GAF Members In Japan?

NeoEdo said:
And on the language note. Before leaving for Japan everyone (mostly people that where awe struck when they saw they also had cars in my pictures I took......and to think I was working with engineers at that time.......) would tell me "Oh yea they all speak english.....I'll be damned if anyone spoke english in Tokyo. Hell I had this old man start a conversation with me while on the JR to Akihabara. He spoke perfect spanish, said he was studying, and asked ME where I had learned to speak spanish.......the funny thing is I'm half Puerto Rican, half Mexican (true Mexican FYI)....but considering I've lived here for 20 years, I'd have to agree the old man spoke better then me, haha.
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Yea IAWTP and all. Besides the english teachers at my school (and even then about 50% of them will never say more than a few words in english inside or outside of class), I've never had the experience in Tokyo or elsewhere of having a Japanese person speak to me in English. Sure I've had the occasional waiter that says "Smoke?" but a back and forth actual conversation in English is something I have yet to hear.

But then again I had a friend live with me during my Aichi-ken stay for a few weeks. He didn't know a single word of Japanese and at first I was afraid he wouldn't be able to find his way home or eat on his own. Yet when I had classes during the day he would wander off and go to art museums, meet people, and eat all kinds of food. So I guess the English speaking Japanese are out there, I just haven't met them yet ^^;
 
Kitsune posts at a semi-industry board I'd rather not point out to prevent loads of people from here suddenly invading there...

Sharp guy though...
 
DCharlie said:
So, who is next to come over and who is up for meeting up?

Lyte, when are you next over?
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My brother if that counts! :P

I'm picking him up from Narita on the 23rd and I'll be in Tokyo with him through the 26th and then again on the 29th. We really should have a meet up as those cheap lemon sours were good and free edamame + potatoe chips = :D

Also if people bring their PSPs it'll be the first time I'll get to try out RR in multiplayer ^_^! As I sadly don't know anyone in my ken whose getting one.
 
DCharlie said:
So, who is next to come over and who is up for meeting up?

Lyte, when are you next over?
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Not sure if I'd be coming back to Tokyo any earlier than if I make it into JET, and that would in late July 2005. I certainly would love to come to Tokyo for a week or two beforehand and just mess around, but I don't think that will happen...

If I don't get into JET this year, I'll probably figure out some other way to try to make it over though. :)
 
kumanoki said:
I'm up for meeting up in Tokyo...anywhere but Roppongi. Something bad always happens when I go to Roppongi.
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Seriously?

I stayed at a hotel in Roppongi, and at night I was carrying several thousand dollars worth of merchandise on a weekend - and yet no single hassle whatsoever. I thought it was cool. :D
 
Roppongi is cool for first timers, I suppose. I guess if you're looking for the quick hook-up with a skanky kogal or a drunken fight with three G.I.s outside of the T.G.I. Fridays's, then Roppongi is the place for you.

Hell, let's meet in Akihabara.
 
Hey DCharlie, did Hethspd ever contact you guys? He's been living in Tokyo for almost two months now, working for Microsoft's Xbox division.
 
Lyte Edge said:
Hey DCharlie, did Hethspd ever contact you guys? He's been living in Tokyo for almost two months now, working for Microsoft's Xbox division.
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Yikes, I hope the weekly sales figures aren't a painful site to see. =/
 
Vortac said:
Kitsune posts at a semi-industry board I'd rather not point out to prevent loads of people from here suddenly invading there...

Sharp guy though...
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QT3 is like GAF except with the pretension GAF left behind a while ago... and as anyone who's read Kitsune knows, he's all about pretension!
 
From what I've heard, he's working on things for the next-generation, so that probably doesn't matter to him. He's not allowed to tell anyone what that stuff is, of course. Leguna told me that he said something like "You simply wouldn't believe what I've seen...I wish I could tell you guys" last time he talked to him. :)
 
"Hey DCharlie, did Hethspd ever contact you guys? He's been living in Tokyo for almost two months now, working for Microsoft's Xbox division."

Nope - didn't hear a word from him.

Roppongi, never had any real hassle, although the number of G.I.s flew down following 9/11 - but even then, most were good humoured/roudy.

Only hassle i ever had was from 3 american kids because a) they had been drinking since 4pm and thought that they deserved some sort of medal b) they were horrified because i was wearing a suit. But it's a far cry from the North of England to say the least...

the biggest pain in the arse is people offering you a massage or the guys trying to bug you into going to their club - but as long as you have a good laugh with everyone, you'll be fine.

"Yikes, I hope the weekly sales figures aren't a painful site to see."

he can use the monthly Xbox sales figures to pick his lottery numbers....

14, 28, 33, 12, 22, 41

AWESOME!!!!

"From what I've heard, he's working on things for the next-generation, so that probably doesn't matter to him. He's not allowed to tell anyone what that stuff is, of course. Leguna told me that he said something like "You simply wouldn't believe what I've seen...I wish I could tell you guys" last time he talked to him"

It's amazing what plying people full of alcohol does... :)
 
QT3 = QUARTER TO THREE GAFFERS INVADE AND CONQUER QT3 AM CRY

fennec fox said:
QT3 is like GAF except with the pretension GAF left behind a while ago... and as anyone who's read Kitsune knows, he's all about pretension!
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What's his name on there? Still the same? I looked briefly and didn't see any posts from Kitsune in the game section.
 
DCharlie said:
he can use the monthly Xbox sales figures to pick his lottery numbers....

14, 28, 33, 12, 22, 41

AWESOME!!!!
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:lol :lol

Damn. :)


It's amazing what plying people full of alcohol does... :)
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So THAT'S how you guys always get the inside scoop!
 
Should be in Japan next summer, pending JET thinks my scrawny white ass is capable of teaching a language I barely hold command of.
 
rareside said:
Should be in Japan next summer, pending JET thinks my scrawny white ass is capable of teaching a language I barely hold command of.
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"...of which I barely hold command."

Dangling participles.

We'll, uh....we'll get to those later.
 
jiggle said:
What is this JET thing ppl keep mentioning?
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It's a program through which young native english speakers get paid an obscene amount of money to act as human tape recorders in a classroom setting. It also affords them the chance to sleep with nubile young Japanese schoolgirls.

Not the job for you. :D
 
JET is a program that takes qualified foreigners (i.e. they can talk) and lets them teach their language in Japanese classrooms.
http://www.jetprogramme.org/e/

I know lots of JET teachers, including a cousin of mine, and it seems like a great thing to do if you're in your 20s and have no idea what to do with your life.
 
I know lots of JET teachers, including a cousin of mine, and it seems like a great thing to do if you're in your 20s and have no idea what to do with your life.
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It's true...that's how my wife got over here. We came over right after we got married. Neither of us is JET now, but many of are friends are, and it's great if you want it to be.

The JET Programme will give you the chance to come to Japan. What you do with the time you have here is up to you. I've known JETs who go on to bigger and better things, I've known JETs who fell in love with teaching over here.
 
Been to Japan several times with a total of about 1 year there. I like living (relatively) near by in Thailand so I can make quick trips over to shop and "nampa". Debating on going this winter again, I hate cold weather, but I want to visit Hokkaido. Go figure.

Japan is not a place to go and just fuck around. Teaching english is not so hot also, you will be living "trife" on that salary in places like Tokyo. There are much better places in Asia to be a teacher but everyone is so hung up on Anime/Games/Japanese girls that they cant see the better options. I dont blame them, Japan rocks if you have the cash and connections.

See you guys around.
 
I was in Tokyo for 4 and a half years at Sega/UGA, didn't speak much at first but working with 50 Japanese teammates for over 4 years kicked that right into gear. Many of the gaijin I knew/know all cracked at about the 4-5 year mark, at least the Americans. Brits seem to get by much better, I guess the small wacky island nation thing with outrageous prices is nothing new to them. DCharlie and JohnnyRam seem to be still grooving!

I do miss it, and probably will live there again but preferably out of Tokyo, my wife is Japanese so I basically have a free ticket back whenever. Next time I would prefer to work at an American games company, or freelance for companies based somewhere outside the country, better hours and much better pay. Though the years I spent on Space Channel 5 and Rez were some of the funnest of my life!
 
"Though the years I spent on Space Channel 5 and Rez were some of the funnest of my life!"

LOL. I can remember you telling me where you worked in Ebisu and i started hanging out outside the building...

with binoculars...

in the bushes...

at night....

(well, not really, but i had no idea that's where Rez was "going on")
 
Never been there and dying to visit Japan someday...Perhaps this summer I can get enough money for a 3 days stay or so...It would be great.
I cannot say I plan on moving there because I see things very difficult, for now I just dream on it. It would be great though.

Glad to hear my spanish can be useful there :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol
 
Recent trips to Japan reminded me of a number of things I love there and miss nowadays.
Plus I've had the pleasure to meet some of the GA Tokyo gang, along with a lot of other interesting people. And I really thought JohnTV was an older looking guy for some reason :P

As for living there again - well I don't really have immediate plans(then again I barely have immediate plans for anything at the moment :\ ), but if SCEI or something came knocking I would probably be willing to reconsider :P
 
I've been to Japan three or four times, and studied at Ritsumeikan Daigaku Kyoto. I'm hoping to land a job there next year after I graduate, but even then I visit at least twice a year because of my girl (Japanese girlfriend is the only way to go). I'll be there this summer regardless of work to have fun and get hammered.
 
MrSingh said:
johntv's ballsac - tsuru tsuru!!!

Roppongi is awesome, I love it so much I go there almost every day!!!
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gaypacman.jpg
 
Haha. That was an awesome Pictochat session. Must do it again when we're waiting in line for PSPs Saturday night. :)
 
John you gotta bring your PSP when you come to Seattle for Christmas, I am dying to play Lumines and Ridge Racer.
 
Looks like I'm the only one in Osaka. I heard Tokyo was good for a visit but not to live. Before I came to Japan I specified on my application not to be situated in Tokyo - it just seemed too big. 8 million people in city limits alone with rest crammed into the surroundings areas.

I just want to be placed somewhere other than Tokyo; been there twice and I want to see how the rest of Japan is, and was taught/read/heard that the people in Osaka act differently than the people in Tokyo. I noticed that JET lists Osaka as a place that's hard to get into to anyway, so I doubt I'd get placed there.

That's getting way ahead of myself though. Right now I need to see if they ACCEPT my application.
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I don't know how different Osakan's are from the rest of Japan because I have only ever lived in Osaka but I've heard the same from students who come from other parts of Japan. The regional slang - Osaka-ben - is famous throughout the country. Next time you watch the Japanese dub of Shrek 2 listen closely to Donkey, he is using Osaka-ben. Osaka is a good place, the people seem genuinely helpful most of the time. My girlfriend was born and bred in Osaka and she is a lovely woman, so are the rest of her family. A little drunk at the moment - one of the perks of living in Japan is the karaoke and unlimited alcohol. I can't belive they had the Mighty Morphing Power Rangers theme song. :lol
 
Actually DC Rez was done in the Shibuya building before we moved to Ebisu, in Ebisu we did a game that got cancelled and Astroboy.
 
jkooXL said:
Actually DC Rez was done in the Shibuya building before we moved to Ebisu, in Ebisu we did a game that got cancelled and Astroboy.
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:O In the company of greatness. Must mention that SC5 + Rez are two of my favoritest games ever.
 
"How old are you guys, and how and why did you guys get the money to live there?"

... 29 ... i turn 30 in a couple of months.

Money to live here : I got made an offer by the company i work for now whilst in the UK. So cash wasn't an issue.
 
I'm 23 years old, living in Hyogo which is a few hours north of Kobe. But I'll be in Seattle for Christmas!

Blackace, you coming back to Seattle for the holidays?


EDIT: This thread is useless without pics. Some I've taken over the past year or so:

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-rp
 
Dammit, where are all of you Seattle people coming from, sheesh. I'll have to do some more clobbering for Christmas!
 
I've been living in Japan for a little over a year working at Sony in Tokyo. Next year when I get back from my trip back to the US I'll start a meet up thread...Anyone tentatively up for meeting in Shibuya/Shinjuku/Roppongi/elsewhere for drinks and a general meet up?
 
Cool thread.

I visit many Japan Forums online it is one of my favorite topics to read about.


Still people keep bitching about liking Japan because of Anime/Games/Girls...
I really hate to hear that when I say I have a love for Japan, though I do love Japanese Anime/Games/Girls.

I was born in Haiti so for 10 years I grew up in a very different culture from the U.S.
When I moved to Brooklyn New York it was a whole other world, I want to feel that feeling again someday and explore another culture. So before I die, I wish to study Art and Culture in Japan for a few years.
 
I'm studying Japanese in school right now. I've got one semester under my belt, and I'm signed up for another semester.

If I wanted to study abroad, how well would I do with a year of Japanese study?

I can read hiragana and katakana no probs, but we really haven't looked at much Kanji. Do people look down on you if you can't write Kanji?? I'm sure I would be ok at having a conversation, and I'm used to hearing spoken Japanese from like tv, movies, and J-pop.
 
1 year study abroad in the greater Kyoto area
2 years in Ehime (JET)
4 years in Tokyo
0.25 years in Kanagawa

Tokyo is great if you watch TV or don't mind living in a concrete room the size of your college dorm room. Almost all the famous stores and places on TV are in Tokyo. There are tons of great places to shop (for quality, or for low prices), lots of places to eat and drink and always something going on.

USE JAPANESE WHEN YOU GET HERE, otherwise you may never pick it up. It is best to have studied before coming. Asking questions about Japanese in your native language (at home) is easier than asking someone here, who might not know anything about the gramatical structure you don't understand.
 
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