Q and A (Part Two)

Do guys in Japan try to talk to you?

Ha. Do Japanese guys try to talk to me? Largely...no. Japanese men appear very reserved, and are very "well behaved" in public. No whistling, cat calls, or weird comments. Which is saying something, because the clothes some Japanese ladies wear...or don't wear...well you get the picture. I have heard from a few people that in Japanese culture, the man is the dominant person in the relationship. A Japanese woman even told me that while she cares for her husband's parents (feeds, clothes, bathes, etc), she needs to ask her husband's permission to visit her own parents. While this is not the norm any more, it still happens. Consequently, I've heard that Japanese men tend to avoid us "independent" Western Women. Also, most Japanese people are afraid to attempt speaking English. At enkais (work drinking parties), that sort of behavior comes out a little. But the next day, it's an unspoken rule that no one speaks about what happened at the enkai. It's basically Fight Club. Now, the city I am in has an American Navy base. Do those men try to talk to me? Same American men, different location.


Do you see any tourists in Nagasaki?

I live about 1 1/2 hours away from Nagasaki City, but when I have traveled there, I have seen a few tourists. Japan is extremely homogenous, so it's easy to spot gaijin (foreigners). When I visited the Atomic bomb hypocenter and museum, I saw a fair amount of tourists. But on the whole, most foreign tourists stick around Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. On a separate note, I see many Japanese tourists around my town. Interestingly enough, my town is host to a Dutch village-themed park. People from all over Japan go to see a part of Europe without leaving Japan.


What are the winters like in your region?

From what I've seen and heard so far, not too bad. Right now, while Colorado is struggling to break out of below freezing, Sasebo is a balmy 60 degrees. It only snows a few times, and I don't believe it will drop below freezing. HOWEVER. Japanese homes do not have central heating. Nor are they insulated like American homes. So basically, the temperature outside is the temperature inside. I use my AC heater during the night, and section off rooms to keep the one I'm using warm. It's actually quite energy efficient. Also, I have a wonderful appliance called a kotatsu. Picture a table. The top of the table is removable, and there is a heater under the table. I place a blanket in the middle of the table, put the table top back on, then snuggle under the blanket. It's actually very addicting.