Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[patsylabrador]

My ES is starting a new job as a snowboard instructor in Japan soon, and he is leaving next week. I was wondering if anyone had any experience of living there and could give me any hints/tips to pass on to him. He's learnt an amount of Japanese and is going out there early as he feels he will learn more there than from a CD here.

I really want this to go well for him as his thoughts are turning more and more to going back to the army, he misses the lifestyle and comradeship I think.I knew the transition to civvy life would be complicated, Remembrance Sunday was painful for him and when he heard rumours of poppy wreaths being burnt on Wednesday at the Cenotaph, well you can probably imagine his anger.

I'm hoping that once he gets on the slopes everything else will slot into place and he can forget some things, he was very happy in New Zealand.

Thanks anyway if you have any information.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Wow, what an exciting opportunity for him .

 

I've lived in Japan . But it was between the ages of 3 and 6 so can't really help you .

[The Dogmother]

I used to work for a Japanese company, but never got to go there

 

Their social etiquette is tortuous, suffice to say that you don't blow your nose in public, and are ultra polite to everyone (am sure he would be anyway). Oh, and they can't hold their drink!

[Patricia W]

My son worked there for 3 years teaching English. He loved it. So I'm sure he'll be fine

[Seagazer]

I agree with Claret and the etiquette is sooooo important to them. They can be overly polite, give lots of gifts etc. I have to say the chaps I worked with had a disgusting habit of spitting into the waste bins and smoked an awful lot but obviously this was only a small section of the population.

 

I'm sure he'll be fine, there must be a book out there on what to do and what not to do.

[Willow]

When I worked for a Japanese company I used to travel there once or twice a year and loved it ! I bought myself a book called Culture Sock Japan and found it really useful. Many of my preconceptions about Japanese were turned on their head. I found them to be much more tactile than my British colleagues (not in a sleazy way ) for example female colleagues were much more likely to touch my arm as they were talking. I found being taken seriously as a senior female technical expert *much* easier in a Japanese company than I ever have working for British. I remember all but one of my managers from that time with great affection and when the main manager returned from a few years back in Japan and rang me to get me to go work for him again I cried because I was pregnant and the timing was just wrong. My choice to stick with a more child friendly job was the right one for us as a family but...

 

Politeness is *very* important and they will never say 'no' outright. I had to retrain myself going back into an American corporation as I realised I was still taking the phase 'that might be difficult' as a an outright no

 

Small nicely wrapped gifts are much appreciated. I used to go for English tea and biscuits. If he is given a small gift it's bad form to open it in front of the giver

 

I'm so envious of him I'm sure he will have a great time

[clootie]

I'll copy your post to my BIL who has lived and worked in Japan since 1996 - he teaches. I'll get back to you when he replies.

[patsylabrador]

Thank you, that is exactly the sort of things I wanted to find out, and Clootie, that would be brilliant, thank you very much.

He's a polite person but a little frayed around the edges and it will be good for him to know that this kind of etiquette is still used.

Cheers.

[clootie]

pm'd you