Comments on: Impressions of Okinawa http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/ Life in Japan through the eyes of Alec, a teenager on a working holiday gap year. Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:54:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Amanda http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-66 Amanda Fri, 27 Jul 2007 05:12:30 +0000 http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-66 I’m so glad I found your blog! I’m really interested in doing boobooBEACH next year so I look forward to reading more of your updates! On the booboo website it said internet access might be tricky, but seems you’re not having too much trouble. I really hope you’re having the time of your life! I’m so glad I found your blog! I’m really interested in doing boobooBEACH next year so I look forward to reading more of your updates! On the booboo website it said internet access might be tricky, but seems you’re not having too much trouble. I really hope you’re having the time of your life!

]]> By: harley http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-65 harley Wed, 25 Jul 2007 18:12:38 +0000 http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-65 It's odd you say the cleaniness of Okinawa is very Japanese.. It’s odd you say the cleaniness of Okinawa is very Japanese..

]]> By: Alec http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-46 Alec Tue, 17 Jul 2007 03:10:50 +0000 http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-46 You should definitely try a working holiday in Japan, and you should definitely attempt to learn Japanese first. (It will make job-finding a lot easier if you speak Japanese!) Is Japan more considerate than the West? Um, I don't think it necessarily is. I think on the surface it's a lot more polite and there are polite phrases and polite language. Ultimately, everyone (whether Japanese or Western) is selfish and working for their own means. Because Japan is very polite on the surface, I think there is more backstabbing than in the West. In the West, you generally know if someone doesn't like you. I say that, but I don't know enough yet to really understand. Ask me again in a few months! And we didn't get the earthquake here in Okinawa, but we did get a typhoon. I'm just about to write about that. Thanks for the comment! You should definitely try a working holiday in Japan, and you should definitely attempt to learn Japanese first. (It will make job-finding a lot easier if you speak Japanese!)

Is Japan more considerate than the West? Um, I don’t think it necessarily is. I think on the surface it’s a lot more polite and there are polite phrases and polite language. Ultimately, everyone (whether Japanese or Western) is selfish and working for their own means. Because Japan is very polite on the surface, I think there is more backstabbing than in the West. In the West, you generally know if someone doesn’t like you.

I say that, but I don’t know enough yet to really understand. Ask me again in a few months!

And we didn’t get the earthquake here in Okinawa, but we did get a typhoon. I’m just about to write about that. Thanks for the comment!

]]> By: Alec http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-45 Alec Tue, 17 Jul 2007 03:06:51 +0000 http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-45 Yeah, it's a bit annoying. When I'm elsewhere in Japan I feel proud to be travelling independently and practising my Japanese. When I'm Okinawa (especially in Chatan where there are lots of Americans) people assume I'm the snotty kid of a soldier and I speak to Japanese. Bit annoying but the shop assistants are always happy to hear me speak to them in Japanese. Thanks for the comment! Yeah, it’s a bit annoying. When I’m elsewhere in Japan I feel proud to be travelling independently and practising my Japanese. When I’m Okinawa (especially in Chatan where there are lots of Americans) people assume I’m the snotty kid of a soldier and I speak to Japanese. Bit annoying but the shop assistants are always happy to hear me speak to them in Japanese. Thanks for the comment!

]]> By: Alec http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-44 Alec Tue, 17 Jul 2007 03:04:07 +0000 http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-44 I lived in Malaysia for 5 years (went to the Alice Smith School) and was there because my mum and stepdad married and my stepdad's lived and worked in KL. Loved it and can't wait to return someday. =D I lived in Malaysia for 5 years (went to the Alice Smith School) and was there because my mum and stepdad married and my stepdad’s lived and worked in KL. Loved it and can’t wait to return someday. =D

]]> By: Francois http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-43 Francois Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:32:39 +0000 http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-43 Hey, love your site. I'd love to do the same thing, but not before I learn the language. . . Do you find Japan to be a more considerate society than those of the west, or is that a popular misconception espoused in anime? Your haircut makes you look much younger, it's pretty good for something you've done yourself though. How was your area effected by the tremor? Are you ok? Hey, love your site.
I’d love to do the same thing, but not before I learn the language. . . Do you find Japan to be a more considerate society than those of the west, or is that a popular misconception espoused in anime? Your haircut makes you look much younger, it’s pretty good for something you’ve done yourself though. How was your area effected by the tremor? Are you ok?

]]> By: Hanako http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-41 Hanako Sun, 15 Jul 2007 18:15:35 +0000 http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-41 i love okinawa~~ (probably because that's where i'm from~~) about the whole "strange look" thing....i get that too, when i visit, being half okinawan/japanese. okinawan people are not too happy with the american military presence on their island, and i don't blame them. it just kinda hurts when they automatically assume that you're from a base when really, your parents met because of some other reason!! rantrantrant!! i hope you enjoyed your stay in okinawa!! i love okinawa~~ (probably because that’s where i’m from~~)

about the whole “strange look” thing….i get that too, when i visit, being half okinawan/japanese. okinawan people are not too happy with the american military presence on their island, and i don’t blame them. it just kinda hurts when they automatically assume that you’re from a base when really, your parents met because of some other reason!! rantrantrant!!

i hope you enjoyed your stay in okinawa!!

]]> By: Wan Zafran http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-39 Wan Zafran Sun, 15 Jul 2007 05:51:15 +0000 http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-39 Now that you've mentioned 'Malaysia', I've become very interested. Anyway, when were you here in Malaysia, and what was the occasion? Now that you’ve mentioned ‘Malaysia’, I’ve become very interested. Anyway, when were you here in Malaysia, and what was the occasion?

]]> By: Alec http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-29 Alec Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:38:15 +0000 http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-29 Thanks for the comment! I'm glad you like it. Thanks for the comment! I’m glad you like it.

]]> By: Alec http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-28 Alec Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:37:32 +0000 http://alecinjapan.com/2007/07/impressions-of-okinawa/#comment-28 I thought about doing boobooSKI but I don't think I will. I want to move to Tokyo and set myself up there for a bit. Also, I don't like living with English-speakers because I'm not practising Japanese as much as if I was living with Japanese people. But it's great fun for a few months and the bosses are perhaps more understanding of your poor Japanese than if you were to work in a store in Tokyo. I thought about doing boobooSKI but I don’t think I will. I want to move to Tokyo and set myself up there for a bit. Also, I don’t like living with English-speakers because I’m not practising Japanese as much as if I was living with Japanese people. But it’s great fun for a few months and the bosses are perhaps more understanding of your poor Japanese than if you were to work in a store in Tokyo.

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