Relationships / Drugs / Alcohol / Karaoke
Life Outside School
Relationships
- Be discreet. Appearances are more important than reality. If you have a lover stay over, don't advertise the fact.
- Remember that having a relationship with another foreigner will probably draw less attention than having a relationship with a Japanese person. If a foreign friend stays over people can tell themselves that it is just "gaijin culture". If a Japanese friend stays it is likely that the assumption will be that you and the friend are doing the funky wild thing. Be very discreet.
- Don't get your eggs at the same place you get your bacon - be careful in your own backyard.
- Don't sleep with your students.
- Don't sleep with your supervisor.
- Don't sleep with your supervisor's spouse.
- Don't sleep with your JTE (a JTE from another school might be okay)
- Don't, as one male JET did a while ago, tongue-kiss your supervisor in front of his wife.
Alcohol
Alcohol Drinking is a very popular past-time in Ehime as you will no doubt discover after having woken up a number of times face down on the tatami in your apartment following a "quiet few beers" after work. Small criss-crossed lines across your face are a small price to pay when considering the amount of negotiation, discussion, camaraderie and goodwill to be had when Japanese and alcohol mix. Some of your best "internationalization" will be conducted at drinking parties.
- Biiru. No explanation necessary. Kirin is usually regarded as the crappest of the local brews and is invariably the one you will find being poured into your glass at every nomikai.
- Sake. This is the generic term for all alcoholic beverages, not just rice wine. Nihonshu refers to rice wine and shochu (a brutish, much rougher relative of ye garden variety sake). If someone asks you "Do you like osake?" then chances are they want to determine if you are a pisshead or not. If they say "Do you like nihonshu?" they want to know if you can drink the local product.
- Atsukan. Hot sake. In winter, no other beverage can match it.
Karaoke
It is a fact of life, so embrace the institution of karaoke and clasp it close to your bosom. Learn a Japanese song for karaoke. Learn an English song well. And remember... How well you sing is not important - it is the fact that you sing that will be appreciated. So don't feel bad about murdering a Beatles tune, just get up and sing.
