Movie Theater Culture and Getting in..

Going to the movies here is very interesting and of course obviously different. So I'm going to write this in bullet form

• Every Wednesday, there's a ladies' day a ladies' day consist of ladies paying $10 or 1000 yen to go see the movies.. but it tends to get packed sometimes... eek
  
• You literally have to plan to see the movies it's not like back in the states where you can just show up and the showtimes are one hour a part here it is different here is a good example:

Pink Panther 2 9:00 AM

Road Rage 11:00 AM 5:00 PM

Red Cliff 1:00 PM 7:00 PM 10:00 PM

But on the bottom they also show when the movie ends to which is pretty neat. But yea, that's how the movie times are they're spead out and it's not by hour by hour it's like one showing 1:00 PM next showing 8:00 PM. Sometimes they'll even have one showing for that day. I also like how the movie theaters are sparkling clean meaning when you take your seat you don't step on popcorn or leftover juice which makes the sticky sound with your sneakers. Other than that, I went to school and I'm doing the the shodo circle *calligraphy club and Unesco. Even though, they may seem clicky at first I made an attempt and so during calligraphy club I was talking to the senpai and for the first time we had a deep conversation on the differences between japanese and american friendships. For the first time, I felt that connection and I felt as if he was opening up. It was nice having that sort of a deep conversation. During the conversation he was suprised by the amount of friends people have on myspace esp. when I said like 300 hehe and he told me that here friendships are "fukai" which is the word for deep. Even though, they haven't been doing calligraphy for a while. It was nice having a deep conversation for once. The friends that I have here are both international and japanese the international ones (other exchange students) are the ones where I can speak english too and talk about the culture and help relate. Where as in Japanese ones well how else am'I going to improve my japanese. Even though, some may say well the only friends you should have are japanese since you're studying abroad personally I think it's good to have a balance. I think it's neat to have an international buddy too because then you can relate and express your fusterations if you have a problem easily. Other than that, I will keep you posted peace!

Working at a Japanese Company

After living here for a couple of months, I've started to notice the ins and outs. Even though, I'm fully adjusted here and I like it. Overall, I decided that I would not work for a japanese company in Japan. I definitely do not want to do this and so I give you my reasons.

• Working Culture= There's a whole political system and a working culture in a typical Japanese company. How so?! Well, first of all the woman still has to serve tea to her male co-workers before and during meetings! Even today it is still like this, personally it is still a little inferior
  
  
• Promotion= People don't get promoted based on merit or how hard they work. It's based on age and seniority. In other words, don't matter how hard you work if you're not a certain age then you will not get a promotion no matter how good you how!
  
  
• Speaking=To your boss you must speak keigo honorific form which certifies that you are below him so you must speak to him a honorific way. Like "Yes, mam, or no mam" but much more formal than that. 
  
  
• Two Track System= Women will and always be on the low paying track and men will always be on the high paying track. (Reasons are explained below)
  
  
• Reasons= The reason why women will always be on the low paying track is because they know they will not last long because women that are working at a company are not there for serious reasons it more to find a husband there. As crazy as this sound this is true, even though there are women out there that want a career due to society and social pressure they must quit to find a suitable husband there or recieve backlash from family and society. 
  
  
• Good Company= The important part for women to go to a good school is to work at a good top company like Panasonic, and other top firms. So in the end, they can marry a man that works for that good company and of course to please their family and parents. Again I know this sounds crazy, but this is how the society works women still don't recieve the respect as they should recieve. Also so their parents can brag about how they worked at this company and what their husband does. 
  
  
• Good College= It matters much more what company you go to because companies take the best students or students from the best colleges and there's a connection with them too. Plus it's uncommon for people to go to grad school afterwards. 

We had a discussion about this in Japanese Business. It sucks but this is true so best company and international or small firm. In my japanese business course, it was intresting on how my professor would have a seminar every year and he would get to know the students. There were 2 types of students one that wanted to work for a big firm and the other that wanted to work for a small firm. Every parent, wants their kid to have a stable job which is not bad but are they happy. So you'll have kids that will work at the top companies to please their parents and kids that will fight with their parent to do what they want and work for a small firm. In the end, the kids that worked for a small firm had fulfilled happy lives and the others that worked for a big firm weren't happy and very bored. So it was interesting learning about that in Japanese Business and I'm glad I'm taking this course this semester. On another note, I went grocery shopping and got some great items if I didn't say this Izumiya is the best store and cheapest ever. They really do have some great deals!! Also the trick to getting the cheapest items is to wait until they're about to close and then they mark down their items because it becomes cheap and they make their items fresh! Also I looked at my docomo bill and I'm like that's it I'm changing plans! Also I've been trying to join some circles but they're so darn clicky it's like you have to jump through social hurdles to gain and enter them which should not be like that. There's this whole Senpai and Ko-hai system Senpai is like the president except it's taken more seriously everyone takes him seriously and no one does anything until he does it.  Also everyone goes to the Senpai's graduation, parties and it's like  that for life in a way. Always a senpai and ko-hai is everyone listens. Also you have to speak formal to your senpai too. There's different types of forms to speak in japanese like honorific, humble, formal, and plain well with your senpai you always have to use formal. Yeah circles here which are like clubs are that serious! Well, anyways that's my update and I will give you more details! 

Things you would not do in America but only in Japan!!

1. Tell all your friends to have dinner at Wendys or any other american fast food restuarant! You know you would not do this in the states like "Heey gurl, wanna have dinner at Wendys!??" People be looking at you like daamn you are broke!
   
2. Going to a bar frequently due to the lack of keg parties. You know you would not pay $10 in transportion taking the train or bus to go to a bar where you'll probably up to $40 for all you can drink. Instead you'll go to your college campus to that and it'd be 1/2 the price and of course ladies free!
   
3. Fellas pulling a beautiful japanese woman! Ok you know would not be able to pull one in the states I'm talking about the nerds that don't get no love in the states! You've seen it and heard it the lonely nerd that gets on love in America but find romance in Japan! It can happen too!
   
4. Bowing, back in the states if you bow people will be like what is wrong with your neck!! In the states, the whole attitude is I bow down to no one!
   
5. Showing up to places on time you would never do this you would show up 15 mins. later but showing up to a place at 5:00 pm because it starts at 5:00 pm that is just obsurd!
   
6. Looking for a spot to sit and eat, in america we eat and walk all the time it's what we do but wait it's too clean I must find a spot to stand or sit but then again I admit it I've eaten and walked at the same time!
   
7. Going to Mcdonalds frequently to get that cheap food! See in the states, everyone has regional fast food cheap hang spots the west got the In-N-Out big ups to In-N-Out and the dirty south got that waffle house esp. in the ATL!
   
8. Being noticed...sometimes it feels nice to know that someone actually acknowledges sometimes we like to feel ooo notice hey I'm the only white person in the room and it feels good. But not all the time though...
   
9. Doing the peace sign in your photos! You know that sign is dorky but well I admit it I've done it too!!
   
10. Not go to Starbucks... what wait what is this not go to starbucks because of the nice cafes but if you do go to Starbucks go to one because you want to relax not get your pick up coffee and that quick sugar fix! What why go to starbucks to get a fix the chairs are comfy lets talk and chill!
    
11. Going to cafes to actually talk and chill. You know back in the states you would not want to go to the cafes to talk and chill with your buddies. Ask someone "Heey gurl wanna go to the cafe?!" They'll be like why and the blank look of oh wow she's crazy!
    
12. Ladies getting excited for wednesday because it's $10 for a movie ticket!! In the states, you would catch a matinee but here for us ladies it's $10 every wednesday to go to the movies! So let's go to the movies on wednesdays.
    
13. Contemplating or thinking about getting a Coscos membership because the groceries are too expensive compared to what you're use to seeing. Heck, I need to borrow someone's coscos card. Yes, we have a coscos here!
    
14. Hugging a black person that you see and talking to them. Esp. for us black ladies! You know in the states black people don't get along but here it's different when you see a black person it's like automatic connection like where have you been!! States, do that crap and you might get shot or told off...
    
15. Wearing heels, pants, blouse nicest gear just to go to the convenient store! Guys can do that but the ladies we come out in sweats prepare for total awkardness because the ladies always look good everyday. So obviously if you're going to the convenient store sweatshirt and pajama pants do just fine here oooo gotta get my nice suit on... "where are you going?!" to the convenient store!
    
16. After eating a small plate and small cup becoming full... what usually it'd be I want more but you're full..
    

Please add on!!

Conversation Levels

So I still don't understand the culture, and I still find myself being direct as ever yes I'm proud to be an american. What I realize is that there's different type of conversation levels here.

Japan Conversation Level

I just met you
Topics=

• How are you?!
• Weather
• Hobbies

In relative, really really light!!

Aquaintences
Topics

• School
• Job
• Plans

Not too light, but causual and polite

Friends
Topics

• Dating
• Opinions
• Life
• Deep and speaking freely

Americans

I just met you

• Freestyle

Aquaintences

• Freestyle

Friends

• Freestyle

Where am'I getting out as Americans, we tend to talk freely about everything. Like sometimes, I'll meet someone the first time and we'll end up talking about marital problems, boyfriend problems everything. Not only that, but we're always having an opinion about everything because American culture is soo expressive. I tend to do this alot but it's hard for me to remember these levels because well I talk freely about everything. I just thought this aspect was really really interesting!!

First week of school!!

hisashiburi!! Long time no talk!! Well, anyways I've been relaxing with spring break and now it's back to school. Other than that, I feel more prepared for this semester because I know more about the school and what it entails. In others , I'm more prepared for whatever comes at me because well, I'm a little bit more experienced and mature. Plus I have a lot more to say yay!!! Other than that, I want to become more serious with calligraphy so I'm thinking about joining the calligraphy club here at school. Calligraphy isn't fun for me it's just peaceful esp. with enka music!! I definitely want to do calligraphy while listening to enka. Enka is japanese folkpop and I love it!! A lot of japanese people are suprised because they regard it as old peoples' music but I have a lot of respect for it. I like to oldies and besides I believe enka is so beautiful. I've also been cooking so I can be more independent and of course save money to go shopping. Who would of thought that I would end up becoming a shop alcoholic. Don't worry I know where I can find bargains;)!! Yay, but yeah today I made my bento ok not a bento but cooked meat and I bought the rice with it at school. I met this guy Masagi and I sat with him and the other new students. So he and the others were excited and then I opened it and they laughed. Well, because it was 5 pieces of little tiny cooked but marinated meat that I made. They were like where's the rice and stuff. I responded with a well I always buy rice and I don't know. So Masagi bought me lunch because after my meal I was still hungry booo. My classes are becoming more and more interesting the grammar that we're learning are more about having a deep conversation. Not like heey what' s up I like the sky. No we're learning how to connect everything together which I really appreciate. I'm starting to envy the guys here because see how can the ladies complain and maybe it's true that men here aren't romantic. I'm thinking to myself how can you not be romantic here. You have trees, and parks all these other places. Not only that but you have cherry blossoms which pop up in the spring. The best dates are usually the most creative and cheapest ones! I mean in Vegas you can't do that. "Hey honey, want to go to the desert oh be careful of the cactus!" *How romantic haha going to the desert in the 90 degree scorching heat! Well tommorow, I"ll be in Kyoto and I will show pictures ... if only Vegas had cherry blossoms ....

Hiroshima and Tottori

Hey sorry for not keeping you posted. I've been very lazy haha lately, but last week I went to Hiroshima and it was very moving. For anyone that comes to Japan, you must come to Hiroshima and go to the peace memorial. You will learn alot about this. Before the bombing, Hiroshima was a military city that specialized in training solidiers and exporting weapons during the war. Not only, that but till' this day Hiroshima is actually a metropolitan city with over 1 million people living there. I thought it was a rural town with just the museum. The city also has a trolley system. But other than that, I was very moved and words are hard for me to explain the moment and the feeling of what happened. So everyone should definitely hit up Hiroshima if you get a chance to come to Japan! Other than that, I saw my girl Tomoko in Tottori and I had so much fun. It was the countryside of Japan and I never realized how much I liked the countryside until I came to Tottori. It was so peaceful and everyone seemed so friendly! I was glad to experience the rural area because I've always wanted to go to the rural area of Japan. The houses are so big too they're like the ones you would see in a classic samurai movie. I can definitely say out of all the people I met in Japan I definitely had a connection with Tomoko. We click so well together and she's so americanized! I told her we have to keep in touch because it's hard finding cool people like that! I felt bad because there were times she couldn't understand me because of my accent so I was slighty embarassed but yah know yah girl is always trying! I also had the chance to see the sand dunes in Tottori which is known to be the desert in Japan so that was a huge plus! I liked going to see the dunes but I missed out on the camels hahah! I'm like what I didn't know there were camels until someone told me! I was like damn missed out on a good picture moment. Other than that, today I went to the movies and the movie theaters are so clean like I didn't step on any popcorn nor drinks at the theater it was really nice. I also got to pick out my seat before I entered the theater which was so cool and then after I left there was a guy that took our trash for us. I'm like nice! I love clean movie theaters and I saw the new Angelina Jolie movie Changeling where the kid was abuducted it was so sad. But Angelina was good, I was reading the japanese subtitles to it and wow the english slang has so much idioms and slang to it! I was like wow American english is complicated! Well anyways I need to go to bed, but before I leave get the new Utada Hikaru CD Heart Station she is a amazing and it is sooo good she has real talent produces and writes for everything. She's on the record label EMI and it seems like EMI is more talent based and Avex is more poppy and image feel like for example Jyongri amazing singer is on EMI but Amuro Namie is on Avex. Amuro is an ok singer but she's a poppy singer so it was interesting to see the difference of the artists from EMI and Avex. Well anyways peace!

Japanese and American Friendships the cultural difference!

The more I live here the more I want to stay. Of course, I don't want to work for a japanese company, but I'm really adjusting here though. I'm starting to get why people here are indirect! But other than that, at first when people come here they think and rightfully so that people here aren't friendly. Well, that is true not as friendly or open compared to americans but that's because here they value friendships more. Their definition of a friendship is more about action which is why they're shy and don't approach anyone because you have to prove and show that that you are a friend not by words. If you notice, I have a mixi and the average amount of friends on mixi aka japanese myspace is 50 friends. That's pretty good because those are the people that they usually talk to you. Unlike on myspace or facebook, where it's common to have 100's of friends! And I do mean hundreds of friends, also it's common for others to add you randomly on myspace or facebook but never say a word to you! I know how annoying!!! But yeah, in Japan friendship is mostly about what you do and when you say things no one believes you because everyone is so indirect here so they're not going to trust your words. But in America, I feel we're a fame driven society. Everyone wants to be famous or popular or it seems like it. Like look at all the reality shows, you have in America it's ridiculous the amount of things people will do just for that 5 mins. of fame! These people usually have sex and do stupid things just for that piece of fame. Also I feel that american frienships, are more of a verbal thing like hey what's up but when it comes to a situation where you are in trouble or you need something will they come for you no!! I'm not saying you can't have true friends in America, but friendships in Japan and in America are waay different. Because in America, everyone considers you to be their friends but when the tough gets going some of your "friends" back out! Where as in Japan, they're not as easily trusting until you prove yourself and your actions! So I admit, I prefer the japanese friendship way stick to yourself and call those your friends until actions proves it!