Full hands in, Full hands out

is what I say at Boston Pizza when I need the servers to bring dishes back out after having brough them in. Well, I'll keep it clean, but it's time I dishes some out.

First of all, this is my subjective opinion, though much of this is shared with others, and we have lived here for five to ten months, so we should know a little better than you.

Another title I was thinking of for this was Difficulty setting, you'll see why in a moment.

Yes, this is it, when I dish out a lot of kuso about Japan that I've grown tired of. I still like the place, but it's hard, you'd understand if you were here, I hope this might help that along.

First, I'll say that many of us have had backwards exchanges,
Brie, who is given so much, has so little (I'm not being mean, it's true),
Mike, who made some of us wonder how he got in (I understand that he's a good guy, just sometimes he makes you wonder), has a Rotary club trying to kick him out (which the district is against for reason and pride),
肉, who, if I haven't made it clear is about the ultimate in showing interest in Japan, he now reads novels in Japanese, he does well in class (better than a lot of other students), he knows the history and popular culture, he shows every interest, and gets nothing for it. Despite his efforts the Japanese do little, if anything (usually not) to help him along.
And myself, who was placed in a strict family for six months and a private school, have turned into a... technically the word is rebel, but really it's more so independant, something that got me out of my first host family.

Anyways, Japan, that small Asian island of the cost of Korea and China, with Korean roots and Chinese influence (ironically hating both). Ah, Japan.

If asked the difference between Japan and Canada (or as I would say, the West), I would say freedom. Freedom, independance, liberty, individuality, what ever you call it by, what ever form you use.
If asked what life in Japan is like, I'd say it was life in easy mode (the West being medium, hard is debatable, Africa would be extreme).
Here's why:

Japan is an isolated country. The Japanese are very specific in this, they are not Korean, Chinese, or Western and any of the above not only stick out, their pointed out. Japan has a history of kicking people out and of making foreigners uncomfortable. Even today, if you are an outsider, you'll feel it in Japan (though maybe not in a city like Tokyo).

While polite, it's more so memorized phrases and translated, required formalities, many people have found them cold and xenophonbic (afraid of foreigners). None of us really "fit in" here. Even when I say I'm otaku, there are people who'll disagree, but I don't fit in as popular (all foreigners have a pseudo-popularity), I don't play baseball so I'm not a jock, and cetera. Even if I fit perfectly, the simple matter of my different birth would make me different.

The Japanese themselves are born into a system. They are brought up by a mother who is strict in taking care of them while their father overworks himself (only in Japan is the expression "work yourself to death" a common reality) at an average job.

They enter school and are forced to study all their time. A system of memorization rather than logical learning. (Kenji is almost failing his English class BECAUSE he is fluent. He knows how to speak outside of a predetermined conversation.)

In middle school, they take the test to determine which high school they may enter, as well as join a club (to not join a club would be to have spare time with nothing to do, appearently they have trouble having fun outside of school, not that there is any to be had in school, most people don't like their club, but it takes up hours and hours of every day, including holidays). Add study time to this and there is effectively none left over (people I've asked have said they DON'T have fun).

This repeats in high school except the tests are the standardized tests for university, making the stress to study more.

In university they receive a level of freedom about equal to our high school or university (or college). Companies hire directly out of university, streamlining the change from learning (debatable (my first joke of this entry)) to work.

They will work and overwork at their job until retirement, almost refuring to do so. They are VERY unlikely to be fired and will certainly not quit (since no company would hired anyone so fickle as to quit their job). If they do well, they will get more pay, but seniority is still the more important aspect.

They will marry and have a normal life.

I'll aslo mention that Japanese adult's sex live are less alive than those of the West (Reuters) and I was talking with my teacher about Japanese overworking today, it's no exaggeration. I've tried their tests, their simpler and more memorization based than ours (I'll be bringing them back in case you don't believe me)

Their lives are much simpler and "safer," hence I really believe that this is life on easy mode.

That should be enough. Mind you I am being more harsh than I should be here (though having a safe, simple and easy life isn't a bad thing, it's the way I say it), but after so much time of writing about the bright side, I need to vent. Even this was a little hushed.

Anyways, that's enough for now.