For varying reasons i am to travel to Japan in the not so distant future. I've heard horror stories about how foreigners (gaijins) are treated with much prejudice or what not. Some say it's cool in the big busy towns where all kindsa folks are used to being seen by the locals all day. And not so pretty stories about japanese only places and derogatory wordbashing on the streets, or something like that.



Now i don't know what to expect. I am kinda used to doing whatever i want, minding my own business and i have to admit i am not the best on etiquette or politeness, kinda lacking to be honest hehe. <img src='http://www.halvsie.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

My common sense tells me its like here like anywhere else, ya know. My mind is telling me i shouldn't be expecting a fine tea party at the royal court of england or something to the tune of that. That's nonsense, right?



I would like to hear some advice or experience from seasoned halvsie travelers. Tell me about your time in Japan, how it was like, do's or dont's, or whatever. Just talk.

it was good while it lasted

Who are you going to support? and which events are you excited about?



Olympics:

Nadeshiko Japan



Paralympics!:

I'm going to be seeing Ito Tomoya race (friend of a friend) as I've got tickets! can't wait <img src='http://www.halvsie.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

I heard it again last night at a Japanese Food Court in Gardena. My order of tonkatsu is ready. I go to pick it up and the server asks me if "chopticks are OK?". I told her that I can use hashi and that my pop was a nisei. This is so frustrating but it has happened all of my life. White people see me as Japanese. Japanese people see me as Hakujin. It is all part of being halvsie. Shikata ga nai desho.

or get dreadlocks, or go for any Western/non-Asian hairstyle, for the love of God, please stop!

If you were to pick out the best thing about being a Halvsie, what would it be?

For details follow the link [url="http://mayaplanet.org/eng/about"]http://mayaplanet.org/eng/about[/url]

Conditions of Contest:

The Organizing Committee of the "Maya" project will receive works based on real events on its official e-mail address:mayaplanet.outofdrug@gmail.com in 4 categories: videos, photography, drawing and confessional story. The contest accepts anti-drug works that reflect the vision and understanding the seriousness of the problem by the participants. Any person who has reached the age of 10 years and who is not indifferent to the problem of drug addiction can participate in the contest.



Technical requirements for entries:



For video: video format FLV, AVI, MPEG.

For photographs and drawings: the files in JPEG format.

For text works: story of no more than ten A4 pages printed in 12-m font size.



The contest works authors will be presented to money awards and prizes valued in accordance with the nominations. Nomination Place Money Awards Additional prizes Video 1st place 15 000$ Ipad 2, book «Fatal red poppies» 2nd place 10 000$ Ipad 2, book «Fatal red poppies» 3rd place 5 000$ Ipad 2, book «Fatal red poppies» Photo 1st place 10 000$ Ipad 2, book «Fatal red poppies» 2nd place 5 000$ Ipad 2, book «Fatal red poppies» 3rd place 2 000$ Ipad 2, book «Fatal red poppies» Drawing 1st place 5 000$ Ipad 2, book «Fatal red poppies» 2nd place 3 000$ Ipad 2, book «Fatal red poppies» 3rd place 2 000$ Ipad 2, book «Fatal red poppies» Confessional Story 1st place 5 000$ Ipad 2, book «Fatal red poppies» 2nd place 3 000$ Ipad 2, book «Fatal red poppies» 3rd place 2 000$

Ipad 2, book «Fatal red poppies»

Hangs next to my entry door. Yesterday somebody ripped the paper talisman from it so I made a new one....





It says "Do not mess with my wind chime...."

Ohisashiburi~~~~~



So, one of my coworkers writes j-pop lyrics as a side job and does translations every once in a while. She's been asking me to help out on a few songs, and this one came down the pipeline and she knew that it was one of my favorite songs, so I volunteered to translate it. The singer, Beni, is basically doing English covers of famous Japanese songs... and I couldn't say no to this one. It's not *all* me (my coworker and I went back and forth with rewrites), but good enough! Not sure if I'm going to get any credits on it, though... Oh, and I did the "guide vocals" for the artist, too (meaning, I recorded me singing the song so she would know how the words fit the melody.)



Here's the preview! It goes on sale 3/21...



http://youtu.be/XTKj4EQIgbQ

Today I go to visit a small business in Los Angeles County that is run by a Japanese American couple. I have never worked for a business run by JAs before. The last time I worked with a Nikkei was over 30 years ago. I am not sure if they are nisei, sansei, yonsei. or shin-nisei, etc. But I think the interview will be culturally unique. They see my last name and they may be surprised by my appearance.