Top 3 Ridiculous Questions by Friends Back Home (Notes from Under the Tatami Mats–5 … My Adventures in Japan)

“Hmm. We’re as screwed up as they are.”

After my first year in Japan, I was still in Stage 2. (Y’know … “Damn, this country is pretty screwed up.”)

But the minute I got back to Canada and went to visit friends in the US, my friends and family asked me some pretty absurd questions about China … I mean, about Japan.

Hmmm. We're as screwed up as they are.

As the years went by, and as I grew more accustomed to Japan and the Japanese, the people in North America would ask more and more laughable questions. 

As a result, I eventually segued into Stage 3, “Damn, those westerners are pretty screwed up.”   Apparently my friends and family were as clueless about life on the other side of the world as the Asians were.    

Granted, after the Tiananmen Square Massacre, many expats were scrambling to leave China, which is part of Asia (just like Japan). But anyone with a basic knowledge of geography  … (Oh, never mind).    _{(Image source)}

   Introduction to – “Notes from Under the Tatami Mats”  _{(right-click on title)}

Top 3 Exceedingly Overused Japanese Words

Top 5 Myths re Things Japanese

Top 3 Weird Excuses for Japanese Behavior

Top 4 Disorienting Aspects of the Japanese Language

... and more

Links to my Other Series …

      Introduction – "Intro to Vocab-ability"   _{(right-click on title)}
      Guide – "Guide to Entries"   _{(right-click on title)}
      Index– "Index" to all Chapters and Sections   _{(right-click on title)}

      Lou Reed – "Anthology of Memorable Lyrics, Part 1"   _{(right-click on title)}
      Lou Reed – "Anthology of Memorable Lyrics, Part 2"   _{(right-click on title)}

_{Images sourced from Google Images, unless otherwise indicated or unless my own.}