Impressions after a week back
Apr 20th 2006, 5:46 pm
#1
Small Dane
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: UK, was Japan
Posts: 42
Impressions after a week back
I returned to the UK last week after living 8 years in Japan. It's my first time back in 8 years. After living so long in Japan I "went native" over there so to some extent I am seeing the UK through the eyes of a Japanese visitor. What a lot of shocks I have had in the last week!! Just for fun really, I thought I'd list up some of the initial impressions and things that struck me on my return:
(*) FAT PEOPLE!
The first thing I noticed as I left Heathrow: how come half the population is overweight? You rarely see obese people in Japan. I felt like I'd walked into a whale colony :-)
(*) BROKEN MACHINES.
Lifts, toilets, vending machines, telephones, escalators, trains: why are so many broken down? They're broken so much that they actually have printed signs saying that they're out of order!
(*) CAR PARK METERS DON'T GIVE CHANGE!
That is soooo annoying! A vending machine that doesn't give change is unimaginable in Japan.
(*) PRICES HAVE GONE INTO ORBIT!
I nearly keeled over on seeing the prices on my first visit to Sainsburys - about 50% higher than a typical Japanese supermarket. How does anyone feed their kids here?
(*) PEOPLE DRIVE TOO FAST!
Speed limits are so high here, generally about 15-20 km/h higher than on an equivalent road in Japan. I mean, you can legally drive at 120 km/h on the motorways - that's scary! (I'm still thnking in metric all the time and mentally converting miles to km)
(*) YOU HAVE TO PAY TO PARK AT THE SUPERMARKET!
Now this freaked me out because I had forgotten about it, after so many years of free parking practically everywhere in Japan. Here it's 1 or 2 hours of free parking, then after that you have to pay. Huh? Do they not want you to shop there?
(*) THERE ARE SO FEW TOILETS IN SHOPS!
What do you do if you're caught short while you're out shopping? In Japan you use the shop toilet, but here you have to walk half way across town to the public conveniences. May as well go home and shop on the Internet instead.
(*) TV IS CRAP!
What happened to British television? As the nation that invented TV and created the world's first broadcasting company, TV standards seem to have collapsed. Mind you, it still surpasses Japanese TV by a wide margin...
I did have some pleasant surprises as well:
(*) CHEAP INTERNATIONAL PHONE CALLS!
I found a company that charges me just 1p/min to call to Japan - that's about ten times less that I paid to call the UK from Japan. Great!
(*) DIAL-UP INTERNET IS REALLY EASY!
I was worried about connecting to the Internet after I returned to the UK, because it's a hassle in Japan. But I was using the Internet within 15 minutes of arriving home, using one of these pay-as-you-go providers. Good idea!
(*) THERE ARE STILL GREAT PUBS!
I wasn't aware that I missed pubs in Japan, but I was so happy to go to a good pub in the UK. There really is nothing with that same atmosphere in Japan.
Lastly, but long-term perhaps most importantly, I began to feel more intagible advantages to the UK:
(*) PEOPLE COMMUNICATE BETTER
Strange as it may sound I think the British are quite good at talking to strangers. I immediately noticed how, just in shops, the staff actually talked to me. In Japan they just followed the politeness script ("have a nice day" etc.). I am fluent in Japanese but still I couldn't really communicate with strangers in Japan like I can here. Ask a tricky question in Japan and all you get is an um, an ahh, and a sharp intake of breath. Here you get a straight answer, or at least "I don't know". It's refreshing.
(*) IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
Britain is a beautiful country! History is alive here. The countryside, the old buildings and the quaint little towns look really great. So much better than the park-free concrete jungle of a Japanese town!
(*) PEOPLE ARE MORE TOLERANT
Every time I went anywhere in Japan I had to deal with the look of horror and fear that swept across the fact of the staff when they saw me, a dreaded foreigner. Plus always I had kids staring and pointing at me and calling me names. And their mum's said nothing about it. Yet in the UK people don't seem to turn a hair when they see an Asian or a black face, and (most) people would chastise their child if they shouted out "Paki" or some other insult.
(*) THERE'S SO MUCH MORE CULTURE AND CREATIVITY
Culture and creativity are really exciting compared to Japan, and ordinary people seem somehow smarter here.
(*) EVERYTHING IS UP TO YOU
Compared to Japan there is much less regulation, less infrastructure, and less help. You really are on your own here, and you have to make decisions and take the consequences. I realise that there's an underclass of benefit scrongers who don't take responsibility for their own lives, but most people seem to do so. It's a good attitude in some ways, although I think maybe now Britain could do with a bit more Japanese-style group awareness and social harmony.
So after a week in the UK I am beginning to come to terms with the old place again. Life is noticeably more expensive, less safe, tougher and less convenient than in Japan. But I had good reasons for returning to the UK, and when I hit yet another shock I keep those reasons in my mind. I can't honestly say I'm unreservedly happy to be back, but I was right to return. Good luck to everyone else who is adjusting to life here.
(*) FAT PEOPLE!
The first thing I noticed as I left Heathrow: how come half the population is overweight? You rarely see obese people in Japan. I felt like I'd walked into a whale colony :-)
(*) BROKEN MACHINES.
Lifts, toilets, vending machines, telephones, escalators, trains: why are so many broken down? They're broken so much that they actually have printed signs saying that they're out of order!
(*) CAR PARK METERS DON'T GIVE CHANGE!
That is soooo annoying! A vending machine that doesn't give change is unimaginable in Japan.
(*) PRICES HAVE GONE INTO ORBIT!
I nearly keeled over on seeing the prices on my first visit to Sainsburys - about 50% higher than a typical Japanese supermarket. How does anyone feed their kids here?
(*) PEOPLE DRIVE TOO FAST!
Speed limits are so high here, generally about 15-20 km/h higher than on an equivalent road in Japan. I mean, you can legally drive at 120 km/h on the motorways - that's scary! (I'm still thnking in metric all the time and mentally converting miles to km)
(*) YOU HAVE TO PAY TO PARK AT THE SUPERMARKET!
Now this freaked me out because I had forgotten about it, after so many years of free parking practically everywhere in Japan. Here it's 1 or 2 hours of free parking, then after that you have to pay. Huh? Do they not want you to shop there?
(*) THERE ARE SO FEW TOILETS IN SHOPS!
What do you do if you're caught short while you're out shopping? In Japan you use the shop toilet, but here you have to walk half way across town to the public conveniences. May as well go home and shop on the Internet instead.
(*) TV IS CRAP!
What happened to British television? As the nation that invented TV and created the world's first broadcasting company, TV standards seem to have collapsed. Mind you, it still surpasses Japanese TV by a wide margin...
I did have some pleasant surprises as well:
(*) CHEAP INTERNATIONAL PHONE CALLS!
I found a company that charges me just 1p/min to call to Japan - that's about ten times less that I paid to call the UK from Japan. Great!
(*) DIAL-UP INTERNET IS REALLY EASY!
I was worried about connecting to the Internet after I returned to the UK, because it's a hassle in Japan. But I was using the Internet within 15 minutes of arriving home, using one of these pay-as-you-go providers. Good idea!
(*) THERE ARE STILL GREAT PUBS!
I wasn't aware that I missed pubs in Japan, but I was so happy to go to a good pub in the UK. There really is nothing with that same atmosphere in Japan.
Lastly, but long-term perhaps most importantly, I began to feel more intagible advantages to the UK:
(*) PEOPLE COMMUNICATE BETTER
Strange as it may sound I think the British are quite good at talking to strangers. I immediately noticed how, just in shops, the staff actually talked to me. In Japan they just followed the politeness script ("have a nice day" etc.). I am fluent in Japanese but still I couldn't really communicate with strangers in Japan like I can here. Ask a tricky question in Japan and all you get is an um, an ahh, and a sharp intake of breath. Here you get a straight answer, or at least "I don't know". It's refreshing.
(*) IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
Britain is a beautiful country! History is alive here. The countryside, the old buildings and the quaint little towns look really great. So much better than the park-free concrete jungle of a Japanese town!
(*) PEOPLE ARE MORE TOLERANT
Every time I went anywhere in Japan I had to deal with the look of horror and fear that swept across the fact of the staff when they saw me, a dreaded foreigner. Plus always I had kids staring and pointing at me and calling me names. And their mum's said nothing about it. Yet in the UK people don't seem to turn a hair when they see an Asian or a black face, and (most) people would chastise their child if they shouted out "Paki" or some other insult.
(*) THERE'S SO MUCH MORE CULTURE AND CREATIVITY
Culture and creativity are really exciting compared to Japan, and ordinary people seem somehow smarter here.
(*) EVERYTHING IS UP TO YOU
Compared to Japan there is much less regulation, less infrastructure, and less help. You really are on your own here, and you have to make decisions and take the consequences. I realise that there's an underclass of benefit scrongers who don't take responsibility for their own lives, but most people seem to do so. It's a good attitude in some ways, although I think maybe now Britain could do with a bit more Japanese-style group awareness and social harmony.
So after a week in the UK I am beginning to come to terms with the old place again. Life is noticeably more expensive, less safe, tougher and less convenient than in Japan. But I had good reasons for returning to the UK, and when I hit yet another shock I keep those reasons in my mind. I can't honestly say I'm unreservedly happy to be back, but I was right to return. Good luck to everyone else who is adjusting to life here.
Last edited by Viking Man; Apr 20th 2006 at 5:46 pm. Reason: fix typos
Apr 20th 2006, 6:11 pm
#2
Live the moment
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: In between nappies and feeds
Posts: 2,026
Re: Impressions after a week back
Hi VM and welcome back
Loved reading your post, always good to see it through anothers "eyes"..!!So this is for good then??
Loved reading your post, always good to see it through anothers "eyes"..!!So this is for good then??
Apr 20th 2006, 6:45 pm
#3
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2005
Location: uk-perth northern suburbs-uk
Posts: 740
Re: Impressions after a week back
Originally Posted by Viking Man
I returned to the UK last week after living 8 years in Japan. It's my first time back in 8 years. After living so long in Japan I "went native" over there so to some extent I am seeing the UK through the eyes of a Japanese visitor. What a lot of shocks I have had in the last week!! Just for fun really, I thought I'd list up some of the initial impressions and things that struck me on my return:
(*) FAT PEOPLE!
The first thing I noticed as I left Heathrow: how come half the population is overweight? You rarely see obese people in Japan. I felt like I'd walked into a whale colony :-)
Hi Vm. Ive been back nearly a week and had to laugh at that as I agreed! And ,it sounds awful, but so unattractive too! am used to people now and dont stare in some shocked way anymore! my friend who came back from Japan thought they all had big noses at first too!
Lastly, but long-term perhaps most importantly, I began to feel more intagible advantages to the UK:
(*) PEOPLE COMMUNICATE BETTER
Strange as it may sound I think the British are quite good at talking to strangers. I immediately noticed how, just in shops, the staff actually talked to me. In Japan they just followed the politeness script ("have a nice day" etc.). I am fluent in Japanese but still I couldn't really communicate with strangers in Japan like I can here. Ask a tricky question in Japan and all you get is an um, an ahh, and a sharp intake of breath. Here you get a straight answer, or at least "I don't know". It's refreshing.
there have been lots of times ive felt like having a good cry, but people/strangers chitchatting away really is noticeable here youre right and really cheers me up. in oz, people said hows it going but it wasnt in a way that meant they wanted a conversation. here, they just go into conversation.
(*) IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
Britain is a beautiful country! History is alive here. The countryside, the old buildings and the quaint little towns look really great. So much better than the park-free concrete jungle of a Japanese town!
will agree when stop being cold. at the moment the greyness, is the most difficult thing ive found so far.
So after a week in the UK I am beginning to come to terms with the old place again. Life is noticeably more expensive, less safe, tougher and less convenient than in Japan. But I had good reasons for returning to the UK, and when I hit yet another shock I keep those reasons in my mind. I can't honestly say I'm unreservedly happy to be back, but I was right to return. Good luck to everyone else who is adjusting to life here.
(*) FAT PEOPLE!
The first thing I noticed as I left Heathrow: how come half the population is overweight? You rarely see obese people in Japan. I felt like I'd walked into a whale colony :-)
Hi Vm. Ive been back nearly a week and had to laugh at that as I agreed! And ,it sounds awful, but so unattractive too! am used to people now and dont stare in some shocked way anymore! my friend who came back from Japan thought they all had big noses at first too!
Lastly, but long-term perhaps most importantly, I began to feel more intagible advantages to the UK:
(*) PEOPLE COMMUNICATE BETTER
Strange as it may sound I think the British are quite good at talking to strangers. I immediately noticed how, just in shops, the staff actually talked to me. In Japan they just followed the politeness script ("have a nice day" etc.). I am fluent in Japanese but still I couldn't really communicate with strangers in Japan like I can here. Ask a tricky question in Japan and all you get is an um, an ahh, and a sharp intake of breath. Here you get a straight answer, or at least "I don't know". It's refreshing.
there have been lots of times ive felt like having a good cry, but people/strangers chitchatting away really is noticeable here youre right and really cheers me up. in oz, people said hows it going but it wasnt in a way that meant they wanted a conversation. here, they just go into conversation.
(*) IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
Britain is a beautiful country! History is alive here. The countryside, the old buildings and the quaint little towns look really great. So much better than the park-free concrete jungle of a Japanese town!
will agree when stop being cold. at the moment the greyness, is the most difficult thing ive found so far.
So after a week in the UK I am beginning to come to terms with the old place again. Life is noticeably more expensive, less safe, tougher and less convenient than in Japan. But I had good reasons for returning to the UK, and when I hit yet another shock I keep those reasons in my mind. I can't honestly say I'm unreservedly happy to be back, but I was right to return. Good luck to everyone else who is adjusting to life here.
agree with all of that above. although circumstances mean im having a hard time, i still believe ive done the right thing long term. dogs flying into heathrow and im picking him up tomorrow so thatll make a big difference
A load of us on here are all coming back within the same 3weeks. (even saw a couple at the airport!)good luck to the rest of you, too
c xxx
Apr 20th 2006, 6:55 pm
#4
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,577
Re: Impressions after a week back
Originally Posted by Viking Man
I returned to the UK last week after living 8 years in Japan. It's my first time back in 8 years. After living so long in Japan I "went native" over there so to some extent I am seeing the UK through the eyes of a Japanese visitor. What a lot of shocks I have had in the last week!! Just for fun really, I thought I'd list up some of the initial impressions and things that struck me on my return:
(*) FAT PEOPLE!
The first thing I noticed as I left Heathrow: how come half the population is overweight? You rarely see obese people in Japan. I felt like I'd walked into a whale colony :-)
(*) BROKEN MACHINES.
Lifts, toilets, vending machines, telephones, escalators, trains: why are so many broken down? They're broken so much that they actually have printed signs saying that they're out of order!
(*) CAR PARK METERS DON'T GIVE CHANGE!
That is soooo annoying! A vending machine that doesn't give change is unimaginable in Japan.
(*) PRICES HAVE GONE INTO ORBIT!
I nearly keeled over on seeing the prices on my first visit to Sainsburys - about 50% higher than a typical Japanese supermarket. How does anyone feed their kids here?
(*) PEOPLE DRIVE TOO FAST!
Speed limits are so high here, generally about 15-20 km/h higher than on an equivalent road in Japan. I mean, you can legally drive at 120 km/h on the motorways - that's scary! (I'm still thnking in metric all the time and mentally converting miles to km)
(*) YOU HAVE TO PAY TO PARK AT THE SUPERMARKET!
Now this freaked me out because I had forgotten about it, after so many years of free parking practically everywhere in Japan. Here it's 1 or 2 hours of free parking, then after that you have to pay. Huh? Do they not want you to shop there?
(*) THERE ARE SO FEW TOILETS IN SHOPS!
What do you do if you're caught short while you're out shopping? In Japan you use the shop toilet, but here you have to walk half way across town to the public conveniences. May as well go home and shop on the Internet instead.
(*) TV IS CRAP!
What happened to British television? As the nation that invented TV and created the world's first broadcasting company, TV standards seem to have collapsed. Mind you, it still surpasses Japanese TV by a wide margin...
I did have some pleasant surprises as well:
(*) CHEAP INTERNATIONAL PHONE CALLS!
I found a company that charges me just 1p/min to call to Japan - that's about ten times less that I paid to call the UK from Japan. Great!
(*) DIAL-UP INTERNET IS REALLY EASY!
I was worried about connecting to the Internet after I returned to the UK, because it's a hassle in Japan. But I was using the Internet within 15 minutes of arriving home, using one of these pay-as-you-go providers. Good idea!
(*) THERE ARE STILL GREAT PUBS!
I wasn't aware that I missed pubs in Japan, but I was so happy to go to a good pub in the UK. There really is nothing with that same atmosphere in Japan.
Lastly, but long-term perhaps most importantly, I began to feel more intagible advantages to the UK:
(*) PEOPLE COMMUNICATE BETTER
Strange as it may sound I think the British are quite good at talking to strangers. I immediately noticed how, just in shops, the staff actually talked to me. In Japan they just followed the politeness script ("have a nice day" etc.). I am fluent in Japanese but still I couldn't really communicate with strangers in Japan like I can here. Ask a tricky question in Japan and all you get is an um, an ahh, and a sharp intake of breath. Here you get a straight answer, or at least "I don't know". It's refreshing.
(*) IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
Britain is a beautiful country! History is alive here. The countryside, the old buildings and the quaint little towns look really great. So much better than the park-free concrete jungle of a Japanese town!
(*) PEOPLE ARE MORE TOLERANT
Every time I went anywhere in Japan I had to deal with the look of horror and fear that swept across the fact of the staff when they saw me, a dreaded foreigner. Plus always I had kids staring and pointing at me and calling me names. And their mum's said nothing about it. Yet in the UK people don't seem to turn a hair when they see an Asian or a black face, and (most) people would chastise their child if they shouted out "Paki" or some other insult.
(*) THERE'S SO MUCH MORE CULTURE AND CREATIVITY
Culture and creativity are really exciting compared to Japan, and ordinary people seem somehow smarter here.
(*) EVERYTHING IS UP TO YOU
Compared to Japan there is much less regulation, less infrastructure, and less help. You really are on your own here, and you have to make decisions and take the consequences. I realise that there's an underclass of benefit scrongers who don't take responsibility for their own lives, but most people seem to do so. It's a good attitude in some ways, although I think maybe now Britain could do with a bit more Japanese-style group awareness and social harmony.
So after a week in the UK I am beginning to come to terms with the old place again. Life is noticeably more expensive, less safe, tougher and less convenient than in Japan. But I had good reasons for returning to the UK, and when I hit yet another shock I keep those reasons in my mind. I can't honestly say I'm unreservedly happy to be back, but I was right to return. Good luck to everyone else who is adjusting to life here.
(*) FAT PEOPLE!
The first thing I noticed as I left Heathrow: how come half the population is overweight? You rarely see obese people in Japan. I felt like I'd walked into a whale colony :-)
(*) BROKEN MACHINES.
Lifts, toilets, vending machines, telephones, escalators, trains: why are so many broken down? They're broken so much that they actually have printed signs saying that they're out of order!
(*) CAR PARK METERS DON'T GIVE CHANGE!
That is soooo annoying! A vending machine that doesn't give change is unimaginable in Japan.
(*) PRICES HAVE GONE INTO ORBIT!
I nearly keeled over on seeing the prices on my first visit to Sainsburys - about 50% higher than a typical Japanese supermarket. How does anyone feed their kids here?
(*) PEOPLE DRIVE TOO FAST!
Speed limits are so high here, generally about 15-20 km/h higher than on an equivalent road in Japan. I mean, you can legally drive at 120 km/h on the motorways - that's scary! (I'm still thnking in metric all the time and mentally converting miles to km)
(*) YOU HAVE TO PAY TO PARK AT THE SUPERMARKET!
Now this freaked me out because I had forgotten about it, after so many years of free parking practically everywhere in Japan. Here it's 1 or 2 hours of free parking, then after that you have to pay. Huh? Do they not want you to shop there?
(*) THERE ARE SO FEW TOILETS IN SHOPS!
What do you do if you're caught short while you're out shopping? In Japan you use the shop toilet, but here you have to walk half way across town to the public conveniences. May as well go home and shop on the Internet instead.
(*) TV IS CRAP!
What happened to British television? As the nation that invented TV and created the world's first broadcasting company, TV standards seem to have collapsed. Mind you, it still surpasses Japanese TV by a wide margin...
I did have some pleasant surprises as well:
(*) CHEAP INTERNATIONAL PHONE CALLS!
I found a company that charges me just 1p/min to call to Japan - that's about ten times less that I paid to call the UK from Japan. Great!
(*) DIAL-UP INTERNET IS REALLY EASY!
I was worried about connecting to the Internet after I returned to the UK, because it's a hassle in Japan. But I was using the Internet within 15 minutes of arriving home, using one of these pay-as-you-go providers. Good idea!
(*) THERE ARE STILL GREAT PUBS!
I wasn't aware that I missed pubs in Japan, but I was so happy to go to a good pub in the UK. There really is nothing with that same atmosphere in Japan.
Lastly, but long-term perhaps most importantly, I began to feel more intagible advantages to the UK:
(*) PEOPLE COMMUNICATE BETTER
Strange as it may sound I think the British are quite good at talking to strangers. I immediately noticed how, just in shops, the staff actually talked to me. In Japan they just followed the politeness script ("have a nice day" etc.). I am fluent in Japanese but still I couldn't really communicate with strangers in Japan like I can here. Ask a tricky question in Japan and all you get is an um, an ahh, and a sharp intake of breath. Here you get a straight answer, or at least "I don't know". It's refreshing.
(*) IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
Britain is a beautiful country! History is alive here. The countryside, the old buildings and the quaint little towns look really great. So much better than the park-free concrete jungle of a Japanese town!
(*) PEOPLE ARE MORE TOLERANT
Every time I went anywhere in Japan I had to deal with the look of horror and fear that swept across the fact of the staff when they saw me, a dreaded foreigner. Plus always I had kids staring and pointing at me and calling me names. And their mum's said nothing about it. Yet in the UK people don't seem to turn a hair when they see an Asian or a black face, and (most) people would chastise their child if they shouted out "Paki" or some other insult.
(*) THERE'S SO MUCH MORE CULTURE AND CREATIVITY
Culture and creativity are really exciting compared to Japan, and ordinary people seem somehow smarter here.
(*) EVERYTHING IS UP TO YOU
Compared to Japan there is much less regulation, less infrastructure, and less help. You really are on your own here, and you have to make decisions and take the consequences. I realise that there's an underclass of benefit scrongers who don't take responsibility for their own lives, but most people seem to do so. It's a good attitude in some ways, although I think maybe now Britain could do with a bit more Japanese-style group awareness and social harmony.
So after a week in the UK I am beginning to come to terms with the old place again. Life is noticeably more expensive, less safe, tougher and less convenient than in Japan. But I had good reasons for returning to the UK, and when I hit yet another shock I keep those reasons in my mind. I can't honestly say I'm unreservedly happy to be back, but I was right to return. Good luck to everyone else who is adjusting to life here.
Things must be a real shock for you... have you got on a train yet?
Apr 20th 2006, 6:58 pm
#5
Homebody
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: HOME
Posts: 23,179
Re: Impressions after a week back
So the things that really matter are still there. Good!
Apr 21st 2006, 1:39 am
#6
Always the last to leave.
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,399
Re: Impressions after a week back
Originally Posted by Viking Man
I returned to the UK last week after living 8 years in Japan. It's my first time back in 8 years. After living so long in Japan I "went native" over there so to some extent I am seeing the UK through the eyes of a Japanese visitor. What a lot of shocks I have had in the last week!! Just for fun really, I thought I'd list up some of the initial impressions and things that struck me on my return:
(*) FAT PEOPLE!
The first thing I noticed as I left Heathrow: how come half the population is overweight? You rarely see obese people in Japan. I felt like I'd walked into a whale colony :-)
(*) BROKEN MACHINES.
Lifts, toilets, vending machines, telephones, escalators, trains: why are so many broken down? They're broken so much that they actually have printed signs saying that they're out of order!
(*) CAR PARK METERS DON'T GIVE CHANGE!
That is soooo annoying! A vending machine that doesn't give change is unimaginable in Japan.
(*) PRICES HAVE GONE INTO ORBIT!
I nearly keeled over on seeing the prices on my first visit to Sainsburys - about 50% higher than a typical Japanese supermarket. How does anyone feed their kids here?
(*) PEOPLE DRIVE TOO FAST!
Speed limits are so high here, generally about 15-20 km/h higher than on an equivalent road in Japan. I mean, you can legally drive at 120 km/h on the motorways - that's scary! (I'm still thnking in metric all the time and mentally converting miles to km)
(*) YOU HAVE TO PAY TO PARK AT THE SUPERMARKET!
Now this freaked me out because I had forgotten about it, after so many years of free parking practically everywhere in Japan. Here it's 1 or 2 hours of free parking, then after that you have to pay. Huh? Do they not want you to shop there?
(*) THERE ARE SO FEW TOILETS IN SHOPS!
What do you do if you're caught short while you're out shopping? In Japan you use the shop toilet, but here you have to walk half way across town to the public conveniences. May as well go home and shop on the Internet instead.
(*) TV IS CRAP!
What happened to British television? As the nation that invented TV and created the world's first broadcasting company, TV standards seem to have collapsed. Mind you, it still surpasses Japanese TV by a wide margin...
I did have some pleasant surprises as well:
(*) CHEAP INTERNATIONAL PHONE CALLS!
I found a company that charges me just 1p/min to call to Japan - that's about ten times less that I paid to call the UK from Japan. Great!
(*) DIAL-UP INTERNET IS REALLY EASY!
I was worried about connecting to the Internet after I returned to the UK, because it's a hassle in Japan. But I was using the Internet within 15 minutes of arriving home, using one of these pay-as-you-go providers. Good idea!
(*) THERE ARE STILL GREAT PUBS!
I wasn't aware that I missed pubs in Japan, but I was so happy to go to a good pub in the UK. There really is nothing with that same atmosphere in Japan.
Lastly, but long-term perhaps most importantly, I began to feel more intagible advantages to the UK:
(*) PEOPLE COMMUNICATE BETTER
Strange as it may sound I think the British are quite good at talking to strangers. I immediately noticed how, just in shops, the staff actually talked to me. In Japan they just followed the politeness script ("have a nice day" etc.). I am fluent in Japanese but still I couldn't really communicate with strangers in Japan like I can here. Ask a tricky question in Japan and all you get is an um, an ahh, and a sharp intake of breath. Here you get a straight answer, or at least "I don't know". It's refreshing.
(*) IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
Britain is a beautiful country! History is alive here. The countryside, the old buildings and the quaint little towns look really great. So much better than the park-free concrete jungle of a Japanese town!
(*) PEOPLE ARE MORE TOLERANT
Every time I went anywhere in Japan I had to deal with the look of horror and fear that swept across the fact of the staff when they saw me, a dreaded foreigner. Plus always I had kids staring and pointing at me and calling me names. And their mum's said nothing about it. Yet in the UK people don't seem to turn a hair when they see an Asian or a black face, and (most) people would chastise their child if they shouted out "Paki" or some other insult.
(*) THERE'S SO MUCH MORE CULTURE AND CREATIVITY
Culture and creativity are really exciting compared to Japan, and ordinary people seem somehow smarter here.
(*) EVERYTHING IS UP TO YOU
Compared to Japan there is much less regulation, less infrastructure, and less help. You really are on your own here, and you have to make decisions and take the consequences. I realise that there's an underclass of benefit scrongers who don't take responsibility for their own lives, but most people seem to do so. It's a good attitude in some ways, although I think maybe now Britain could do with a bit more Japanese-style group awareness and social harmony.
So after a week in the UK I am beginning to come to terms with the old place again. Life is noticeably more expensive, less safe, tougher and less convenient than in Japan. But I had good reasons for returning to the UK, and when I hit yet another shock I keep those reasons in my mind. I can't honestly say I'm unreservedly happy to be back, but I was right to return. Good luck to everyone else who is adjusting to life here.
(*) FAT PEOPLE!
The first thing I noticed as I left Heathrow: how come half the population is overweight? You rarely see obese people in Japan. I felt like I'd walked into a whale colony :-)
(*) BROKEN MACHINES.
Lifts, toilets, vending machines, telephones, escalators, trains: why are so many broken down? They're broken so much that they actually have printed signs saying that they're out of order!
(*) CAR PARK METERS DON'T GIVE CHANGE!
That is soooo annoying! A vending machine that doesn't give change is unimaginable in Japan.
(*) PRICES HAVE GONE INTO ORBIT!
I nearly keeled over on seeing the prices on my first visit to Sainsburys - about 50% higher than a typical Japanese supermarket. How does anyone feed their kids here?
(*) PEOPLE DRIVE TOO FAST!
Speed limits are so high here, generally about 15-20 km/h higher than on an equivalent road in Japan. I mean, you can legally drive at 120 km/h on the motorways - that's scary! (I'm still thnking in metric all the time and mentally converting miles to km)
(*) YOU HAVE TO PAY TO PARK AT THE SUPERMARKET!
Now this freaked me out because I had forgotten about it, after so many years of free parking practically everywhere in Japan. Here it's 1 or 2 hours of free parking, then after that you have to pay. Huh? Do they not want you to shop there?
(*) THERE ARE SO FEW TOILETS IN SHOPS!
What do you do if you're caught short while you're out shopping? In Japan you use the shop toilet, but here you have to walk half way across town to the public conveniences. May as well go home and shop on the Internet instead.
(*) TV IS CRAP!
What happened to British television? As the nation that invented TV and created the world's first broadcasting company, TV standards seem to have collapsed. Mind you, it still surpasses Japanese TV by a wide margin...
I did have some pleasant surprises as well:
(*) CHEAP INTERNATIONAL PHONE CALLS!
I found a company that charges me just 1p/min to call to Japan - that's about ten times less that I paid to call the UK from Japan. Great!
(*) DIAL-UP INTERNET IS REALLY EASY!
I was worried about connecting to the Internet after I returned to the UK, because it's a hassle in Japan. But I was using the Internet within 15 minutes of arriving home, using one of these pay-as-you-go providers. Good idea!
(*) THERE ARE STILL GREAT PUBS!
I wasn't aware that I missed pubs in Japan, but I was so happy to go to a good pub in the UK. There really is nothing with that same atmosphere in Japan.
Lastly, but long-term perhaps most importantly, I began to feel more intagible advantages to the UK:
(*) PEOPLE COMMUNICATE BETTER
Strange as it may sound I think the British are quite good at talking to strangers. I immediately noticed how, just in shops, the staff actually talked to me. In Japan they just followed the politeness script ("have a nice day" etc.). I am fluent in Japanese but still I couldn't really communicate with strangers in Japan like I can here. Ask a tricky question in Japan and all you get is an um, an ahh, and a sharp intake of breath. Here you get a straight answer, or at least "I don't know". It's refreshing.
(*) IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
Britain is a beautiful country! History is alive here. The countryside, the old buildings and the quaint little towns look really great. So much better than the park-free concrete jungle of a Japanese town!
(*) PEOPLE ARE MORE TOLERANT
Every time I went anywhere in Japan I had to deal with the look of horror and fear that swept across the fact of the staff when they saw me, a dreaded foreigner. Plus always I had kids staring and pointing at me and calling me names. And their mum's said nothing about it. Yet in the UK people don't seem to turn a hair when they see an Asian or a black face, and (most) people would chastise their child if they shouted out "Paki" or some other insult.
(*) THERE'S SO MUCH MORE CULTURE AND CREATIVITY
Culture and creativity are really exciting compared to Japan, and ordinary people seem somehow smarter here.
(*) EVERYTHING IS UP TO YOU
Compared to Japan there is much less regulation, less infrastructure, and less help. You really are on your own here, and you have to make decisions and take the consequences. I realise that there's an underclass of benefit scrongers who don't take responsibility for their own lives, but most people seem to do so. It's a good attitude in some ways, although I think maybe now Britain could do with a bit more Japanese-style group awareness and social harmony.
So after a week in the UK I am beginning to come to terms with the old place again. Life is noticeably more expensive, less safe, tougher and less convenient than in Japan. But I had good reasons for returning to the UK, and when I hit yet another shock I keep those reasons in my mind. I can't honestly say I'm unreservedly happy to be back, but I was right to return. Good luck to everyone else who is adjusting to life here.
The main thing we miss when we go to the Uk is the food, and how cheap it is to eat out. Oh yes, we also miss the diversity of life, people live their lives out on the streets here, in the UK everyone is a closed book, and locks themselves away in their castles. I'm getting a bit carried away, but yes, the UK has some great attributes, but not alot that would make us want to come back and live there for good.
Apr 21st 2006, 6:21 am
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 133
Re: Impressions after a week back
[QUOTE=Viking Man]I returned to the UK last week after living 8 years in Japan. It's my first time back in 8 years. After living so long in Japan I "went native" over there so to some extent I am seeing the UK through the eyes of a Japanese visitor. What a lot of shocks I have had in the last week!! Just for fun really, I thought I'd list up some of the initial impressions and things that struck me on my return:
What a great read. I was back at Xmas and it is a bit grey
around some parts but you just escape to the country
as much as you can and the people are so friendly and funny..
it more than makes up for it.
I will, however, seriously miss the asian restaurants and the
beaches in Oz.
Keep us posted
What a great read. I was back at Xmas and it is a bit grey
around some parts but you just escape to the country
as much as you can and the people are so friendly and funny..
it more than makes up for it.
I will, however, seriously miss the asian restaurants and the
beaches in Oz.
Keep us posted
Apr 26th 2006, 10:03 pm
#8
No longer waiting....
Joined: Mar 2004
Location: Melbourne, VIC
Posts: 214
Re: Impressions after a week back
Originally Posted by Viking Man
(*) TV IS CRAP!
What happened to British television? As the nation that invented TV and created the world's first broadcasting company, TV standards seem to have collapsed. Mind you, it still surpasses Japanese TV by a wide margin...
What happened to British television? As the nation that invented TV and created the world's first broadcasting company, TV standards seem to have collapsed. Mind you, it still surpasses Japanese TV by a wide margin...
Maybe there will be a winner next time...
Apr 27th 2006, 5:53 am
#9
Powder Maggot
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Nuevo Mexico
Posts: 4,452
Re: Impressions after a week back
Have to agree with points 1 - 4, 6 - 8 in comparison with the US as well. #1 is particularly amusing as everyone in the UK thinks obesity is a US problem. Look around!
As for #5, hmmm... too damned slow in the UK. Especially with all those speed cameras....
As for #5, hmmm... too damned slow in the UK. Especially with all those speed cameras....
Apr 30th 2006, 9:32 pm
#10
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2005
Location: North Lakes, QLD- UK
Posts: 320
Re: Impressions after a week back
''(*) PRICES HAVE GONE INTO ORBIT!
I nearly keeled over on seeing the prices on my first visit to Sainsburys - about 50% higher than a typical Japanese supermarket. How does anyone feed their kids here? ''
eek, have you looked into an estate agents window yet.....no there's a real reason to keel over.
I nearly keeled over on seeing the prices on my first visit to Sainsburys - about 50% higher than a typical Japanese supermarket. How does anyone feed their kids here? ''
eek, have you looked into an estate agents window yet.....no there's a real reason to keel over.
May 1st 2006, 7:22 am
#11
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Back in Perth
Posts: 336
Re: Impressions after a week back
Originally Posted by midwifetanya
''(*) PRICES HAVE GONE INTO ORBIT!
I nearly keeled over on seeing the prices on my first visit to Sainsburys - about 50% higher than a typical Japanese supermarket. How does anyone feed their kids here? ''
eek, have you looked into an estate agents window yet.....no there's a real reason to keel over.
I nearly keeled over on seeing the prices on my first visit to Sainsburys - about 50% higher than a typical Japanese supermarket. How does anyone feed their kids here? ''
eek, have you looked into an estate agents window yet.....no there's a real reason to keel over.
Have to agree with you there. Everytime I look at house prices I just go into shock mode! Mind you on a positive note, they do have a lot of character even if we cant afford them!
May 1st 2006, 7:46 am
#12
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 202
Re: Impressions after a week back
Originally Posted by midwifetanya
''(*) PRICES HAVE GONE INTO ORBIT!
I nearly keeled over on seeing the prices on my first visit to Sainsburys - about 50% higher than a typical Japanese supermarket. How does anyone feed their kids here? ''
eek, have you looked into an estate agents window yet.....no there's a real reason to keel over.
I nearly keeled over on seeing the prices on my first visit to Sainsburys - about 50% higher than a typical Japanese supermarket. How does anyone feed their kids here? ''
eek, have you looked into an estate agents window yet.....no there's a real reason to keel over.
But your not in Japan, and are your kids currently starving?
sorry but this type of comment get on my nerves, can you tell me what it is you exactly want?
May 1st 2006, 1:24 pm
#13
Powder Maggot
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Nuevo Mexico
Posts: 4,452
Re: Impressions after a week back
Originally Posted by goldcoastblue
But your not in Japan, and are your kids currently starving?
sorry but this type of comment get on my nerves, can you tell me what it is you exactly want?
sorry but this type of comment get on my nerves, can you tell me what it is you exactly want?
May 1st 2006, 1:37 pm
#14
Thinking about it
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Mid-West
Posts: 9,435
Re: Impressions after a week back
Originally Posted by goldcoastblue
But your not in Japan, and are your kids currently starving?
sorry but this type of comment get on my nerves, can you tell me what it is you exactly want?
sorry but this type of comment get on my nerves, can you tell me what it is you exactly want?
May 1st 2006, 1:42 pm
#15
Homebody
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: HOME
Posts: 23,179
Re: Impressions after a week back
Originally Posted by BigDavyG
I'm confused - are you trying to say that house prices in the UK are reasonable ??
Reasonable might be pushing it. I'd say *value for money*