11.22 … In other words, Couple’s Day

11.22 … In other words, Couple’s Day

So just ten days after Single’s Day in China (and pocky day in Japan/Korea), you can imagine my surprise when I listen to my daily dose of NHK news on 11.22 to hear the announcer say:

“今日は良い夫婦の日”

“Today is Couple’s Day”

While 11.11 tells us just how single we are, I guess the combination of 11 plus 22 shows how 1 can become 2 and.. .well.. that equals to “be a good couple” day.

According to NHK news, Couple’s Day is a holiday much like Valentine’s Day in the sense that, well, it was created by the industry in order to reap in profits.  Basically, Couple’s Day was designed by the apparel industry for promotional purposes and to give a boost to their quarterly saves revenue. read more

Multilingualism: Just Another Diagnosis for Split Personality Disorder?

Multilingualism: Just Another Diagnosis for Split Personality Disorder?

japanesemaryblog

Winter has descended on Shanghai.  I’m wearing four layers of pajamas, snuggled underneath two sets of comforters, and sipping on a piping hot cup of Jasmine tea.

As I burrow myself deeper underneath the covers and try to escape the force that is winter in Shanghai, I browse various articles online..  While reading the Economist I skimmed this interesting little read on Multilingualism: Do Different Languages Confer Different Personalities?

Before reading the article, I’m sure all of you bilinguals out there have “no duh” echoing through your head.  The article’s main focus is in regard to how these various personalities can be attributed to cultural differences rather than linguistic ones; and how, depending on the culture and customs of your language, you yourself also change. read more

The Wind Rises

The Wind Rises

The movie poster for “The Wind Rises,” the latest and ‘last’ movie from Hayao Miyazaki (I think this is his 3rd ‘last’ movie?) was posted not too long ago.

I LOVE this poster.  Reminds me of Howl’s Moving Castle , yet still has a fresh and new feeling, luring you into yet another world created by the lovely Mr. Miyazaki.  Just from looking at the poster alone, I already know this film will combine the best elements of Studio Ghibli: Fantasy, Romance and the beauty of youth. read more

Chinese Women Say No to Sex

Chinese Women Say No to Sex

Do Asians value sex in the same way that westerners do?

For many in the west, bad times in the bedroom can often lead to a crumbling relationship.  Many of us in the USA (and probably more so in Europe) measure the overall health of a relationship by the number of times, well, we get it on.

What about in Asia?  Is sex really that important?

I mean, we’ve all heard about how young people in Japan supposedly lost interest in having sex.  Even before that, “the herbivore man” popped up in Japan and became not only a domestic sensation, but an internationally recognized new species.  These Japanese men can’t be bothered to walk out their door, woo a woman and try to bed her–I mean, geez, that’s so much work.  What can a woman do that some good porn and your virtual date Natsumi on the Nintendo DS can’t do? read more

The Chinese Hospital Experience

The Chinese Hospital Experience

Waiting in line at the hospital is really fun. Really.

I woke up and it punched me hard in the gut: stomach pain.  I curled into the fetal position from the pain, but I knew that the show must go on.  I got out of bed, showered, clothed myself and hobbled back to bed where I cradled myself and my sore intestines.  Fifteen minutes later and with the excuse of ‘still being able to walk,’ I crawled out from my bed, grabbed my pre-made bento from the fridge and slipped on my high heels ready to strut to work.  I was ready to make my Japanese company proud and go to work completely ill. read more

Singles Day in Asia

Singles Day in Asia

泽楠

光棍节

I was browsing through advertising agency news when I stumbled upon this article concerning China’s equivalent to Black Friday in the United States.

11.11

In other words

Single’s Day

Leave it up to the Chinese to create a holiday that is, utterly, pointless.  “Single’s Day” was supposedly devised up by some really lonely college students in a dorm, and somehow the craze has spread to the national scale–with the entire country recognizing this bizarre phenomenon and celebrating it much like the Moon Festival or even New Years.  There really is no deeper meaning to the day other than the fact that 1 is a lonely number, and 4 of them lined up together makes it even lonelier—thus, ensuing commiseration. read more

Conversations at a Japanese Ad Agency

Conversations at a Japanese Ad Agency

I chewed my hair.  Started reading the torture that is a contract in Chinese, trying to find any unfair conditions or some loophole where our company could score some mega points.  Actually, I was just trying to read the first sentence and got frustrated, thus the hair chewing.

Takada Boss: “Mary, you always nibble on your hair,” said my ultimate-cool-canprobablyruletheworldandkickyourass-woman-boss that sits next to me.

Mary: “Yeah, I know.  I’m sorry.” (すみません) read more

A Funeral in Bali

A Funeral in Bali

I try to keep this blog strictly about Japan and China, but just this once I’m going to go off the beaten path and write about my Bali adventure.

balimagic17

To be honest, I never intended to go to Bali in my entire life.  If it wasn’t for this Indonesian waiter that proposed to me at 17 and asked me to live with him in his newly constructed house in Bali (a story for yet another time), then I probably wouldn’t be able to point Bali out on a map.  I was completely unfamiliar with that area of Southeast Asia and now, I thought, it was a prime opportunity for learning. read more

I think we’re turning Chinese

I think we’re turning Chinese

So I found this list on my newsfeed about the ‘habits’ that foreigners pick up when they come to China.

I was pretty disappointed in this list.  I mean, look at #1 on the list: say bye bye?  I don’t think that’s some major aspect of Chinese culture that I’ll bring back to America and surprise everyone with.  “Hey, did you hear Mary say bye-bye?  She really changed over there in China, it’s like I don’t even know her anymore!”

And there’s one about “beer shots.”  I’ve lived in China for three years, some of my friends even longer, and we’ve yet to try one of these “beer shots.”  If this writer is talking about just downing or chugging a whole can of beer; well, I think I was chugging good brew even before I came to China, so that’s something I can’t really say was China’s fault. read more

Overcome the Language Plateau

Overcome the Language Plateau

calligraphy

We all hit it.  That point in our lives where the fast growth suddenly comes to a halt and we run right smack into a wall with no exit.  We just can’t seem to escape and find a way to start moving forward again.  You feel trapped, you feel helpless, and no matter what you do you still see yourself at the same place you were a mere few months ago.

I’m not talking about a mid-life crisis.  I’m talking about learning Japanese and Chinese.

There’s always a point in language learning where you feel comfortable, but you’re not feeling the growth.  You find yourself studying, pushing yourself to the brink in trying to chat up the locals, memorizing your flashcards–but the amount you’re learning and the rate at which your language ability is maturing is far slower than when you first started.  I think all languages learners, whether it be French or Spanish, encounter the dreaded language plateau and feel stuck. How can I get better ? What can I do to improve my language studies? read more