Some thoughts about a recent trip to Japan.

[Beanz]

You don't even have a TEFL qualification? So what happened to top of the food pile NYC?

My master's degree from one of the top International Management schools on planet Earth called Thunderbird the American Graduate School of International Management in Glendale Arizona has always been enough for my employers in Malaysia and in South Korea and in Turkey and in New York City to take the place of a 6 or sometimes even for week tefl certificate program. Because I have a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University the State University of New Jersey in English literature and I graduated with a 3.67 grade-point average and made the honor roll and the Dean's List I have not so far needed a tefl certificate but I'm deciding to do one now thank you very much wiseass Plymouth c***

Nobody is saying you are not clever or have no qualifications it is just quite mind boggling that somebody teaching English as a foreign language for like 20 + years does not have a simple certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign language. It is obviously well with in your grasp, as students over here pick one up on their holidays to earn some pocket money before they start their proper job

True and that's why I am doing one now

You are in ny

No he is not. He was in South Korea and now is in Japan. Which is why her warned Miles to leave South Korea because of the incoming threat of Nuclear annihilation , which he both predicted (and his predictions are almost as reliable as @ryanman 's betting tips) and is obviously immune to.

[Gandalf]

Think the appetizer thing is cultural. They don't do it for restaurants here, but if you go out for drinks a lot of places expect you to pay for a side dish to go with it.

I guess it's some sort of cover charge since tipping is not expected.

I heard of someone in Japan that they got stuck with a $300 dollar charge like this and the people responsible for running the establishment he was at attempted to intimidate him when he refused to pay. Though this was in the Roppongi part of Tokyo so I guess it comes with the territory since that's a place where the Mafia operates.

That's bad. There was a story about a bar out here in Itaewon that was putting zolpidem (sleeping pills) into customers drinks and then charging thousands on their credit cards. Some dodgy bars out there.

It looks like Brock is the go to guy when it comes to Japan. Mind you, if he finds it so xenophobic I question why he would want to live their indefinitely considering his hero Trump is making his homeland great again. Talk about flip flops.

[Kirkland Laing]

I, too, had a recent trip to Japan. It was like Enter The Dragon without the fighting.

[wanderingfighter]

Think the appetizer thing is cultural. They don't do it for restaurants here, but if you go out for drinks a lot of places expect you to pay for a side dish to go with it.

I guess it's some sort of cover charge since tipping is not expected.

I heard of someone in Japan that they got stuck with a $300 dollar charge like this and the people responsible for running the establishment he was at attempted to intimidate him when he refused to pay. Though this was in the Roppongi part of Tokyo so I guess it comes with the territory since that's a place where the Mafia operates.

That's bad. There was a story about a bar out here in Itaewon that was putting zolpidem (sleeping pills) into customers drinks and then charging thousands on their credit cards. Some dodgy bars out there.

It looks like Brock is the go to guy when it comes to Japan. Mind you, if he finds it so xenophobic I question why he would want to live their indefinitely considering his hero Trump is making his homeland great again. Talk about flip flops.

I don't think I'm going back to Japan unless is for a very short duration. I didn't like the vibe. I'm back in Thailand now and the difference between the way people are is night and day. Though one bad part about this whole thing is that I spent 10 days drinking in Japan and was offered an amateur fight on November 4th (when I came to the gym yesterday) during the big festivals here and ended up declining it. This is my 2nd declined fight in less than 2 months at some point I need to either slow down with my obsession or take things serious. The Japan trip completely threw me out of focus and hurt my pockets. Plus I might be addicted to alcohol.. once I start I don't stop and then I end up days without training with all sorts of physical problems. But then I won't drink for 4-5 months and out of nowhere go on a drinking binge and have to re-start all over. It doesn't help that Japan is a culture of alcoholics. It's socially acceptable to be visibly drunk in public there and alcohol consumption is expected in social circles. I need to stay away from that place.

[Gandalf]

Yes, Thailand and Japan are worlds apart. The people in Thailand are much warmer, much outgoing, more friendly. By comparison Japan can seem very stiff. The people in Japan have this slave culture mentality where excessive working hours are the norm and people end up only having their co-workers to socialise with and to unwind from the conformity they just seem to get incredibly drunk. Then back to work in the morning. Plus you factor in 30 years of economic decline and Japan can probably be a bit of a depressing place to live. Still very rich, but it gets cheaper to visit every time you go because their inflation is low. Thailand is way behind but year after year it grows faster than Japan.

You sound like a lot of us with the drinking. Lots of alcoholics and former alcoholics here. Me and Walrus used to be able to drink well, but our nerves are shot these days. Maybe you get to a point where you just need to give up completely. Some people don't have that off button, so perhaps just avoid that button. It does make life a bit more pedestrian, but over the long haul it is good for you and it will mean you can keep training properly.

[Gandalf]

I really like Japan though. I think it is a beautiful and well maintained country. I shouldn't overgeneralise when it comes to work and drink habits as there are plenty of people who likely reject that way of living and do their own thing.

[wanderingfighter]

I really like Japan though. I think it is a beautiful and well maintained country. I shouldn't overgeneralise when it comes to work and drink habits as there are plenty of people who likely reject that way of living and do their own thing.

I agree.