Oh You Gaijin Douches!

So as you can see... I've been lacking any real motivation for writing on my blog... and, I guess that's probably because my life is a bit uneventful at the moment.

Well, not uneventful uneventful... but, I just haven't exactly felt like it was worth mentioning or was too lazy to come up with anything that is of some substance.

But, now that I find myself with some actual free time at school... I figured I'd be able to write about something that has been bothering me now for some time.

That's right... this entry is specifically for ranting purposes... one of which I don't think I've done in a while. Nothing like a good ol' rant to liven this blog up some... however, if you're not into reading about someone bitch and complain on some random thing... I guess this entry will mean nothing to you and you might as well stop reading now... sorry... heh heh... but, if you're into hearing about things that really grind my gears... then, please continue on!

So, the topic of today's rant... uhhhh... I mean blog entry... is once again about foreigners that I encounter in Japan. Well, the foreigner that served as the catalyst for my rant isn't actually a foreigner I met in person... but, I have met a lot of foreigners that are like this person... so, I feel like I basically met him. Oh, the foreigners that come to Japan... how you piss me off so!

Anyway... so, to set up the situation... I realized I'm going the long ways in writing this entry... but, since I haven't written in a while... I figured I need to fill this blog with some content... but, yeah... I digress... back to the subject at hand...

I stumbled across this blog that an ALT was writing... and, even though I've been here in Japan for just about 3 years already... I still like reading about other people's experiences and encounters in Japan... kind of I guess to compare our lifesyles or give me ideas of what I should be doing in the school environment when it comes to lessons/interactions... or to give me ideas of places I should go and visit and/or what I'm missing out on when I'm bumming away in my apartment letting the world about me happen.

I was intrigued with this specific entry because it started off as something I could relate to... the difficulty in learning kanji, especially when some kanji are so similar. Similar in the sense that there's either one small extra stroke or... worse off... one little extension in a specific stroke that completely changes the meaning and is hard for our kanji-untrained foreign eye to catch. So, I was there reading along and was glad to see that I wasn't the only one that found kanji difficult even though I've been in Japan for 3 years.

Then, the entry took a turn to the "let's piss of Victor" direction and I kept reading and kept getting more and more upset at this dude I would probably never ever meet. I wasn't so much mad at this dude as I was at what he represented: the ethnocentric (is that the right word?), egotistical foreigner that comes to Japan.

This person went along to say that the Japanese should abandon their own written language... one of which they have been using for who knows how long... maybe even since before America (this type of foreigner tends to be American) was even founded... simply to make it easier for us foreigners to understand things... as if we were the majority population that lives in Japan.

Well, obviously he didn't say it in those exact words... because he wouldn't want to sound or pass of as the douche he really is... but, yeah... basically I read between the lines and that is what I took from what he wrote. What he said was actually along the lines of Japan should make it easier for us to understand kanji and change some/eliminate some kanji.

I don't remember his exact words... but, from his tone... you can tell he wanted what I had interpreted his words to mean.

Am I the only person who this bothers? Really... I need to know. Maybe it's a me thing... but, I just hate how people come to Japan and want the Japanese to change their traditions, their cultures, their language, their EVERYTHING just for their own benefit... like they have some significance in this world!

I don't want people to assume that nothing about the Japanese lifestyle bothers me... cause, if you look back on some previous entries... I've had the occasional one or two rant entries dedicated to some things I just can't understand... I think I have mentioned a few things I can't accept.

One present thing right now is the fact that we shouldn't use AC right now since we should try to conserve energy due to the big March earthquake. I do not agree with this at all... simply because I can't function nor work with the heat. However, I do have to suck up and deal with it... at least, when I'm anywhere besides my apartment. Once I'm in my apartment I blast my AC to my heart's content. Some people have given me a judgeful eye when I tell them I use my AC... but, whatever... it's my apartment and I can't live in the heat. I admire and am amazed at how the Japanese can deal... but, I just can't... I bow down to their strength.

But, yeah... once again I've gone on a tangent... point is that even though there are things that I don't agree with... I have no other choice but to simply complain about it... yet eventually deal with it.

It bothers me when foreigners come expecting the Japanese to change for them. I've seriously heard many foreigners state how people should make an effort to speak English to them since the people know they can't speak nor understand Japanese. All the while... they make no effort whatsoever to learn nor even attempt to speak Japanese.

I guess what really bothers me is the fact that, these dumbass... these foreigners are the same people that in America... complain about us hispanics not bothering to learn or speak English in America. Yes, I am hispanic... but, that's not the reason that bothers me. I actually agree with them on that... I DO wish hispanics that have been living in America (especially for more than 5 years), would stop being full of themselves and at least attempt to speak and learn some English and not rely on their Spanish... even if they can get away with it in some places like Miami. You made a decision to live in a country... and with that decision must come the responsibility to adapt to that country's lifestyle, culture and language.

So, yeah... as you can assume... what bothers me is that these foreigners that are the first people to rag upon us hispanics about not speaking English... are the people that come to Japan and expect the Japanese to change their way of being for their benefit.

I'm not expecting them to become fluent in the language... nor am I suggesting they join a Japanese class... I am, however, asking them to stop being hypocritical and make an effort to try and be understanding and blend better with the Japanese society. It's okay to complain how difficult the language or lifestyle is... it's not okay to expect them to change and make everything easier for you. Japan is not a state of America... or whatever country you come from... Japan is its own country... actually... one much older than a lot of other countries. If you come to Japan... BY CHOICE... you have to be prepared to adapt to things that you are not used to no matter how difficult it is.

And, if you feel it is too difficult and you can't adapt nor make an effort... then fine, no problem... GET THE FUCK OUT OF JAPAN!!!!!

Done... simple as that!

... kthnxbai... end rant!