Would you rather live in America or Japan? [Archive]

kirei_na_me

Jun 9, 2004, 21:38

Well, even though I despise Dubya(and all of his power-hungry cronies) and I despise how most things are done in the U.S., I do like where I live. It's just me. It's a small, rural town in southern Virginia. It's beautiful, it's clean, the people are down-to-earth and genuinely friendly, we have small, but flourishing schools here, etc. etc. I could go on and on. It fits me and I would never think of trading this for a small apartment with concrete as a yard. Here, my children have an acre of land to run around and get into things like I did when I was a a child.

Anyway, I think my husband also feels that here is better for his family. I overheard someone ask him the other day if he planned on going back to Japan, and he said he never would go back. He's a whole lot more relaxed here. He hated the typical salaryman-esque life. He hated having to go out with co-workers he couldn't stand, he hated having to stay at work late, he hated the pressure that came with being an employee of Japan(he's technically a US employee now), he likes the spaciousness here, he feels like the kids would be under less pressure in school here, he likes having an 1100cc motorcycle( :D ), etc. etc.

So, I think it's best for us to be here. It's just personal preference, is all.

And nekosasori has a point about the food... :-)

Duo

Jun 9, 2004, 22:19

I guess for every foreigner there is something appealing in living in host country.

nekosasori

Jun 9, 2004, 23:32

"my ideal life" in Japan would probably be similar to life anywhere - no worries about being able to afford the costs of living, being able to access great health care, having lots of choices for cultural activities that I enjoy, indulging in a dream job (which for me is something to do with linguistics, zoology, or classical music) but being able to travel most of the time via trains and planes rather than rented cars or buses...

In Japan I'd visit hot springs (I've yet to do so) and enjoy the electronics, food, temples, bookstores... I'd prefer to own land and/or a house but as long as I can store my belongings securely and have room to move in my dwelling, I'm not too picky. I'd even get to know my extended family better, as they all live in Kanagawa prefecture.

Yup, with the basic assumption that I'd be able to afford my (reasonably frugal) lifestyle, my ideal life in Japan would allow me to explore the regions and culture and ultimately who I am, fully.

The only thing that keeps me in Ireland is the dream job (in computational linguistics). My husband is painfully aware of this fact (and he would move with me, given the chance).

Oh, @Kirei - Cambridge/Boston came pretty close to being an ideal place to live in the US for me as well. Although it was pricier than Toronto, great food was readily available, most of the neighbourhoods were beautiful and safe-ish, public transport was affordable and adequate, near the ocean, but best of all they had world class performances and wonderful communities of academics. I know that there are all sorts of different regions in the US, and if I were going to live anywhere in the country I'd pick Boston certainly (it also helps that many of my friends are still in Massachusetts).

Bounty Hunter

Jun 9, 2004, 23:39

Japan cause i have been thinking of going for a while now.

Buddha Smoker

Jun 10, 2004, 00:17

No, just those two choices. Forget about anywhere else for now.

Lately I've heard many complaints about gaijin life in Japan. (Not just from Engrish teachers.) On the flipside, a recent trip I took back to the states reminded me how much I love life in Japan. All in all, I think I like living in Japan more. However, if I were to raise a family, I'd want to do so in America. Unless I suddenly lost my gaijin looks, in which case, I'd stay in Japan.

Any thoughts? I'd really like to hear from the people who are married and raising a family or planning on it.

:sorry:

Btw, I hope this hasn't been done before. I tried using the search to no avail.

I've been in Japan for close to 10 years...I will never return to the States. I've built my life here (married to Japanese and have a daughter). I have an excellant job and good friends. I might complain sometimes but I wouldn't trade it for anything. :cute:

DoctorP

Jun 10, 2004, 00:47

I love Japan for the food, and I feel that it is a much safer place to raise a family. I can see myself staying here for many many years. I will say however that I miss the wide open roads of the ol' USA. I used to love just driving for hours...but actually going somewhere! :)

Buddha Smoker

Jun 10, 2004, 08:35

I used to love just driving for hours...but actually going somewhere! :)

Yeah, you can drive for hours here but you might only make it a few kilometers or pay some tolls. :D

Mandylion

Jun 10, 2004, 10:09

Right now, I could go either way. I have always been somewhat rootless - family spread out all over the US so it is not unusual to see my parents/family once or twice a year since moving to college. The same goes for when I am living in Japan - just a few more hours on a plane and a passport to worry about losing. Not all that different.

Since my wife and I don't have children, there is that whole world of trouble we don't have to worry about yet.

So for the time being, I will say anywhere there is work/school and dynamic enought to be able to move up (financially, culturally, personally) from time to time.

I do have deep, deep, deep, concerns about basic edcuation in Japan (the environment of learning, not what is taught) and that will probably be the crunch point when my wife and I will make a very longterm decision.

-Yu-

Jun 10, 2004, 11:33

The US doesn't appeal to me much due to it seeming to become quite fascist of late (is Dubya reading a Cliff Notes version of 1984 as a training guide?).

What is Dubya? I just don't know it and want to know, is it like website which says about american politics things?

kirei_na_me

Jun 10, 2004, 11:48

'Dubya' is a nickname for George W. Bush. 'Dubya' refers to the 'W.' in his name. He, as well as many other people, pronounce 'w' like 'dubya' instead of 'double u'.

-Yu-

Jun 10, 2004, 11:54

'Dubya' is a nickname for George W. Bush. 'Dubya' refers to the 'W.' in his name. He, as well as many other people, pronounce 'w' like 'dubya' instead of 'double u'.

Okay, now it makes sense, thanks.

kirei_na_me

Jun 10, 2004, 11:55

No problem! :-)

mdchachi

Jun 10, 2004, 12:00

My ideal would be to live here (U.S.) but travel to Japan frequently (but not too frequently). Maybe once or twice a year. That way I'd get all the benefits of life here (large house, nature, better weather, reasonable working hours, etc.) and get my Japan fix (food, onsen, friends).

I do miss Japan quite a bit but I think half of that is nostalgia for that period of my life. Those were good times. Single, lots of money in my pocket and everything was new and exciting.

Wakaranai

Jun 10, 2004, 12:15

:bow: Really I have always viewed myself as a citizen of the world and not one country. Living in the U.S is good, it is all that I konw. But my dream job would be to travel the world. But that will never happen. Japan is my favorit country, right after the U.S.A .I would love to live their for about 2 years, To see what it was like. If I could get a good paying job their I would consier becoming a citizen their and Make Japan my new home.

But at heart I am a American. The country that you are born in is a part of you and you will never forget that part. No one hates their country they hate the people running the country. So every one loves their Home country.

This is my rant thanks for reading. :bow:

mad pierrot

Jun 10, 2004, 12:16

Elizabeth

Jun 10, 2004, 12:31

One of the main reasons I would choose to live in Japan is the amount of community here that is somewhat lacking in the states. I've lived in both Chicago and rural WI, and I've found that neither of them seem to offer the same amount of community that Japan can. The neighborhood meetings, matsuri, etc. Of course my perception doesn't rule reality, but to me community seems tighter here, even as a gaijin.
This is one of the most rewarding aspects for me as well. Last I was in Tokyo in fact just a couple weeks ago I walked up to a woman hanging around waiting for a matsuri, struck up a conversation about Japanese families and it turned out to be one of the most insightful and interesting experiences I'd had there to date. Not only the fact that it happened so naturally but the things she said I'd never really considered before. Whereas before I'd just been wandering up and down a street which is probably what I would have been doing in the US as well. There are just so many more chances like that, as long as you're prepared to take advantage of them of course.

So community life and warmth of the people in general along with friends/boyfriend and the language would be the three main reasons I'd like to try it for a couple years at a language school and maybe longer depending on how things turn out.....

mdchachi

Jun 10, 2004, 12:47

M.P., Chicago is not representative of America. There are lots of other places w/ better, safer schools.

Elizabeth, how did you manage to strike up such a conversation. Did you say, "Excuse me... what do you think about Japanese families?" ;-)

Elizabeth

Jun 10, 2004, 13:15

No, I just had to feign ignorance as an opener, asking whether most men worked late into the night, even on weekends ? and couldn't be here for this festival. When she explained a lot of them did, we got to talking about how people felt about work as the most important thing in their lives, followed a distant second and third by friends and family, how much everyone complained about not having any private time in the evenings etc. which of course they do.

I then mentioned something about cases of laid off men who were too full of shame to share this with their families (quite an interesting phenomenon, don't you think?) and she offered an explanation along the lines of, unlike in the US, husbands generally not turning to their wives/girlfriends for serious conversation or as confidants but looking instead to friends for emotional support.

This perception didn't fly with the married couple I ran it past later, but
at least compared with Americans it validates my experience observing them pretty well

Buddha Smoker

Jun 10, 2004, 14:46

:The country that you are born in is a part of you and you will never forget that part.

I'm still trying to decide that...lol :D I'm still not leaving Japan though.

The irony is that I would choose to raise a family in America! Just compare Osaka to Chicago... I mean, jesus. Chicago might be more multi-cultural, but there is a hell of alot more crime. Gang violence, drugs, racism, etc. And, while the Japanese education system has its problems, man, public schools in Chicago can be rough to say the least.
Why would I want to raise a family in America again?
:D

What part of Chicago are you from? I'm from Chicago myself. I think it was the crime thing that kept me in Japan.

mad pierrot

Jun 10, 2004, 16:54

Born in Berwyn, lived in Cicero. Then as it was, the old man got a better job, moved the family out of the sh_i_tty apartment, and into the white, sterile suburbs. (As in Brookfield.) Mi familia still lives there. Lived for awhile in Logan's Square too, off the Blue line.

Buddha Smoker

Jun 10, 2004, 22:30

That's pretty cool...it's always nice to meet a fellow Chicagonite..It's been a long time since I've been back.

Chipi

Jun 10, 2004, 23:26

This may sound stupid, but somehow Im _so happy_ beeing here in Japan now, and I really feel like this would be my other home..I sometimes have these happiness attacks on the street and I cant stop smiling, and also allmost crying... :)
I know that Im an outsider here, and thats they way it should be..I really wish I was just like Japanese, and not outsider, but Im not, and Im content with my part.

And I dont mean to offend anyone, but living in the usa..no, right now it feels impossible. Im sorry but for me there are so many things that just dont fit into my "world"..

budd

Jun 10, 2004, 23:34

how much money?

Buddha Smoker

Jun 11, 2004, 08:09

Uncle Frank

Jun 11, 2004, 10:50

At one time I was ready to give up my US citizenship
to stay in Japan;BUT after 2 full years, I had enough!
I missed a million little things I took for granted. Being
able to read a newspaper, watch TV, listen to radio, and understand everything.Finding the foods I loved to eat,
tasteing the way they should. Not really ever fitting in.
There was Sooo much I loved about Japan, but that saying, "There's No Place Like Home" finally got to me.

Frank
:blush:

Buddha Smoker

Jun 11, 2004, 12:41

Brooker

Jun 12, 2004, 05:29

I've lived in both places and they both have their pros and cons, but if Bush wins the next election I will seriously consider returning to Japan or possibly moving to Canada (no joke). If things don't change, I don't want to be a part of what's going on here anymore.

Buddha Smoker

Jun 12, 2004, 07:36

CAPRICORN

Jun 12, 2004, 10:06

hey there new memeber here! I have to say that my family has lived in america since the late- 1700's but i find myself longing to live in a foreign country. the japease people interest me immesily and so does japan. Lateley (more spefically after bush came to power) i have become very angry with america. with the passing of both patriot acts i realized that it was very dangerous to have an opioion that opposed goverment policys, so because of that and the fact that i find americans very hateful and strange( no offense to you americans on here have nothing against you), and the lack of a culture, i have decided to begin prepatrations on moving abroad. i have to say that i would rather live in japan. I think eastern and japansense phiolosphy and culture and pretty cool. if you cant understand the radio there just get a satleite radio.

I've lived in both places and they both have their pros and cons, but if Bush wins the next election I will seriously consider returning to Japan or possibly moving to Canada (no joke). If things don't change, I don't want to be a part of what's going on here anymore.

i agree totally as well. the dubya admistaration is getting out of control, for me its like being there for the roman conquering of the world, i am not intersted in this goverments goals of spreading our goveremntment and relgion around the world, they can do it bythemselves im gonna be in a truly free country! (well hopefully its free).

Buddha Smoker

Jun 12, 2004, 10:09

i agree totally as well. the dubya admistaration is getting out of control, for me its like being there for the roman conquering of the world, i am not intersted in this goverments goals of spreading our goveremntment and relgion around the world, they can do it bythemselves im gonna be in a truly free country! (well hopefully its free).

Is it really getting that bad back there? It's been a long time since I've been in the States?

Hachiko

Jun 12, 2004, 10:10

U.S.A. baby. Of course, I would want to have dual, maybe triple citizenship or more (USA, Japan, Philippines, Canada)...

mdchachi

Jun 12, 2004, 11:38

> im gonna be in a truly free country! (well hopefully its free).

There is no such place.

> Is it really getting that bad back there? It's been a long time since I've been in the States?

No, it's not that bad. People are just too wired, that's all. Looking back, I don't see any eras in which I would rather be. The Vietnam era? I don't think so. The recession/energy crisis seventies? Uh uh. The 60's (well yes, lots of free love & no AIDS has appeal but...) living in a severe cold war thinking you could be annihilated by nuclear war any day. No. The 50's a generallly prosperous era but a strait-laced society with a despicable racial divide. I'll pass. The 40's war & shortages? No way.

Not that there isn't room for improvement. But the situation is far from dire.

CAPRICORN

Jun 12, 2004, 14:02

good point, however throout all of those decades by law you had the right to express yourself without being persucted. (it didint turn out that way kent state and such)but even though you would be persecuted for beleiving anti-governement things at least you could say " by the law and constition i have a right to my beliefs" where as now it is agianst the law to do many things. the situation in america is dire or the best depending on your point of view and beleifs. for the people that love george bush and idioticly send our troops overseas to be killed for oil, sure its a wonderul time. but for the person that wants peace, the govermentemnt to stop meddling in foriegn affairs, and belives in liberty and freedom for all even for anarchists, muslims, and anti-governement,people well its preety dire.

Buddha Smoker

Jun 12, 2004, 15:53

mdchachi

Jun 13, 2004, 00:46

> where as now it is agianst the law to do many things.

Like what, specifically? What's different now?

> the situation in america is dire or the best depending on your point of view and beleifs.

Or, in my opinion, not that much different than it has been for most of this century.
Neither dire nor the best.

> for the people that love george bush and idioticly send our troops overseas to be killed for oil, sure its a wonderul time.
> but for the person that wants peace, the govermentemnt to stop meddling in foriegn affairs, and belives in liberty and
> freedom for all even for anarchists, muslims, and anti-governement,people well its preety dire.

Most of the people that have these sentiments are the same people that whine that,w hen there's some major genocide going on somewhere in the world, that the U.S. should go in there and do something about it. You can't have it both ways.

Now, if we can get gas down to $.99 / gallon again, maybe I can finally buy that Hummer I've been eyeing. :-)

CAPRICORN

Jun 13, 2004, 02:14

you are incorrect. i obvioulsy do not like genocides and crimes commited against people but the US should not intervene in forgin affaris regarldless of the situation because it does not help the situation any, and since the US has commited some of the worst crimes in history we are in postion to judge other countries for what they do. and now on to the things we cannot do because of the patriot acts. i donot have them in front of me at this time but this is what i remeber. if ther are 50,000 people protesting something and one person gets arrested for say thorwing a rock at a cop, then the entiere protesting crowd gets arrested. also the patriot acts alows police to arrest you for saying anything they deem "anti-american" and therefore terriost like. it allows the authortys to track you and bug your home and office because of whatever they want leiterally. it is true now that cops can pull you over for waving a confedarate flag, shoot and kill you and not a damn thing will happen to him, perfectly legal. before the patriot acts these crimes still occured but it was illegal and they kept it very quiet. they do not need arrest warrants no proabable cause nothing to arrest you, you then get sent to a prision camp where you are denied trial and interroagted. this happens often with muslims in this countrty, they are routinely arrested with no charges. everyone hates muslims now in this country and they are being denied basic human rights and rounded up and put into camps, just like the japanese were during WW2. these are just a few of the many rights we have lost because of the patriot acts. again if you love the governemnt and its policys these have no affect on you and your happy, just like communits symapahetherzers that benefit from whats going with communism were happy. its the people that disagree that get burned.

Ewok85

Jun 13, 2004, 02:22

Viva Australia! :D

DoctorP

Jun 13, 2004, 02:29

i obvioulsy do not like genocides and crimes commited against people but the US should not intervene in forgin affaris regarldless of the situation

Does that include when we are asked by the people or government of that country to intervene?

if ther are 50,000 people protesting something and one person gets arrested for say thorwing a rock at a cop, then the entiere protesting crowd gets arrested.

Pretty bad example...I would love to see 50,000 people get arrested!

also the patriot acts alows police to arrest you for saying anything they deem "anti-american" and therefore terriost like. it allows the authortys to track you and bug your home and office because of whatever they want leiterally.

I never understood this one...if you aren't doing anything wrong, then they have no reason to bug your home. What are you worried about? If you are breaking the law, then I could see why you would be against this.

everyone hates muslims now in this country and they are being denied basic human rights and rounded up and put into camps, just like the japanese were during WW2.

All Muslims have been put into camps? Where did you get this information? Maybe you should do some research and post some stats for everyone!

its the people that disagree that get burned.

You can still disagree, you just have to use your brain now! I spent 13 years in the military and it is against regs there to badmouth your officers and Government officials, but you could still speak your mind if you use common sense and didn't just spit out things off the top of your head. Make intelligent arguments about what is wrong, not just insults. You mentioned earlier about a protester being arrested for throwing a rock. Well protesting is not against the law, but assault is. See what I mean? :-)

Lina Inverse

Jun 13, 2004, 02:40

Well, living in the US would be pretty much the last thing I'd ever want :mad:
It probably would be better than living in crisis areas like Iraq, or living in countries with an unproportinal high amount of rude people like Ireland, but that's about it.

So, Japan wins by default. Now that doesn't mean that Japan wouldn't have it's own fair share of problems (every country has, including my own), but it stands in absolutely no comparison to the US :relief:

Elizabeth

Jun 13, 2004, 03:37

So, Japan wins by default. Now that doesn't mean that Japan wouldn't have it's own fair share of problems (every country has, including my own), but it stands in absolutely no comparison to the US :relief:
That may be, but I've yet to meet a Japanese national actually living in the US who feels the same. Most seem to embrace the greater social and economic freedoms here, increased job opportunities, quality of life and the chance to improve their English. And even among those who do eventually return, it is mostly for personal reasons or to work towards improving their own country. Certainly the Bush administration isn't making these decisions for them like it seems to be for some of it's own citizens. :relief:

Keiichi

Jun 13, 2004, 04:19

Brooker

Jun 13, 2004, 04:40

CC1 wrote....
I never understood this one...if you aren't doing anything wrong, then they have no reason to bug your home. What are you worried about? If you are breaking the law, then I could see why you would be against this.

Some fundamental rights that America is (supposed to) give everyone is DUE PROCESS, AND APPROPRIATE SEARCHES AND SEIZURES. You can't just search people, detain them, bug them, etc. without going through the appropriate steps. They do this to limit the possibility of abuse of the system and corruption. Without these rules you run the risk of overzealous officials (remember McCarthy?) holding their own personal witch hunts.

If you believe these rules are just, then you should have a problem with the detention of the Afghanis in Guantanamo (sp?) Bay, Cuba by the American government who have been held for years without any charges filed against them. If they're guilty, then file your charges, give them a chance to speak in their defense, and, if they're found guilty, lock `em up. At least then they've been given their due process. I don't like the idea of having a jail off American soil just so that they don't have to follow the rules there.

What about that Portland, OR lawyer who was held because they said his fingerprints matched those found on a bag near the bombing in Spain? Turns out his fingerprints didn't match at all, but they were suspicious of him because his fingerprints were only slightly similar and he had converted to being a Muslim. After being detained for several weeks he was released because there was no link between him and the bombings.

If we give up these rights the entire country could become Guantanamo Bay.

DoctorP

Jun 13, 2004, 04:51

Some fundamental rights that America is (supposed to) give everyone is DUE PROCESS, AND APPROPRIATE SEARCHES AND SEIZURES. You can't just search people, detain them, bug them, etc. without going through the appropriate steps. They do this to limit the possibility of abuse of the system and corruption. Without these rules you run the risk of overzealous officials (remember McCarthy?) holding their own personal witch hunts.

I suspect that I will get a rash of "attacks" for what I posted earlier. I understand dur process and the such. I am not condoning someone bugging your home without a warrant. I fully see and support that argument as well. However, I also see the argument of the people who feel violated after 9/11. On one side you have people blaming the gov't for not doing enough. Then they attack the officials when they implement changes. America will never be the Utopia that everyone wants. The main reason is that you will never be able to show where one person's rights ends and another begins. There is always a "grey area". That goes for the right to free speech, bear arms, religion, etc... You can make numerous arguments for each!

I agree with your comment that the prisoners at Gitmo should be given their due process. There is no sense holding them without doing so.

CAPRICORN

Jun 13, 2004, 05:49

to your first question. yes it includes people that are asking or begging us to help them. its simply not worth thousands of soldiers lives to free some people, they can escape there country and move to another if its that bad. obviosuly 50,000 people wouldnt get arrested it was a bad example ill use something smaller. like 30 people get arrested because one of them thows a rock. i wish that you could peacefully protest but thorout american history they have shown us that if they feel there power is threated they will strike. example, kent state shootings, 1870's worker strikes shootings and there are plenty more i cant remember at this time.
to your 3rd question. like i said earlier if you do something they consider "anti-amercian" they will do what they want with you including spy or whatever they want. this has happend to multiple people in this countryu. and obviously protesting isnt illegal but the governement doseant care they will shoot you down when they feel it is nessary. dont start insulting me because your unhappy with what i have to say, if you cannot have an arguemnt without insulting people then its time for you to shut up. america claims it has freedom of speech an liberty and civil rights for anyone but i have yet to see any evidence that supports that claim, from my research it seems just the oppisite.

DoctorP

Jun 13, 2004, 06:02

dont start insulting me because your unhappy with what i have to say, if you cannot have an arguemnt without insulting people then its time for you to shut up. america claims it has freedom of speech an liberty and civil rights for anyone but i have yet to see any evidence that supports that claim, from my research it seems just the oppisite.

Did I insult you? Hmmmm? I don't think so. Maybe you took something out of context. Let me go back and re read my post...Nope, nowhere in my post did I insult you. Sorry if you thought so, maybe you should go back and re read my previous post. If you still feel like I did, please quote the part that insulted you.

CAPRICORN

Jun 13, 2004, 06:08

ummmmmmm, yes you did.

"You can still disagree, you just have to use your brain now!"

DoctorP

Jun 13, 2004, 06:22

ummmmmmm, yes you did.

No, Just as I thought. You mis read my post.

You wrote:

...its the people that disagree that get burned.

I wrote:

You can still disagree, you just have to use your brain now! ...

The you in this text refers to the people that disagree with the government or administration as indicated in your post. It was not directed at you personally! Obviously you had already forgotten what you posted. What was the purpose of my quoting it?

Brooker

Jun 13, 2004, 06:38

Capricorn wrote....
the governement doseant care they will shoot you down when they feel it is nessary.

I don't know if it's as extreme as that. There have been some examples of America using extreme excessive force on its people, but they're few and far between. I was at the WTO protests/riots and the police used very aggressive but very non-harmful tactics to control the crowd (tear gas, concussion grenades, which make a very loud booom, but can't hurt you, rubber bullets, etc.). I don't think America has gotten to the point of ruling its people with an iron fist yet, but it's just becoming a little too relaxed about protecting the rights of its citizens.

We're just exchanging ideas here, there's no need for people to get all defensive.

Buddha Smoker

Jun 13, 2004, 07:41

Is all of this really that big of deal? I mean some people like the States and some people like Japan..and other don't. I don't think it is anything to get worked up all over.

I think everybody's point is pretty clear and we should move on from there or else get everybody together hold hands and start singing a Jonn Lennon song. :wave:

kirei_na_me

Jun 13, 2004, 08:43

Okay, let's get back on topic. Please? :wave:

I'd also like to add that Elizabeth was right on the money in her last post.

Brooker

Jun 13, 2004, 08:56

If we're going to sing a song, the obvious choice is "We are the World". :singer:

mdchachi

Jun 13, 2004, 12:28

this is what i remeber. if ther are 50,000 people protesting something and one person gets arrested for say thorwing a rock at a cop, then the entiere protesting crowd gets arrested. also the patriot acts alows police to arrest you for saying anything they deem "anti-american" and therefore terriost like. it allows the authortys to track you and bug your home and office because of whatever they want leiterally. it is true now that cops can pull you over for waving a confedarate flag, shoot and kill you and not a damn thing will happen to him, perfectly legal. before the patriot acts these crimes still occured but it was illegal and they kept it very quiet. they do not need arrest warrants no proabable cause nothing to arrest you, you then get sent to a prision camp where you are denied trial and interroagted. this happens often with muslims in this countrty, they are routinely arrested with no charges. everyone hates muslims now in this country and they are being denied basic human rights and rounded up and put into camps, just like the japanese were during WW2. these are just a few of the many rights we have lost because of the patriot acts. again if you love the governemnt and its policys these have no affect on you and your happy, just like communits symapahetherzers that benefit from whats going with communism were happy. its the people that disagree that get burned.

Well that explains why the situation seems so bad to you.
But all of this is totally false. You'll feel better once you start
looking at the facts. Try it, you'll like it.

Shinpachi

Jun 13, 2004, 12:51

I'd rather live in Japan, no doubt about it. The people just seem more considerate of others around them. A big thing that I remembered today when I was in downtown Portland, is that while I was in Japan, every street was clean, even though there was a vending machine or three on every block with no trash recepticles in sight. Whereas here, there's trash all over the streets to varying degrees, and garbage cans everywhere. I think that says something, or at least that's how I saw it 4 years ago, dunno if there's much littering now.

I also hate Dubya and everyone still supporting him after everything that has happened, what with his abuse of executive orders, his misleading the country into war, and his going along with Cheney's devilishly greedy plans for Iraq, and his blatant disregard for America's economy and environment. In a logical country he'd be impeached by now. I believe he was quoted somewhere as saying to a white house aid in response to blowing off a meeting that had been scheduled for over a month "I don't care! I'm on a mission from God!" I really want to find a clip of the Pope blasting him about the middle east.

Ewok85

Jun 13, 2004, 13:03

I haven't been to America so my vote would be pretty null, and without going my opinions are very biased.
Oh and
but can't hurt you, rubber bullets, etc.
Rubber bullets can and do kill.

mad pierrot

Jun 13, 2004, 17:52

Man, why does everyone blame the President? Jesus, either you elected him or your apathy did. Take responsibility.

Buddha Smoker

Jun 13, 2004, 18:08

If we're going to sing a song, the obvious choice is "We are the World". :singer:

But will the money really reach Africa afterwards. :D

Flashjeff

Jun 13, 2004, 19:10

A most interesting question. I had the opportunity to live in Japan when I was in the Navy and was stationed there in the late 70's, and I found the experience most enjoyable. The sights, the sounds, the people, everything was fantastic!

Still, I have to stick with the good ol' U.S. of A., imperfect as it is. My family, my roots are here (Philadelphia, PA) and it would be practically impossible to pull up and leave for good. America isn't perfect, no country is, not even Japan, but this is home for me, so I'm content!
:-)

Buddha Smoker

Jun 13, 2004, 20:47

Lina Inverse

Jun 13, 2004, 22:39

Is it really getting that bad back there? It's been a long time since I've been in the States?
Yes, it is, especially since Dubya is in power :mad:
I strongly recommend you to read the books by Michael Moore to get a good idea of the current situation. Here are the Amazon.co.jp links:
All books by Michael Moore (http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books-us&field-author=Moore%2C%20Michael/249-0018269-9963514)
Stupid White Men: And Other Sorry Excuses for the State of the Nation! (http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/006098726X/qid=1087133054/sr=1-8/ref=sr_1_10_8/249-0018269-9963514) (extended version of the original "Stupid white men")
Dude, where's my country? (http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/0446532231/qid=1087133446/sr=1-5/ref=sr_1_10_5/249-0018269-9963514)
Downsize this! (http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060977337/qid=1087133446/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_10_2/249-0018269-9963514)

So, Dubya, to say it with the pope's words:
http://www.oktolyt.net/forum/papststfu.jpg

Ewok85

Jun 14, 2004, 00:22

I like his work but it is a bit one sided... but still very very scary. I wouldnt mind seeing Fareignheit 9/11 (spelling :S use celcius already you zany people!)

Brooker

Jun 14, 2004, 04:54

mad pierrot wrote....
Man, why does everyone blame the President? Jesus, either you elected him or your apathy did. Take responsibility.

I didn't vote for him and we could question whether or not he was actually elected anyways (which isn't even really the point). The misleading and mishandling of Iraq IS HIS FAULT. I'm not sure who else the blame should be placed on other than other people beneath him. But ultimately, he's the one in charge, so when things go bad, he gets the blame. That's the burden of power.

kirei_na_me

Jun 14, 2004, 06:00

*agrees with Brooker*

Anyways...

Jean-Francois

Jun 14, 2004, 09:07

Japan is clean and safe, and the food is great!

However, I had lived in the United States on and off for eight years and I miss my crazy American friends very much. In fact I am moving back to Manhattan at the end of 2005.

mdchachi

Jun 14, 2004, 10:39

Yes, it is, especially since Dubya is in power :mad:
I strongly recommend you to read the books by Michael Moore to get a good idea of the current situation.

Moore is the last person you should read for good information about the current situation. He plays very loosely with the facts and is a master of deception. When confronted about it, he claims that he is just "entertaining" people and not to be taken so seriously.

I consider him to be Rush Limbaugh's twin.

See
http://www.hardylaw.net/Truth_About_Bowling.html

mad pierrot

Jun 14, 2004, 17:23

Fishing for replies!

I really dislike the vast amount of blaming Bush that is going on now. Not because I like our current President. This wave of anti-Bush sentiments in dangerous in an entirely different way. The problem isn稚 a single person. The problem is the big ugly machine that got him into office, the corporate elite/ military industrial complex/ whatever you want to call it. This big headless monster was around before George Bush, and it will continue to function after he is gone. I fear this wave of finger pointing at the Bush administration will lead people to believe the problem will be fixed after he is voted out of office. And, as much as everyone wants to blame 泥ubya� for all our foreign policy, when was the last time anyone paid attention to Congress? Have you been watching the way your other elected representatives have been voting? For example, last year: Senate vote #386, October 16, 2003
Clean Government: Halliburton, the oil company Vice President Dick Cheney ran, continues to receive billions in no-bid government contracts for work in Iraq, even after it was cited for overcharging taxpayers and providing unsanitary facilities to U.S. troops. At the same time, Cheney is receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in deferred compensation from the company and holds roughly 400,000 Halliburton stock options. More troubling, internal memos now show that Cheney's office was directly coordinating Halliburton contracts. When the Congressional Research Service ruled the situation represented a "potential conflict of interest," the Senate considered legislation that would have forced the termination of the Cheney-Halliburton relationship. It was voted down.

(Example respectively taken from "When Ignorance Isn't Bliss" by David Sirota.)

Sorry for straying so much off topic!

:sorry:

CujoLink

Jun 14, 2004, 21:27

Have not been to Japan yet, I leave in 18 days. I might be able to answer when I get back.

Buddha Smoker

Jun 14, 2004, 22:41

Have not been to Japan yet, I leave in 18 days. I might be able to answer when I get back.

Never know...might see you around. What part are you heading to?

CAPRICORN

Jun 19, 2004, 07:57

mdchaci, it is not false it is fact. now weather or not you beleive it is another story.

Buddha Smoker

Jun 19, 2004, 09:44

mdchaci, it is not false it is fact. now weather or not you beleive it is another story.

Good way to put it.

Golgo_13

Jun 19, 2004, 10:16

Of all the places I've lived in, I like California the best.

So that means I like living in Mexico.

mad pierrot

Jun 19, 2004, 14:10

LOL

Viva La Mexico!

mdchachi

Jun 19, 2004, 22:07

mdchaci, it is not false it is fact. now weather or not you beleive it is another story.

If you could show me the text of the patriot act that supports your statements, I would believe it. But you can't. So you resort to blind faith and scare mongering.

Who is John Galt?

misa.j

Jun 19, 2004, 22:59

I love the U.S., am not going back to Japan. I can't wait to get my citizenship so I can vote.
I might sound such a headcase, but here are some facts. The armed society is a safe society. The town I live in now has 9,000 people approximately, many of them own firearms for hunting or target shooting. There haven't been a murder since when, ever. Did you know that the target shooting has the least accidents among the Olympics?

The diversity in the U.S. is one of the things makes me feel welcomed, didn't get that in Japan. Being defferent seems to have very important aspects in the U.S..

Although I miss the health care system they have in Japan, the education sucks. I was hit by several male teachers when I was a rebellious young teen, was lucky enough to go through college, but I don't remember the most of the things I was taught at schools in Japan...

mad pierrot

Jun 19, 2004, 23:35

The gun debate.

I won't try to argue this one, but I'm not sure an armed society is a safe one.

:relief:

Btw, I hereby ban all references to Ayn Rand in this thread. LOL

CujoLink

Jun 25, 2004, 00:12

So I went to the Detroit fire works last night, one of our suppliers has land on the riverfront, so I was in a private area, but over in Hart plaza (which is a big park where Detroit holds most of it's festivals) just down the front alittle bit some Jackass opened fire shooting like 9 people. Detroit is such a beautiful place isn't. People can't even come down to see a the fireworks anymore without worrying about this type of ****.

Then this morning the Mayor Big Diamond Kwame was on the news talking about the incident, he said something like a million people come to the River to have a good time and then you get this "ignorant Idiot" that ruins it for everyone. It sounded like he wanted to call the guy an a$$hole but refrained, instead calling him an idiot. The guys still at large. Even though there was like hundreds of cops on patrol that night to work the crowds and traffic.

Detroit...

Golgo_13

Jun 25, 2004, 06:13

What happened to RoboCop?

Buddha Smoker

Jun 25, 2004, 06:57

What happened to RoboCop?

Replaced. :D Funding ran out.

jieshi

Jun 25, 2004, 08:14

im sorry but who would even consider between these two? Japan all the way!!! im sorry im a bit obssessed. i love all things Japan

Golgo_13

Jun 25, 2004, 10:50

I love the U.S., am not going back to Japan. I can't wait to get my citizenship so I can vote.

Although I miss the health care system they have in Japan, the education sucks. ...

I've gone to school in both countries, and the quality of education in the U.S. (at grade school level) is inferior.

mdchachi

Jun 25, 2004, 13:34

> Btw, I hereby ban all references to Ayn Rand in this thread. LOL

I'm very impressed that somebody actually got that reference. I only read Atlas Shrugged this month hence it was at the top of my mind.

> I've gone to school in both countries, and the quality of education in the U.S. (at grade school level) is inferior.

Or at least it was 20-30 years ago when you were in grade school. What's the situation now?

mad pierrot

Jun 25, 2004, 14:26

So what do you think of it? I know many people who think Ayn Rand was off her rocker, but I liked it.

Buddha Smoker

Jun 25, 2004, 15:11

I've gone to school in both countries, and the quality of education in the U.S. (at grade school level) is inferior.

I agree...at the high school/college level then I have to say that the U.S. is doing better but that is my opinion and I don't know what the current standards are in the U.S. right now (I'm working off of views 10 or more years ago).

mdchachi

Jun 25, 2004, 20:36

So what do you think of it? I know many people who think Ayn Rand was off her rocker, but I liked it.

I think it's an excellent book though much too long by at least 200 pages. As a story it's good, but more importantly as a thought-provoking work it's even better. I think it does a good job of defending the capitalistic system and pointing out the fatal flaws in communism/socialism. Objectivisim as a whole lifes philosophy I think is flawed but it definitely has some worthwhile ideas.

Dan B

Jul 1, 2004, 05:13

Is it really getting that bad back there? It's been a long time since I've been in the States?

No, it's nowhere near that bad.

While the "slippery slope" arguments about free speech are not necessarily without merit--vigilance is certainly required on the part of citizens in any democratic nation if they are to ensure that the government doesn't overstep its bounds--many people are overreacting.

I heard a discussion on CSPAN Radio ("Washington Journal") earlier today about the political polarization of the United States. The guest was a NY Times reporter who had been researching this phenomenon. He concluded that the polarization really began with the 1976 election and has gotten steadily worse over the ensuing 30 years. You can watch the televised show here (http://www.c-span.org/homepage.asp?Cat=Series&Code=WJE&ShowVidNum=6&Rot_Cat_CD=WJ&Rot_HT=204&Rot_WD=&ShowVidDays=15&ShowVidDesc=), if you wish.

I didn't hear the entire program, but it seems logical that this polarization plays a significant role in determing how people interpret and react to governmental actions and current events. Such polarization leads to bias, and the bias sadly leads to both blind support for whatever the president does and blind criticism of whatever the president does.

As for the quality of schools in the United States, it's a mixed bag, of course. There is no single centralized educational system--this authority belongs to the states, not to the federal government. Even within individual states, and sometimes within individual school districts, there is great variation.

Some of the factors affecting the quality of education are fairly obvious:

1. The importance of education to the parents of students and the degree to which this importance is emphasized at home.

2. Students' ability and willingness to learn and behave in the classroom.

3. The amount of stress placed on developing--and supervising the implementation of--solid curricula in states, counties, and individual schools.

4. Teacher education and certification requirements (determined by state), which reflect teachers' professional knowledge and ability to both teach and manage student behavior in the classroom.

I was educated primarily in the U.S. (I spent 4th, 5th, and 6th grade at St. Mary's International School in Tokyo) and I found my education to be excellent. As a teacher, I'm fortunate to teach in an educationally-focused state, county, and school. (Actually, two schools. For the last 5 years, I taught mathematics at a middle school but I'll be teaching mathematics at an International Baccalaureate high school next year.)

I've found the overwhelming majority of my colleagues to be well-educated, bright, enthusiastic, and pedagogically competent. Likewise, though middle school kids are an interesting and varied group, I've found that my students were, by and large, capable and greatly encouraged to learn by their parents.

But I've no illusions that my experiences as a student and teacher are necessarily representative of education in the United States. In fact--and this is the point of my post--there is no single way to represent education in the U.S. It would be no more accurate for me to say, based on my experience, that "Education is top-notch in the States!" than it would be for anyone else to claim that "Education is poor in the States!"

Regards,

Dan

kirei_na_me

Jul 1, 2004, 05:53

Exactly, Dan! I think I have said something almost identical to what you have said(only a much more compact version) a few times in this here forum.

There are many different factors. You can't just go around saying "Education in America sucks!". It depends on where you are. It varies from state to state, county to county, city to city.

Chances are, an inner-city school isn't going to be like a school in a tightknit and prosperous farming community in rural Virginia with a population of only one thousand.

Also, are we talking public or private education? In general(I say that because I was educated in public school K-12 :p), the quality of education is going to be better at private schools than at public schools.

There are many things to take into consideration when talking education in the U.S. I do wish more money and emphasis could be put on the education system as a whole, though.

Dan B

Jul 1, 2004, 09:44

Kirei na me,

I'm glad to find someone who has similar views on this subject!

Also, are we talking public or private education? In general (I say that because I was educated in public school K-12 :p), the quality of education is going to be better at private schools than at public schools.

That's an interesting point. But I think it may not be as true as it once was. Don't get me wrong, because there are some truly great private schools out there (there are several notable examples in northern Viriginia alone). However there were a number of students who transferred to my last school who came from various private schools in the area and they were were well below "grade-level" in the core subjects. (Their parents were aware of this and it was the primary reason for the transfer.)

I've read in various sources (some were admittedly rather biased in favor of public schooling) that private schools aren't required to adhere to the same standards of teacher certification/licensure or student testing as are the public schools (presumably this depends on state laws). As a result, there is often no way to reliably make comparisons between public and private schools until students take a standardized test, like the SAT.

Nonetheless, as with anything else in education, it's very tough to make meaningful generalizations here and, based on what I've seen of SAT comparisons, there are many private schools that do very well and many that do not, and the same is true of public schools.

Regarding the original question which asks whether I'd prefer to live in the U.S. or Japan, I'm torn. I'm interested in moving back to Japan but, even if I do, I don't know that I would necessarily stay there for the rest of my life. This is my home...

So I haven't voted in this poll yet. I'm still undecided. :?

Regards,

Dan

Knives

Jul 2, 2004, 14:35

I think japan would be a better place to live just because america is being run by a bunch of idiots (in my opinon) although i dont know how japans system is... all i know is that america is full of overweight lazy people who have nothing better to do then to watch on t.v who wins an oscar. me personaly can live without TV, video games, and movies just give me a house in a quiet area and a place to train in the martial arts. I do in fact like anime (hence my name and avitar) but i could easily live without all that stuff.
Another thing is all the crime that is around america america is one of the top places for crime and death i feel that its kinda scary in a way and that some children grow up around that stuff most likly making them into gangsters and other horrid crap... but all in all i still love america with a passion its just alot of the ppl and the ppl that run this country

King of Tokyo

Jul 18, 2004, 18:32

Japan most definitely for me.. Why ? Because I'm Canadian, And I love all things Japanese .. Now if you asked me Japan or Canada.. I'd say I have to wait till I experience Japan.. But yeh.. I don't like America.. I Don't wanna be there when they piss off the wrong people and they decide to give a gift in the form of a bomb to America lol.. And Japan rules.. So.. I voted Japan..

Faustianideals

Jul 18, 2004, 18:45

Japan for sure. :wave:

Flashjeff

Jul 18, 2004, 19:28

all i know is that america is full of overweight lazy people who have nothing better to do then to watch on t.v who wins an oscar. me personaly can live without TV, video games, and movies just give me a house in a quiet area and a place to train in the martial arts.

Then you truly don't know much of anything. Not everyone is overweight or lazy and do nothing but watch TV. That's a ridiculous broad brush stereotype that exposes a terrible level of ignorance. I for one am none of the things you mentioned, so don't lump me into your way of thinking. That annoys me no end!

As for crime, newsflash: it's everywhere! Including Japan! It's all part of the human condition. Is America heaven on earth? Hell no! But I'm still proud to live in this country and wouldn't live anywhere else in the world!

I Don't wanna be there when they piss off the wrong people and they decide to give a gift in the form of a bomb to America lol..

That is absolutely NOTHING to joke about!

ZellX

Jul 18, 2004, 19:29

I could go either way because i always wanted to try japan like daily rootine but the (us)is ok to.

King of Tokyo

Jul 18, 2004, 19:39

Then you truly don't know much of anything. Not everyone is overweight or lazy and do nothing but watch TV. That's a ridiculous broad brush stereotype that exposes a terrible level of ignorance. I for one am none of the things you mentioned, so don't lump me into your way of thinking. That annoys me no end!

As for crime, newsflash: it's everywhere! Including Japan! It's all part of the human condition. Is America heaven on earth? Hell no! But I'm still proud to live in this country and wouldn't live anywhere else in the world!

Yeh.. some people just like to hate on America.. it's not perfect and nowhere else is either.. but for the crime thing.. I'm sorry but Japan is way better.. there is I think around 150 murders per year in Japan.. In America ? Wow.. THOUSANDS.. Tens of Thousands if I'm not mistaken.. So yeh.. I still prefer Japan over America.. but that doesn't mean it is terrible or anything.. All countries have their pros and cons

That is absolutely NOTHING to joke about!

I guess not.. but I'd rather joke about it then worry myself about it.. let me joke lol..

Flashjeff

Jul 18, 2004, 19:42

To hate on anything or anybody does nobody any good. That's why this planet is so screwed up, because people insist on hating people instead of trying to get along.

kirei_na_me

Jul 18, 2004, 20:00

I think in Japan, in about one year, they had 10 gun related deaths to about 11,000 in the U.S.

Still, for the most part, many of those shootings happen in bigger, more metropolitan areas. Although I know no one is completely safe, it is safer in the more rural communities. School shootings get a lot of media attention because they are rare.

Sure the country is run by sadists, but as I've said before, where I live is home. I don't let the people running the government define who I am. I just happen to live here. Besides, where I live is isolated, it's peaceful(knocks on wood), my family is around and they don't get on my nerves much, you can trust the plumber(or any other repairman) to be at your house right on time, you can expect people to be able to do paperwork without computers and know what the hell they are talking about, and you can trust your neighbor to keep an eye on your children. Where I live, it's like everything is done 'old school', and 'old school' in a good way. At least to me and at least for now.

Flashjeff

Jul 18, 2004, 20:15

The one thing about this country that I loathe is our neverending love affair with guns and how we're completely unable to affect serious change to that barbaric Wild West mindset. Even the barest of gun control regulations proposed every year are struck down by politicians in the back pocket of the NRA and railed at by the legions of rednecks from coast to coast who'd rather sleep with their rifles than their women. Admittedly, I don't have statistics, but take away say, half of the guns out there, and this country becomes considerably safer than it is right now.

sky888

Jul 18, 2004, 21:32

this is like the question of whether you prefer your dad or your mum

it's never about who is better..it broils down to the relationship you have with them.. what you have went thru with them....

well I like Japan becuase it has that society togetherness, with traditional values and the gracefulenss, just like a mother to me...

TwistedMac

Jul 18, 2004, 22:09

i'm obsessed with japan.. i'm not very interested in america... i'll go with hmmm..... japan XD

RockLee

Jul 19, 2004, 22:57

yeah me too....not that I'm blinded by all the beauty..I know there are bad aspects aswell...but I'm simply in LOVE with Japan, Japanese girls... :blush:

TwistedMac

Jul 20, 2004, 00:00

yeah... i'm just blinded by all the beauty and can't see the bad aspects.... but it always works out in the end anyway ^^

sky888

Jul 20, 2004, 00:35

Japan all the way!!! Watashiwa nihon-jin des...

SkankRabbit

Jul 20, 2004, 20:34

USA please.

But only if it's the inbred bit with all the UFO abductions.

And I'll have to change my name to Bubbah Ray.

TwistedMac

Jul 20, 2004, 23:10

USA please.

But only if it's the inbred bit

got a thing for your cousins? :lol:

jOshe

Jul 21, 2004, 11:38

hi there.. newbie here... :blush:

well to mi, i think i will choose japan when i was young.. to work over there... n other country lik usa or others to settle down when i was old.. lik 40 to 50 or maybe 60 years old...

cause i think in any countrys there is always pro and cons of living there...

like mi in singapore... theres lots of people say that it is really safe staying here.. education here is good.. but they only see the good side of it..and they had not seen the bad yet... :)

thats y iam planning to gO japan to wOrk, and other countrys to settle down and live peacefully over there.. wahhahaa... "P

queenie

Jul 24, 2004, 02:48

i feel like that i would like japan better. i'm a bit of a city girl i guess, i don't really like to settle down. all i want is a big enough place to live for me and the kids i plan to adopt. i also have aspirations to become a famous singer/songwriter...and i from what i hear that would be really difficult to do in japan. but i really like the way the artists community works over there...sadly enough though, it would be really hard to become accepted as a musician over there, and go major. so i'm kind of at odds with living in japan if i can't succeed over there. but i would rather be a musician in japan than here, if there's even a sliver of a chance that i could :sing:

Gackt_Camui

Jul 30, 2004, 08:13

japan cuz i have friends here and in the usa no one really cares about asians and you know its the truth

Hero

Aug 28, 2004, 16:14

If I didn't have problem with BO (which my J-girl denies when I ask her, rofl), I'd live happily for long time in Japan... but for the most part I'd end up coming back to the U.S.A... especially if it's to raise my kids.

I don't really like some aspects of Japanese culture, and esp. the education system. But then again I don't want my kids to grow up believing money is everything in the world...

Japan is for the younger, adverturous life I think...
U.S.A is for the more serious, family life...

Just my thoughts, please don't bash me (^_^)

chikazukiyasui

Aug 28, 2004, 18:53

i'm obsessed with japan.. i'm not very interested in america... i'll go with hmmm..... japan XD

I'm with twisted. America fails to fascinate me. I was in California for a while, and the best thing about the place, as far as I was concerned, was that it was easy to get Japanese food.

RedDrawf

Aug 28, 2004, 19:27

I think that before long the USA culture will have smothered all others and we will all be living in the America.

Hero

Aug 29, 2004, 00:06

Heh... I'll have to agree with Chikazukiyasui about Japan being fascinating. I love many things about Japan that I don't think will ever happen in America. Such as the kindness, respect, gratitude, and esp the child-like aspect of the many Japanese I met on acquaintances and friendship.

But then again I've heard about the high suicide rate... probably a result of all this kindness, respect, gratitude; from always putting up a front towards everyone and not going off on ppl 'cause it's socially wrong. >.<

Reiku

Aug 29, 2004, 01:47

I'm with twisted. America fails to fascinate me. I was in California for a while, and the best thing about the place, as far as I was concerned, was that it was easy to get Japanese food.

LMAO

Yeah, that is one nice thing about living here in California. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ReikuHiteruo/Emoticons/LolLolLolLol.gif

Personally, I'd rather live in Japan--but whether U.S. or Japan I wouldn't want to live in a city or somewhere that is a "center of activity". Ideally I'd like to live out in the country side somewhere away from all the chaos and desperation of human life. (like that would ever happen) Ultimately when you live that far from the center of things the country and it's policies make very little difference--but I think Nihon has better countryside so...

cicatriz esp

Sep 18, 2004, 07:54

As long as you can get 5 years for marijuana possession in Japan, i'll pick the US everytime. That is one of the more ludicrous laws in the history of the world. Plus the US is a better place to raise kids.

chikazukiyasui

Sep 18, 2004, 08:12

Possession of of small amounts gets you ten years in Singapore, while possession of 200gm (<8oz) carries a mandatory death sentence. You could get in trouble for importing chewing gum or biscuits that contain poppy seeds.

cicatriz esp

Sep 18, 2004, 09:06

chikazukiyasui

Sep 18, 2004, 23:09

Muslim country where church and state are inseperable. Doesnt count.

Singapore? Singapore is a multi-ethnic society with Chinese as the main ethnic group and "Daoism" as the main religion. Are you thinking of somewhere else?

cicatriz esp

Sep 19, 2004, 11:39

Singapore? Singapore is a multi-ethnic society with Chinese as the main ethnic group and "Daoism" as the main religion. Are you thinking of somewhere else?

Holy sh*t, you are absolutely correct. I was thinking of Indonesia. Apologies for the error. Chalk it up to old person senility :P

Not to steer this topic off too much, but if it's not due to religion, why do you think Singapore's penalty is so severe? Is alcohol prohibited too?

Reiku

Sep 20, 2004, 01:06

Why does everyone seem to think the US is a good place to raise kids? They positively hate kids over here--anyone between 13 and 21 is automaticaly considered a gang member/drug user/psycho who will shoot up their classrom any day now...

...it's quite disturbing actually. A society that ostracises it's young is most certainly doomed.

Faustianideals

Sep 20, 2004, 01:55

I'm in love with Japan so it'd have to be Japan! :gohan:

chikazukiyasui

Sep 21, 2004, 17:26

Holy sh*t, you are absolutely correct. I was thinking of Indonesia. Apologies for the error. Chalk it up to old person senility :P

Not to steer this topic off too much, but if it's not due to religion, why do you think Singapore's penalty is so severe? Is alcohol prohibited too?

No, alcohol is not prohibited in Singapore. Only fundamentalist Christians (US) and their muslim equivalents (Arab countries, Iran & parts of Africa) prohibit alcohol.

Why are laws so strict in Singapore? Because it is a meritocracy. Political thinking is heavily influenced by Confucianism. Incidentally, Singapore has a far fewer people incarcerated (as a proportion of the population) than the US, which has the most in the whole world, bar none.

Kei_Shugojin

Sep 21, 2004, 20:29

well, I have always had a love for Japan, ever since I went there when I was 6. I've had alot of bad experiences here (in the US) that I'd like to forget, so I guess I'm planning on living in Japan to forget about everything like that. lol

Harvey

Sep 27, 2004, 17:11

If asked US or Japan, I would say Japan. If I were back in the US, I would have to live in California, or Hawaii, mayyyyyybe NYC. But I would need a very stimulating environment not to get bored. The past two years of litearlly being able to experience something entirely new almost everyday has really spoiled me.

Long term though, I do not want to retire in Japan or anything, as few foreigners do! Though rather than returning to the states I would rather to to Europe or Australia or maybe even slow slow New Zealand...

neofusion

Sep 29, 2004, 09:49

JAPAN FOR ME PLZ!! anything to get away from geroge w. bush!! our AWEFUL presedent! man....im ashamed to be an american....

acquiredtarget

Sep 29, 2004, 13:20

I'd love to live in Japan . Since I'm single, I don't have to worry about moving adn supporting a family, I'd love to live in Japan for at least a good number of years, but in the end, the U.S. has what I cherish the most, my family, and while I know travelling between the countries is easy, but I wouldn't want to be away from my nephew and the rest forever. Barring that, I'd love to have a home in both countries (does anyone have tomorrow's winning lottery numbers?),.That being said, there are parts of the U.S. I wouldn't want to live in (biiiiig cities).

Jungle Boy

Oct 1, 2004, 12:55

Well, I live in Canada now and I am miserable. I can't see how living in the US would be any different. As a matter of fact, I am certian it would be worse.

Living in Japan is my dream. I walk the quarter mile up to the top of my driveway every night just to look at the setting sun and wonder what people are doing in Japan, how the weather is, ect. I don't think I could be happy anywhere else.

StarCrap

Nov 21, 2004, 15:18

I rather live in....I was going to say Canada. >_< But since Jungle Boy said he is miserable over there. That proves to me, no matter where I live, things are not different. Except the language.

ベ-ネ

Nov 22, 2004, 00:14

Japan would be nice! I never would go to america!

sgt. Pepper

Nov 22, 2004, 18:21

I think that i'd rather live in Japan, i'd like to visit USA sometime but not live there.

But i want to live in Sweden the most.

Jin X

Nov 23, 2004, 14:03

I say Japan over any country.

ffrost_nova622

Nov 23, 2004, 15:07

although i dont know really much about japan i think japan would be better because in america there is so much crime! (n bushy i dont like him) japan has much more things

Timsan

Nov 24, 2004, 07:09

if i had a choice between American and Japan i would choose American IF i could live in Alaska, otherwise i would have to go with NIPPON

Mishima_Kazuya

Nov 24, 2004, 08:44

I would be super happy in japan i could see japanese gurls everywhere i look and the jap gurl skool uniform waaa it drives me crazy i love it!!! jap gurls whering the skool unbiform is so good!!! and the kimono so cute also everyhing just sends me crazy like a 8 year old kid who wants somethin and cant get it outa his mind! kanojotachi GA kawaii desu

Martialartsnovice

Nov 25, 2004, 04:34

cyber ape

Nov 25, 2004, 15:09

Japan definitaly.

Japan:

Well, I've only been to Okinawa for a week and to Tokyo, well, for only one day, so I know little of Japan, but I do watch the little Japanese programming I receive here and everytime I watch it I just wanna cry. I'm like,"They treat it like life, I treat it like paradise." Seriously, although I was only 7, going to Japan was just great. Unfortunately since I'm not only HALF Japanese(which, I don't really look Japanese, but I'm still 50% and thus act it), so I look more like a gaijin, but since I've been here I've had to re-learn the language. Anyways, all I've ever seen is how great atleast Tokyo is. OK, so, granted it may be difficult finding work, mainly because my parents have no interest in going and don't know anything of the language, but even so. I just love my country.

America:

I live in Georgia, which should be enough right there, but to those who don't know, it's terrible. They still have Confederate flags everywhere! This is the kind of place where if you're Asian, you're Chinese, end of story. If you don't like football, you're a homosexual. If you like rap and you're white, you're a wigger. Too much pigeonholing. Sheer ignorance. Oh, and Bush. I'm not even going to start.

Anyways, I love Japan, and once I go back there I'm not coming back.

GaijinPunch

Nov 25, 2004, 15:15

As someone that's spent quite a bit of time in both I can honestly say... I didn't vote. :)

Greetings -- new guy, all that. Nice to meet you.</formal greeting>

I've just moved to Hawaii. Not the worst place in the world, as we still work the Asian hours (1PM to 9PM) so I can surf/go to the beach every day if I really wanted to. It's a good gig, BUT...

Here's a very impersonal list of what I've found as pros & cons of both places.

US: Pro
-------
-Banks (ATMs are 24 hours -- no questions asked)
-Actually something good on TV. Yeah, I know it's "junk TV" but TV in Japan is so horribly laughable.
-A fraction of the cost (even Hawaii is cheaper than Japan)
-Much more personal (you can talk to people you don't know)
-Not everything is endorsed by a cute, fuzzy critter
-No language barrier (except for Hawaii, apparently)
-Pizza (and Mexican food in the South) done right

US: Con
--------
-Banks (remittance takes an act of God and $$ to do)
-Checks (2004 people -- time to get off the paper)
-EXTREMELY hard not to get fat
-The whole world hates us
-Loud Americans
-Agendas
-Chips on shoulders
-Professional laziness, for lack of a better word.
-Your wife might nag about living in a country w/ Dubya as the President

Japan: Pro
----------
-Banks (all bills automatically deducted from bank account -- you only get a receipt!)
-Safe (my wife can go get milk at 2AM, and I won't stop her!)
-Convenient
-No need for a car in most cities (you can booz up anywhere, and run 0-risk of a DUI!!!)
-No last call
-4 very distinct seasons
-Scantily clad women (real ones too -- not just drawn!)
-Work ethic (believe me -- you'll take this for granted)
-You will be profusely praised for your "great Japanese" even if it sucks
-Police really aren't that bad -- no Rodney King incidents yet.

Japan: Con
----------
-Banks (most ATMs are not 24 hours, and you can't use just any ATM)
-Prohibitively expensive. Not as bad as it used to be, but still pricey.
-TV is really bad
-The act of moving there is a multi-step disaster, especially if you don't know anyone, nor have a job...specifically finding a place to live.
-Limited job fields for non-Japanese (but there are quite a few jobs to had)
-Seniority-based pay scale (sucks if you're young)
-Recession

Wow... that got really long.
I guess for the next few years, the states.

einbert

Nov 26, 2004, 00:31

Hi, I'm new to these forums so I guess I should introduce myself a little bit ^_^.
I posted my introduction in the appropriate forum at http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php?p=146412#post146412. It does add a little context to this post so you should consider reading it. Sorry for the inconvenience!

There are definitely some disadvantages to moving to Japan, but I mostly see those as temporary hurdles. I will have to learn the language, find a place to live and a job, and work hard to insert myself into the social network of my work and neighborhood (perhaps the latter is impossible but I'm going to do my best!). My feeling is that once I have made these steps toward life in Japan, I will have little problem with daily life there. The truth is it's a much safer place to live, and while the residents are fairly shy, I was able to make friends with so many of the young people I met both in the classroom and in various places like the arcades. The language barrier made things difficult but I find learning a new language to be an interesting task, rather than a tedious one.

While in Japan, I studied some writing on its social problems. It appears to me that the biggest problem is that women aren't nearly on equal footing with men in Japan (as compared to America, where I believe they pretty much are treated equally). It is a bit offputting to find that many of the students at Seinan Jo Gakuin would study for four years just to be an airline stewardess or even a mere housewife, but I feel that that area of Japanese culture is definitely improving.

GaijinPunch, you mentioned that Japan is a tough country to live in financially but right now America is going through its own financial crisis. It is difficult for many college graduates to find jobs right now in America and middle class Americans are really being stepped on by the upper class and the government.

blade_bltz

Nov 26, 2004, 01:50

Right now, as an 18 year old, I would much rather be living in Japan. But when it comes down to it, in the long run, I'd probably stay in America for family purposes. I live in Boston right now, and it's been a great place to grow up, but I could definitely see myself living in San Francisco.

wintersweet

Nov 26, 2004, 13:29

Right now I'd rather be in Japan, but long-term? I don't know. I noticed when I lived in Taiwan that places are rarely what you think. I started to miss things I didn't even know I cared about, like American food in general (which I always thought I didn't like that much), really good cheese, having a clothes dryer, etc. I think it's impossible to know how you'll fare in a place until you live there (and even then, people change their minds after a few months or even years). So please be careful about idealizing Japan, because that can cause all kinds of problems.

If I still lived in the central/southern US, I might be a bit more desperate, eh? Thank goodness for the San Francisco Bay Area.

-]5pace.pirat3]+

Nov 27, 2004, 04:04

yay! more bay area people :cheer::cheer::cheer: its a cute place.i come to love any place im in after a few years of hating it so i could probably stay in japan for a long time, and i dont have much family or friends but theres alot to potentially miss

zeroyon

Dec 2, 2004, 17:38

If it were to be by myself, then in Japan.

I personally want to get out of USA SOOOO much, I want to study abroad in japan this fall instead of the fall after. Im just so sick of the USA.

...But if i were raising a family, then DEFANITLEY the US of A. Since Japan isn't even anywhere as close to as ethnically mixed as the USA is, i wouldn't want to put my kids through all the bullying, stereotyping, social exclusion, etc that would happen in the japanese schools. I personally think they would live in a much less stressful environment here than in japan... besides, my kids might not like japan as much as I do, and i dont want to force my own likes and dislikes onto them.

Im caucasian BTW...

Suki-Yaki

Dec 8, 2004, 17:26

Why does it have to be either America or Japan ?? It's a big world y'know ^^!

I had had a choice to go to America , but seeing where I am now .. :cool:

So i love living in Japan , however..

I sometimes wish japanese people would draw a little after Americans in the aspect of inter-communication. I have met many Americans and europeans. And they usually are nice and more interactive than the way Japanese are towards other nationalites.

I think it is a very asian thing , especially for chinese and koreans .. sometimes they are just hating to communicate with other "colours" .

Ofcourse that's just me ..

ragedaddy

Dec 9, 2004, 12:30

If I could have it my way, I'd want to live here in the US for 9 months out of the year, and the remaining three in Japan. Of course I'm partial to my roots, but that's not the only reason. I love my space, and here in the US there is plenty of it. I love being able to drive on the wide open roads, but I'm not a fan of driving on the narrow streets of Tokyo. Here in the US, I've got my family, and also my group of close friends. The quality of movies, music, and TV are most excellent here in the US, although I do enjoy some Japanese programs. The Universities in America are pretty proper, so I'm happy with those.

My likes about Japan, is that they have a good selection of food in their convenience stores, you have many food choices within walking distance. I like that there are many karaoke boxes, because I love to tear up the mic. I like the pace in Japan, it seems to be more laid back than the US. There are many beautiful and historical places to see. The festivals are always an enjoyable thing. It hardly snows in Tokyo, so I'm happy about that. You can go anywhere by train, so that's a plus. The onsens and methods of taking baths are very relaxing. It's a wonderful culture there in Japan.

The main dislikes about living here in the US is the lack of respect that exists in our culture. The Japanese culture is very respectful, and I feel that is a good aspect to have in a person. I also like the fact you can get anywhere by train in Tokyo. Japanese food is very good, and I could eat that stuff everyday. We have like so much food that clogs up your arteries here in the US it's ridiculous. I'm sick of the tired political battles we have in this country, and so that's a turnoff. I don't like the fact that I could get gunned down by walking down the wrong street here in the US. I have never been scared to walk down any streets at anytime of day or night in Tokyo. I used to hate bars here in the US, because they were always had a million smokers in them, but now when the smoking ban takes effect that will all be changed. I also hate bars that are always playing really loud music, and it is nealry impossible to have a conversation without screaming at the top of your lungs.

My main dislikes about living in Japan would be working the schedule of a "Salary man". I can't see myself working 12-15 hour workdays everyday. Also, in the Japanese company you are more evaluated more on your age rather than your abilities, so it would take a long time to work your way up. My family is important and that would always take priority over work. I dislike the fact that many Japanese people don't even take you seriously, it seems almost like a novelty to them. It would be a little difficult to adapt to collective methods rather than being more individualistic. I think those people who blast their political views out of the megaphones on top of cars, and try to get support for being elected, those people should get smacked around for being absurdly annoying. I'm not a fan of trains in rush hour, when you feel like a can of sardines. I don't like the fact everyday shopping in Tokyo is like Christmas shopping in the US, it's really crowded.

Therefore, after living 2 years in Tokyo, I'd have to say I'd want to live their 3 out of 12 months, and the remainder back in the homeland, the US.

Kamisama

Dec 9, 2004, 13:34

1. They have better education.
2. They have better sports.
3. They would test my mentality and physical ability.
4. I don't think they would be able to unleash my full potential.
5. They have kawaii nyonin.

However, living in Japan for the first 3 would have been a kool thing growing up.

Ackmm7

Dec 9, 2004, 14:41

If I could find a nice job in japan after college I will defently want to live there more than america but america has more job opertuiites as of now.

jspecdan

Dec 13, 2004, 10:02

i'd live in japan for tons of cars and parts that aren't available in the USA.

but i'd live in america for the 'huge tracks of land.'

Martialartsnovice

Dec 14, 2004, 04:26

I agree Short term, but long term I dont know, Maybe I stay for a few years, but it would be different especially at Christmas, and Thanksgiving. I would miss my family on my Birthday, its 2 days before X-Mas.

@Cyber_Ape,

I know what you speak of, I live in Phoenix Arizona, I go to school here, and I remeber that last year when they had the class elections, they had 3 very disturbing candidates. One for the Neo-Nazi\Fascist movement, one for the Comunist regiem\Al-Qaeda, and the third was for the KKK party. To me the KKK was a bunch of homos running around looking for victims to terrorize just to excite their marbles. My dad has sad that he works ith a guy who is active in the Southern Arizona KKK branch, and hes proud of it. This guy brags about having dinner at the Grand Masters house a few times. or whatever they call their head leader.

I also lived in Wisconsin, for most of my life. I knew people who every year, lost livestock during halloween, to the KKK and the Pagan religion practioners. They had the county sheriffs investigate, but they never caught the people who did it every year.

Apollo

Dec 14, 2004, 04:33

I would choose the US for long term, and Japan for short term.....I have lived in Japan for almost 7 years (Yokohama & Tokyo) and in the US for almost 2 years... (New York & San Francisco).

This conclusion is (realistically) based on a my field of work, which is important for me.......

However, it all depends on WHERE in the US and Japan of course....I need to be around civilisation and big cities....!! :blush:

kirei_na_me

Dec 16, 2004, 11:46

i said Japan, because Im tired of all the BS wars we've fought. Im tired of the attcks plotted by terrorists.

@Mishima Kayuza
I agree, Japanese girls are more attractive then american girls. I find them to more sophiticated on average than American Bleached Blonde wanna-be's. I really hate these posers.

Sounds like someone's been burned?

I thought you sounded so well spoken and mature in misa.j's "Language barrier and acceptance" thread.

Some people have a lot to learn if they think only Americans can be 'posers'. When you're talking about most Japanese, you're talking about master posers.

misa.j

Feb 9, 2005, 05:58

I agree, Japanese girls are more attractive then american girls. I find them to more sophiticated on average than American Bleached Blonde wanna-be's. I really hate these posers.
Umm, haven't you seen pictures of Japanese girls?
It's actually very hard to find a Japanese girl with genuine black hair that you think they have.

I'm not sure where you are coming from when you say Japanese girls are more sophisticated than American girls because a lot of Japanese girls do want to look like American girls.

Censport

Feb 9, 2005, 06:55

Sounds like someone's been burned?
MeeRROWRR! ;-)

While I can't speak for MartialArtsNovice (who, interestingly, runs into more KKK members in Arizona than I do in Tennessee), I think I can do a grand job of speaking for myself. I've been "burned" by both American and Japanese girls-er, women. I'll admit that, more often than not, I've set myself up for it. Whether it was because of the rose-colored glasses or I was thinking with the wrong head.... But it was often because the person represented herself as someone she wasn't. That might be because of their insecurity, their desire to make a good impression or the desire to impress their girlfriends. In any case, the hardest thing to do is get someone to just be themselves. And that's universal, regardless of age, race or nationality.

And no offense, but I do find Asian women more attractive in general. Don't know why, I've always been like that. Maybe it's the way I'm wired. Not that it's kept me from dating a variety of women over the years.The thing you've got to watch about Japanese women is that the Japanese tend to be very polite, but very distant emotionally. And for expressive Americans, that politeness is often confused for interest.

But back to the topic, Japan short-term and the US long-term. My language skills aren't sufficient for long-term survival in Japan! LOL!

kirei_na_me

Feb 9, 2005, 07:33

The thing you've got to watch about Japanese women is that the Japanese tend to be very polite, but very distant emotionally. And for expressive Americans, that politeness is often confused for interest.

You hit that nail on the head. It goes for Japanese men too. :okashii:

sabro

Feb 9, 2005, 07:39

I've never been to Japan. I think before I vote, we should take up a collection and send me to Japan for a year so I can answer this more accurately. I had to vote for the US, because it is the only place I know.

ArmandV

Feb 9, 2005, 13:00

While I would rather live in the greatest nation of God's green earth, Japan comes as a close second for me. Since I've been to Japan twice, I found that their standard of living is quite close to ours (and, in a lot of respects, better) and they are quite orderly and clean. Whereas you find litter all over the place here, in Japan it is practically non-existent (despite the difficulty in finding a trash can).

Keiichi

Feb 9, 2005, 13:16

Walk around Tokyo and you'll see a whole lot of trash on the ground, everywhere. :-)

Keiichi

:blush:

ArmandV

Feb 9, 2005, 13:22

Walk around Tokyo and you'll see a whole lot of trash on the ground, everywhere. :-)

Keiichi

:blush:

Somebody must've been hanging out in the wrong sections of town. ;-) Compared to Los Angeles, Tokyo was almost immaculate.

-Rudel-

Feb 9, 2005, 15:42

Speaking of trash, you should definatelt come visit Okinawa and walk the back streets. :)

But I rather live here in Okinawa. The lifestyle is really laid back and crime is REAL low. Not to mention that the culture is slightly different than main land.

It's great living here.

Censport

Feb 10, 2005, 02:47

I've never been to Japan. I think before I vote, we should take up a collection and send me to Japan for a year so I can answer this more accurately.
Dang, why didn't I think of that?!?!?

Dutch Baka

Feb 10, 2005, 06:22

mmm to be honest i havnt been to both of them, but i knew some american people and some japanese people ( i liked the japanese more. prove me wrong if you are an american and feel touched, but i dont think you do).

and if is see the country and goverment i would choose japan to

Pachipro

Feb 11, 2005, 03:23

Lately I've heard many complaints about gaijin life in Japan. (Not just from Engrish teachers.) On the flipside, a recent trip I took back to the states reminded me how much I love life in Japan. All in all, I think I like living in Japan more.

If you don't mind me asking what was it about the US that reminded you how much you love life in Japan?

So tell me, what would your ideal life in Japan be?

Outside of being asked for my gaijin card once in a while, getting turned down for an apartment, or receiving the usual "20 questions, "My ideal life in Japan would consist of some of the following:

A decent house or "mansion" outside of Tokyo within a decent walking distance of an express stop train station. Walking to the station and up and down the steps, provides excellent exercise. I wouldn't desire or need a car. I can set my watch to the tone on NHK and know that if the train schedule says 10:42 that that is when the train will depart.

I would have all the ammenities one would need in a Japanese abode including a tatami mat room and a kotatsu. I would also own a bicycle for shopping. A computer with high speed internet is a must. I would eat traditional Japanese food for all my meals including the occassional soba at the train station. My refrigerator would always be stocked with Asahi Super Dry beer delivered by the local sakaya-san. I would enjoy ordering soba, ramen, pizza,or sushi by phone and having it delivered within a half hour on real plates that I would then leave outside my door to be picked up later. I would enjoy Yamazaki bread, the freshest I have ever tasted, for toast and sandwiches once in a while.

I would be retired and would probably be teaching English part time or I may just start up my own school again and hire some of you to teach there (transportation expenses paid of course.)

I would be able to play pachinko and/or pachislo to my hearts content as I usually win over 80% of the time and always come out ahead in the long run. (Once you know how to play it's quite easy if you know when to quit.) Although these days it's easier to win at pachislo than pachinko.

I would be going often to the local izakaya or akachochin owned by ex-yakuza friends where I would have a "key bottle" of Suntory Old Whisky or Hakkutsuru Sake with my name on it. They really are nice people when you get to know them. While there I would also sing enka in Japanese once in a while. I may order fresh cucumber with miso paste on it or broiled squid legs with mayonaise and soy sauce along with edamame (soy beans.) I would never have to worry about walking home late at night drunk and someone mugging me or something.

I would enjoy getting a haircut and the most excellent shave and massage I ever had that comes along with it. No need to tip.

I would always look forward to Sumo on TV and seeing a tournament live at least once a year; the high school baseball tournament in the summer; watching the Giants lose; and the typical silly TV at new years time. Speaking of new years I would very much be looking forward to the food and omochi (hammered rice cakes)

I would enjoy going to the local festivals, carrying an Omikoshi again, fireworks in the summer, and the occassional visit to an onsen while eating onigiri or a bento on the train with "One Cup Ozeki" sake. Maybe even take the ferry to Niijima island in the summer and stay in a Minshuku for old times sake. Niijima island always had the highest waves.

Sitting under the Cherry Blossom trees in April and drinking sake and eating osenbei (rice crackers) and dried squid. Going to beer gardens on hot humid nights and ordering a daijooki (large mug) of draft beer.

I would enjoy the local coffee shop where I can spend a couple of hours reading a book while only ordering one or two cups of coffee and maybe a pizza and no one tries to push me out the door. Japanese iced coffee would be a must, especially in the summer.

I would enjoy shopping at the local supermarket where you can sample all kinds of foods and the cashier always bows to you while placing your change and receipt into your hands.

The hot bath every night in the winter and the cold beer that always follows, and then slipping into the nice thick futon with the heavy quilts and the heat turned off in the winter, or just under a thin sheet in the summer with a fan quietly blowing in the corner. While slipping off to sleep I might hear a motorcycle go by, sirens in the distance and the occassional dog barking.

BlackenedEyes

Feb 11, 2005, 07:41

I think I would rather live in Japan. For what reason? I haven't got the slightest clue, but I guess I'm just impulsive like that. I think I'll just float along wherever, but sometimes I do wonder what it would be like to run away from it all. Not that I had ever given it any thought as to what it is that I would be running to and what's more, I doubt that would change a thing. I still can't help but feel as if I'm stranded here while the world around me withers away.

RinoaRita

Feb 15, 2005, 13:58

I'd say USA.... the japanese are too conformist there. My parents came to america because my father was always that nail that got pounded down when it came up.

I love japanese pop culture, holidays, food, and I have relatives in japan but I think I might be too individualistic to be happy in japanese society.

Shibuyaexpat

Feb 15, 2005, 17:54

Like some, I think that deciding to live in Japan (Tokyo specifically) ultimately depends upon what life-stage you're at. I work in a large corporation and can be considered middle-to-upper management, and I find that it's too difficult to create my own future here. I've been here for a little less than a year, and who knows I may have differing opinions later. However, based on the comments, views and general anecdotal evidence of peers, I'm led to believe that one's future within a company is determined by an older (and sometimes inept) director who is the byproduct of a lifetime employment policy.

As it relates to one's private life, I cannot see being married or raising children here. Paraphrasing a comment in Alex Kerr's "Dogs and Demons," the educational system (junior high and high school) in Japan seems less about teaching new ideas and more about teaching children to be Japanese: obedient and comformist. American public schools aren't much better, but at least in the States, I have to option of home-schooling, which I ardently advocate.

All things being equal, I would prefer the States (minus the current idiot in Office). After all, when you take away the politicians, you're left with a pretty beautiful landscape and people. Yes, we have our fair share of idiots (maybe more), but it's a young country where possibilities still exist. During my time here, I've become enamored by the Japanese culture, the people and the food, and I will cherish the time spent here. But I'm just a visitor, passing through, and hopefully taking some of the things that work here back to the States.