivificus

Learn Japanese noobs.

I am currently trying to learn it so I can move to Japan someday. Beautiful language and culture. Really nothing bad to say about it. It isn't as easy as I thought though, the Kanji and Hiragana give me some problems. ^^;; I think many, especially those living there, are trying to learn it it just isn't as easy as just to want to.

[Spirit]

Originally Posted by Devara

I am currently trying to learn it so I can move to Japan someday. Beautiful language and culture. Really nothing bad to say about it. It isn't as easy as I thought though, the Kanji and Hiragana give me some problems. ^^;; I think many, especially those living there, are trying to learn it it just isn't as easy as just to want to.

you feel theres nothing bad to say about it cuz ur only dipping your toes on it.

what you dont know, is that you are getting involved with <one of> the most racist cultures in the world.

[Ascendance]

I've been debating about accepting an offer with the JET program in Japan (to teach English there). This has been on my mind as well. Thanks for the info thus far...and I'll subscribe to this thread in case any further info comes up.

Cheers!

-------------------------

Originally Posted by Spirit

you feel theres nothing bad to say about it cuz ur only dipping your toes on it.

what you dont know, is that you are getting involved with <one of> the most racist cultures in the world.

Spirit, I understand what you're trying to imply, but it comes across wrong.

I've spent two long stays in Japan, for a total of 15 months, and couldn't disagree with you more. Some Japanese people can see outside cultures in an interesting light. But tagging "racist culture..." to the Japanese is pretty outlandish. My wife is Japanese, many of my friends are Japanese, and I've spent considerable time in the country, and really could not EVER imagine putting "Japan" and "racism" together. Racism is a strong, strong statement...I would suggest you use something else...

Wow, just wow...

[Spirit]

Originally Posted by Ascendance

Racism is a strong, strong statement...I would suggest you use something else...

Wow, just wow...

Do I need to make a poll? Collect opinions and bring them back to this board?

Many Japanese people my age (early 20s) hate China. They think its a disgusting, dirty country, and hate Chinese people from China because "they are loud and annoying, and they smell". (This amplified with the whole gyoza scare, yes. But it was prevalent before that too)

Any white person must fight as hard as he/she can - every day - to prove they can speak Japanese.

The Japanese stereotype for a white person is close to the "surfer dude" type happy-go-lucky & friendly attitude, and if you dont fit that, then you have a hard time making friends.


These are just 3 examples out of many, and I didnt even use the stronger examples, like trying to buy property.
------------
Off of that note, yes I can understand that "Racism" is a word with a lot of baggage. While no, we do not get burned at the stake. Yes, we do get rejected from NUMEROUS institutions simply because we do not have a Japanese passport, and/or are white (or black, etc).

That, my friend, is the definition of racism. The degree of racism that Japanese apply on us, varies from person to person.

Again, it is one of the most racist societies in the world. (Generally) kindhearted - but still racist.

[pranabowjake]

Originally Posted by Spirit

Do I need to make a poll? Collect opinions and bring them back to this board?

Many Japanese people my age (early 20s) hate China. They think its a disgusting, dirty country, and hate Chinese people from China because "they are loud and annoying, and they smell". (This amplified with the whole gyoza scare, yes. But it was prevalent before that too)

Any white person must fight as hard as he/she can - every day - to prove they can speak Japanese.

The Japanese stereotype for a white person is close to the "surfer dude" type happy-go-lucky & friendly attitude, and if you dont fit that, then you have a hard time making friends.


These are just 3 examples out of many, and I didnt even use the stronger examples, like trying to buy property.
------------
Off of that note, yes I can understand that "Racism" is a word with a lot of baggage. While no, we do not get burned at the stake. Yes, we do get rejected from NUMEROUS institutions simply because we do not have a Japanese passport, and/or are white (or black, etc).

That, my friend, is the definition of racism. The degree of racism that Japanese apply on us, varies from person to person.

Again, it is one of the most racist societies in the world. (Generally) kindhearted - but still racist.

i have to agree here. they are really racist. my fiancee is Japanese and i live just outside Tokyo in Saitama and it is really difficult to get people to listen to you. you go to a store, speak with a good accent and use good Japanese and they just look at you like your stupid and were just speaking English to them. i found this post helpful, because it snot that i cant play the Japanese version of the game, its that all my friends in the US are playing the game and i want to play with them rather than random Japanese people. although they probably wont be as racist on the game.

currently im downloading the beta client through a torrent and ive got an account (lil brothers account in the US he quit because of work and school gives him no time to play) and i plan to play with my friends from back home, but can i update the beta client to the current version of the game and play it?


edit; just to say, im white from Alabama in the US so i know a bit about racism (not that im racist or anything but i have alot of family members who are)

[Patchinko]

Originally Posted by pranabowjake

i have to agree here. they are really racist. my fiancee is Japanese and i live just outside Tokyo in Saitama and it is really difficult to get people to listen to you. you go to a store, speak with a good accent and use good Japanese and they just look at you like your stupid and were just speaking English to them.

You think this makes them "really racist"? Do you think this doesn't happen literally all the time in America?

Having lived there myself, immersing myself in their culture, and intending to move back, I did not find the people to be "really racist".

There are some racists, just like there are in the United States and, well, everywhere on earth.

Honestly, I am generally treated better than the average Japanese person when I'm there, and that's in multiple different cities across the country. Once people find out I'm fluent in Japanese, they're often more interested in dealing with me than they would be if I were just another Japanese person.

It'd be like a Japanese person going to live in Alabama and encountering a couple racists going back home and telling everyone "Americans are the most racist people in the world."

[pranabowjake]

Originally Posted by Patnyerko

You think this makes them "really racist"? Do you think this doesn't happen literally all the time in America?

Having lived there myself, immersing myself in their culture, and intending to move back, I did not find the people to be "really racist".

There are some racists, just like there are in the United States and, well, everywhere on earth.

Honestly, I am generally treated better than the average Japanese person when I'm there, and that's in multiple different cities across the country. Once people find out I'm fluent in Japanese, they're often more interested in dealing with me than they would be if I were just another Japanese person.

It'd be like a Japanese person going to live in Alabama and encountering a couple racists going back home and telling everyone "Americans are the most racist people in the world."

i deal with Japanese people all the time its not something new, its like the whites from Alabama back in the 50's and 60's saying "im not racist" or during the same time period, black reporters coming from the north to visit the south, get shown a great time and go back "oh there is no racisim at all in the south its a great place" when there was. even to this day alabama is really racist, its more underlying rather than being direct but thats the way japan is too.

every Japanese person that ive meet, and i work in high schools and have to meet with parents and future students/their parents on a regular basis love when you can say one or 2 words maybe a few but as soon as they find out you can speak more Japanese than is "cute" that is when you really start to see some racism come in. 90% of the Japanese dont believe anyone other than a native Japanese person can learn their language. according to Japanese culture, japan was 'gods' country and the rest of the world and its people are detritus. its built into the culture its how they are. they dont mean to be racist, like my grandparents and family, they just are. sure there are always exceptions to the rule, but in japan it is not being racist that is the exception to the rule rather than the rule. hell even my fiancee is a bit racist (not as much as her father but still). although it is kind of funny to get the "all white people look alike" comment every day. some guy appears in the paper because he committed a crime in japan, "what were you doing late last night travis? nothing...well this guy looks alot like you and he was seen robbing this store... not only was i here with you at the house, but this guy looks like hes about 40, balding, and has a jacked up nose...oh really? i didnt notice, you know all white people look the same"

but back on topic, im still interested to know about updating the beta client. ive already talked to my lil brother and he said if the game runs fine from the beta client (checking from his account) i can use his account until i decide i like the game. recently he said he was actually going to come back, but would pick me up a copy while in the US and register my code for me. so whats the deal with the beta copy? my wireless has a problem with downloading things and its only at 30% now, because if i leave it on for a lil while it will cut off. i dont know what settings i need to change on my router to fix this but i hope i can get it done soon so i can finish downloading the game.

[Palapala]

Originally Posted by pranabowjake

but back on topic, im still interested to know about updating the beta client. ive already talked to my lil brother and he said if the game runs fine from the beta client (checking from his account) i can use his account until i decide i like the game. recently he said he was actually going to come back, but would pick me up a copy while in the US and register my code for me. so whats the deal with the beta copy? my wireless has a problem with downloading things and its only at 30% now, because if i leave it on for a lil while it will cut off. i dont know what settings i need to change on my router to fix this but i hope i can get it done soon so i can finish downloading the game.

Where are you downloading from? They just released patch v1.5 and the full v1.5 client should be available for download from the official site on Oct 15 (download page is here). So if you are re-downloading you may want to hold off until then because the update is quite large.

[Ethiel]

Originally Posted by vivificus

Learn Japanese noobs.

listen mate, i do speak the lingo, i do read the lingo and i nyerking hate it. I work with japanese in japanese and prefer to play tetris made of woden blocks in a Sahara desert than play any game in japanese. Been here too long to be all ooo aaaa about japanese language. I go home to relax not to hurt my eyes on chinese that was stolen by japanese and never returned.


Anywho, so you guys are saying that it is possible to buy a hard copy of the game online, engRish version and install it on Planet Japan and play on NA servers (or EU)?

[Fellshadow]

Originally Posted by Ethiel

listen mate, i do speak the lingo, i do read the lingo and i nyerking hate it. I work with japanese in japanese and prefer to play tetris made of woden blocks in a Sahara desert than play any game in japanese. Been here too long to be all ooo aaaa about japanese language. I go home to relax not to hurt my eyes on chinese that was stolen by japanese and never returned.


Anywho, so you guys are saying that it is possible to buy a hard copy of the game online, engRish version and install it on Planet Japan and play on NA servers (or EU)?

Personally, I don't play the Japanese version of the game because I want to read Japanese (although it does help with my kanji) but because the community is infinitely better than the western community.

[Spirit]

lol, when I see strange timestamps on the other threads I dont mind.

But its fun to look at the timestamps of your posts on these threads.

Like the one at 3am. Go to sleep! :P