My Japan Experience: Interesting Quotes from Japan
Hi, my name is Peter, and I’ve lived in Japan for many years, teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) for most of those years, although I now run J-List, a site that sells a wide variety of Japanese pop culture goods. If you’re interested in Japan, please stop by!
I’ve had some excellent interesting students over the years, teaching some really special people. Some of them were extremely expressive, overcoming the rules of English grammer and insufficient knowledge of English vocabulary to describe really advanced ideas. On the other hand, some of the stuff they wrote made really great reading. Throughout my life as an English teacher, I had a silly habit of recording for posterity (?) everything witty my students wrote in their diaries, essays and other assignments.
So, I present the “best of Peter’s students,” coupled with, at no extra cost, a few “best of things Peter has heard,” which I have recorded for you.
These students attended ALEX Foreign Language School, a two-year school which strove to teach students English, and make them hireable in English-related fields, including stewardess. In reality, ALEX was a “suberi-dome” (“stop the downward slide”) school, designed to “catch” students who weren’t smart enough to get into real universities or junior colleges. It was a nice place, though, and we had some super students. On May 31, 1999, ALEX finally went out of business due to lack of demand for an English school in Gunma, as well as lots of debt.
When I first visited in America, I was surprised the wife of America. Everything in America interested me. For example, wide road, houses, beautiful ocean, American people, etc. In Oregon, we could see the beautiful nature. The first day in Oregon we had lunch at the University of Oregon. Lunch was good. But something was strange. The something is sushi. In Japan, there are vegetables and tuna in sushi. But this sushi had avacado and tofu inside. But American foods is good and things is very cheap.Ayako
I’m good at speaking Engish compared to when I was in high school. If I study English hard, I can learn more. So I’ll study hard this year. I think ALEX is different from another school. But some students are absent from school and late for school. ALEX students have to take responsibility for their own actions.Ayako
American people don’t care about things. For example, they drive broken car. My host family ride a car which has no side mirror. I surprised. Why they don’t fix it?Yuko
American people eat sweet food, especially ice cream. They eat dinner, and they are full, but after that they eat ice cream with chocolate too. I can’t believe their appetite and their big stomachs.Yuko
Blessed with an abundance of water and greenery, “Maebashi, the city certainly due to the blessings of our tradition of water, greenery and poerty” has given birth and sustinance to a graphical conditions. As a nuclear city in the North Kanto Region, the goal of the 290,000 citizens of Maebashi to rediscover their own city as a “Comprehensive plan for economics and culture for Gunma prefecture.” This development is Charm and Activity.
official city pamphlet
Before I entered this school, I talked English with my friend. But we didn’t speak well. After I entered ALEX, I met Peter. I thought from now on I’ll use English. I’m glad to meet to everybody. I think the bad point is myself. I should speak more.Chiho
My first impression of America was very vast country. I went to America last year. And, I went famous places. For example, Los Angeles and Oregon and San Francisco, Disneyland, Universal Studio, etc. July 4th is the day when Americans gives independance, and I went to Oregon College. Oregon was my favorite’Kazunori
When I was a child, I was very fat. I was said “debu*” every day.Shizue
* “fatso” in Japanese
I used to have great respect for women until I came to Japan.Irish friend Declan
When two people agree to an international marriage, they should live in wife’s country. This way all will be more easy.Misako
If I could go back in time, I would go to America in 1945 and stop the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Many people died and suffered from the A-bomb disease. It was both countries’ faults, but Americans shouldn’t hurt ordinary people.
Yuko
“Men are like chocolates, you just bite them, suck out the cream filling, and then throw them away. The world sees me as a love goddess, but I’ve never been in love.”
the real message printed on the T-shirt of a student of mine, Kazumi Saito
America’s road is wide, and fares of taxi, bus, airplane etc. are cheap. But America is dangerous. Because U.S. popularize weapons and drugs. But I don’t go dangerous place, like slums. I can almost avoid from danger.Noriko
Hell, if it wasn’t for the chicks, I would have left Japan years ago, and you can quote me.friend Chris
I like Edward’s [Edward Scizorhands] character (his cute behavior). He is very poor. Because his hands are scissors, he injure his dear person. He is a kind person. I wish he gave human hands.Keiko
Interracial marriages are good for all countries. If we mix various faces, it’s good, because racial discrimination will be gone. And war may be gone. Tradition of the country is important. But peace is more important.Sayuri
When I went to America I was surprised at there because there is very broad and I surprised by cost. It’s very cheap. But steak isn’t good taste, and most of sweet food is too sweet. I went to Los Angeles. I’m afraid of there somewhat. I like America.Keiko
When I arrived at San Francisco airport, I surprised there are many Americans around here. I thought American people had a large mind, warm heart and were very kind. But American was fatter than Japanese.Mieko-chan
One day I saw many people around my house. Under the pale moon, we started fighting. Then suddenly, God came, I said “What the fack?” and he said to us, “Hi guys, stop fighting!” We said “FUCK YOU.” All of us were killed in a moment.Koji’s story
The best moment in my life? When I was a high school student, I was happy. I joined brassband club and was staff (manager) in soft tennis club. There was my boyfriend in soft club. My parents and I hated each other at that time, but I had a very good time. I didn’t regret. I want to go back to that time.Mieko
Am I happy with my life? I think I am happy. I can eat a lot of foods every day. Of course I’m satisfied with everything. I want to have much more money, parents who are younger now, much better boyfriend, etc. But it’s my selfishness in the end. People who have no dissatisfaction isn’t exist.Megumi
I entered ALEX last Spring. At first, I couldn’t say my thoughts or things. But now I am used to class. I started speaking English in class more than more. One of the good memories was going to America. Now one year has passed since I came to ALEX. I will do my best in next year.Mika
Sometimes the only thing between you and the abyss is the goodwill of your friends.friend Max (not Japanese)
American porn has bad background music, Japanese porn dosen’t. I think we could tell a lot about the difference between the two cultures if we could figure out what that means.friend Max (again)
Not many people go to Antarctica yet because it is under penguin rule.Hannah
“Anyone who plays AD&D and has not read their Tolkien (but has the gall to be full of praise for the DRAGONLANCE novels) should be hung from their toes and fed Ex-Lax.”–from PARACHUTE LIMIT #3, a “zine” some friends and I wrote some years ago called Parachute Limit, before there was such thing as an Internet for us to get attention from.
You can’t remember sex. You can remember the fact of it, and recall the setting, and even the details, but the sex of the sex cannot be remembered, the substantive truth of it, it is by nature self-erasing, you can remember its anatomy and be left with a judgment as to the degree of your liking of it, but whatever it is as a splurge of being, there is no memory of it in the brain, only the deduction that it happened and that time passed, leaving you with a silhouette that you want to fill in again.
E. L. Doctorow (b. 1931), U.S. novelist (not Japanese either)
I enjoy my life. I have family and many friends, kimono, my own car, and Run. Run is a dog. My grandparents give me many moneys with I had my twenty birthday. I went America for three weeks. I was very enjoyed.Tomomi
In SAFEWAY, many kinds of corn flakes about one hundred have overpowered me. I felt a difference of the staple foods. Then Terry (host family’s woman) had a Coke of L size. I was really astounded by tremendous size.Yuko
I think Roman Holiday is a sad movie a little, but it is pure and a nice love story, especially I like last scene that reporter and Princess exchange a firm handshake (just the moment!). I think they are poor at that scene but at the same time, they looks positive. I think her smile is really beautiful. Maybe they will not meet again but I think they didn’t regret. Because this movie is simple and positive and pure, I like this.Keiko
I can’t speak English well, so I will have some problems. The best way to live in the U.S. easily, I think get married to rich handsome American. Then I can have enough money, big house and learn English. I will be life in the U.S. easily.Sanae
I want to got to New York and see the Vampire State Building.Sanae again
I think stereotypical American is tall and has blonde hair, carved face. They lose their temper easily. Americans who live for a long time are bald, and their stomachs stick out.Kaori
I can’t stand it when someone smorks in my face.Yumiko
I think the best part of the U.S.A. is, they have a high regard for individuality. So American children can display their personality. Japanese teachers always want children to be the same. But America is more free. They don’t have school uniforms and strict, strange rules.Tomoko
When I was in high school, my favorite subject was English because my English teacher was a young, beautiful, tasty hot woman, that’s why.Tomo
I think Americans, especially politicians, think that Japanese are yellow rich monkeys and not kind people. Country is rich but people are not rich. I don’t want them to think that. I think Japan is hated by other country.Sanae
I think the greatest Japanese who ever lived was Ultraman. When I was a child, I watched him every day. He was a hero to me. Whenever there was a dinosaur, Ultraman killed him for the world.Koji
What was good about this year? I had funny friend, I had selfish friend, I had nice friend, etc. So I had really good time for a year. Especially when I went to America, I had happy memories.Keiko
Women don’t have the ability on average. If someone say to woman, “bring the desk,” women can’t bring it. But in family, women have to be more aggressive. Because weak mother will spoil children.Yoshinori
Men think women are weak, but I think sometimes men are weak. This has nothing to do with woman and man. We should live to be happy, and live to not regret. I think it’s ideal if women are weak and men are aggressive.Mieko
