Feeling up Japan?!?

This sign I have sympathy for! Hey if you made the out sign and put it up and it was pointing towards the building I would just switch it also! This is a basic human instinct- to save money. But they are forgetting another human instinct- Save myself from humiliation- which usually

So, I just got a job offer to teach in Japan for a year! Yahooo (not a promo for the website). But I felt that I needed to begin my search and study of the culture- why you ask? Because for starters If I don't I would have lied at my interview for the question-"what are you going to do to prepare yourself for Japan?" And other than answering- I am going to stare at myself in the mirror and chant- Japan a few hundred times- I thought to answer " I will be doing some research and reading to learn as much as I can before I step into the new culture." So I hit it straight to the Internet- the "absolute truth", the news highway, the easy access to information which you are not sure who posted on wikipedia that Jude Law was ugly- but since it is on the Internet- I have had to change my person views about his gorgeous------ well we will just keep moving on.

Something I found as I started my (re) search, was that English, which is what I am going to teach, is highly regarded and used in Japan- Or at least tried to be used. what you may ask? I found some pictures which will explain everything... (this is not a mock of japan just funny things which give me some hope to enjoying the English of Japan!)

The first picture speaks volumes of what is garbage or "burnable rubbish" Milk, fruit, meat, paper, passports, but please throw away noodles and soup in kitchen. Protect the noodles and soup- not good to burn they tend to recook themselves and take forever to burn so they hire a kitchen trashcan-(aka a big container where they reserve the left overs) Hey you would to if you owned a business! But please throw away passport- they you have to stay!!!! I see where they are going! (point one- guz writer- remember do not go to a store who advocated throwing away passports- you would be teaching in Japan for the rest of your life!).

I feel you. To most this is just a childish laughing matter but I love the straight forwardness of Japanese English (and how i like to make up words like straight forwardness!!!!). This is a bank advertisement! Yeah I do not want to see what happens in the drive through! Lets just say their is no dancing around ideas! (second thing to remember: be straight forward- the bank is so I must be - "Pay me more money", "Urine is coming out of my bladder", "English is difficult, it is even difficult for native speakers!").

Eating Nemo? I know that Japanese people eat raw fish but Nemo? What is wrong with this picture-Is this a anti-American slogan or an anti-Disney slogan- are these separate ideas or all one idea. Wow- (guz remember don't eat anything resembling a Disney character.)

So at the end of this journey, learn what you can and enjoy the ride! Off to Japan we go.

Remember: If it is not you it can't be anyone else so deal with it.

~MOlly