Fed up with PC? Move to Japan.
After working for 4 months in Tokyo, I've a mind to sue the entire nation for racism. Everyday I was subjected to children pointing, prodding, crying and sometimes running away in sheer terror everytime this pale moon eyed giant boarded the subway.

A million eyes following your every move, literally.

Mind you it got better when they found out I was British. They really hate the yanks. Hate isn't the correct word - I'm sure they have about half a dozen more suitable ones, some probably starting with Coco. Oh dear that didn't sound very PC did it?

I love 'em really. Island race and all that.
( buffet_the_appetite_slayer ٩(●̮̃•)۶ jacked in to the ICE on, Thu 22 Nov 2007, 16:52, 12 replies)

The japanese
have a really interesting tribal mentality. I remember watching a programme about their attitudes to the West and so on.

Practically every person they interviewed said that they wouldn't want to live in the West because everybody looks different, with different coloured hair, eyes, skin, etc. They find comfort in everybody being relatively uniform, it seems.
( Kroney, Thu 22 Nov 2007, 16:57, closed)

Baka Gaijin!
Hell, that's putting it mildly. Chin-chin a tama means dick-head I think.
( jonbob loves you, Thu 22 Nov 2007, 17:03, closed)

Weekends and Bank holidays were the best
Pick a park, any park, fill it with 2 million kids, parents and old folks wearing Judo Outfits and head bands. Add ten thousand coppers and an assortment of black eye'd pea stylee Blackout out buses and crank up the Karaoke*.

Fun for all the family, unless you've got curly hair and blue eyes.

Seriously, I had a whale of a time once I found the expat bars.


*Usually involved setting yourself alight while performing reverse bungie at somestage in the proceedings.
( buffet_the_appetite_slayer ٩(●̮̃•)۶ jacked in to the ICE on, Thu 22 Nov 2007, 17:04, closed)

The Japanese
Made my uncle welcome when he was in uniform, indeed he enjoyed their hospitality for four years.

Helped them build a railway and everything...

Actually in all seriousness (yes, uncle John was a POW), Japanese culture fascinates me. I know next to nothing about it but I would love to know more about it.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Thu 22 Nov 2007, 17:05, closed)

"Chin Chin"
was by far the best way to break the ice at receptions when handed a drink.

Remarkable similarities to the British when it came to a sense of humour. Probably has more to do with their hatred of the yanks than the Tokyo Firestorms and 60 years of occupation.
( buffet_the_appetite_slayer ٩(●̮̃•)۶ jacked in to the ICE on, Thu 22 Nov 2007, 17:08, closed)

Much worse in China
It's not even racism there; it's national pride. Other races are just inferior. There are hotels in which its impossible for white people to stay in case they mix with the Chinese. Because you can catch AIDS from using the same toilet as a white man...
(frankspencer, Thu 22 Nov 2007, 17:17, closed)

Funny I didn't see the same with the Chinese
Spent a lovely couple of weeks going round China on a lecture circuit and they were suprisingly different. Humanitarian I think is the word.

Maybe it's because I is a little older than when I was in Japan (just a mere whipper snapper* back then) - or perhaps they succeeded in completely pulling the wool over my eyes, the sneaky buggers ;-)

*Appologies for the term "whipper snapper" I'm sure it's dreadfully non PC if you dig hard enough.
( buffet_the_appetite_slayer ٩(●̮̃•)۶ jacked in to the ICE on, Thu 22 Nov 2007, 17:32, closed)

That's bobbins
Those kids were just excited to see you. The whole image of foreigners over there is wacky entertainers and film stars. They absolutely love the yanks (so long as they are blonde and have blue eyes). They fear anyone dark skinned. But it's if you're non-Japanese asian that you're really screwed. They really look down on them.
(Dread Pirate Roberts, Thu 22 Nov 2007, 21:01, closed)

Frank,
I've been in China for nearly 2 years now.
That's simply not true.
( Zuowan, Thu 22 Nov 2007, 21:01, closed)

Bobbins
yes probably. Being forced to learn english for 11 years from the age of 7 when there are about 3 native speakers in the whole of Tokyo must be a bit of a strain on the collective psychi. Especially as the standard text books were Dickens, Bronte's plus the entire Queen back catalogue.

I also love the Chinese (who both hate and Love the Japanese, from what I can tell)

Frank obviously needs to change hotels (or city)
( buffet_the_appetite_slayer ٩(●̮̃•)۶ jacked in to the ICE on, Fri 23 Nov 2007, 0:06, closed)

Buffet?
How tall are you to get that kind of reaction? I was thinking of going there with my fella, who's a 6'6" ginger and built like a brick shit-house.

Sorry, a vertically enhanced, strawberry blonde who has the physique of a well constructed outside convenience.
( e.m.m.y. foxtrot uniform charlie kilo india tango, Fri 23 Nov 2007, 11:29, closed)

I found the same.
When we were in Tokyo I found the same thing. We were on the train one time when a group of young school children on a trip got on. They all stopped and stared, especially at my husband who is 6 foot 4!
( Mrs Entity is in hiding., Fri 23 Nov 2007, 13:25, closed)