Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Top 10 Reasons you know you've been in Japan too long.

You know you've been in Japan too long if:
10. You start bowing when you talk on the phone.
9. You bow to other drivers who give you the right of way.
8. You're not surprised when the female cleaning ladies come into the restrooms and start cleaning while you're doing your business.
7. You're not surprised when you see "salarymen" in their suits taking a wee on the streets.
6. You know the names of all 4 SMAP members and you even know what their silly acronym stands for (Sport Music Assemble People). Is that English?
5. You start using words like "Shogannai" or "Natsukashii" instead of their English equivalents. Note: "Shogannai" translates to "no ginger" (sorry bad joke) correct translation is "It can't be helped."
4. You think taking off your shoes inside your house is a great idea.
3. You stop saying "hi" to all the new foreigners in town.
2. You don't worry anymore when you carry more than $500 dollars in your wallet.
1. And the #1 reason you know you've been in Japan too long is when you start liking NATTO! (fermented soy beans with a very bad smell) :)
To my students: This list was made "tongue in cheek". This idiom means "jokingly" or "half-seriously." :)