We live on base and on base you don't really need to be able to speak or understand Japanese. Some vendors in the Exchange stores do speak very poor English, and it is very useful if you can communicate a little in Japanese too. Some people working for Housing Office, in maintenance or such, speak Japanese, and poor English.
BUT, we don't stay much on base when Chris is off work, we go out and explore and go shopping in local stores, local Farmers markets etc, and then it's only Japanese and YEN as a currency that works. Some bigger stores do take dollars or even card, but many times it's YEN or nothing. We have had some fun times trying to figure out what labels say and how to ask for prices and where to find certain items. Luckily today, you can get a lot of help from your phone apps, there are many great ones that we use when we are out and about. Some that you can write your word/sentence in, and it translates in Japanese, some even with speaking - which is great and people are so friendly here, and with a smile and "Sumimasen" (excuse me) you get a long way! They are so helpful and take their time to help you out and we have always been able to get what we need, the "hardest" task was when we went to a local wood shop, to buy a wood piece to remodel Rusty's cage. We had to ask them for a thickness, and for them to please cut it into a certain way with the measurements, and it all worked out great! We even got more than we asked for, as we had understood that we only paid for the part that he cut out, but when we paid, we got the cut out part + the rest of the wood. So it turned out to be a really good price!
Something that still is hard is to try to figure out and to order from a certain menu in only Japanese. It is really a hit and miss if we like it or not. Sometimes it's not really that clear what you actually order, and with picky eaters in the family, we try to stick to things for the kids that we do know what it is. Luckily they eat rice, which you always can get with a meal here.
I had to smile though the other day at the playground here on base, two (very) young dependents were talking about the language barriers and that they thought how horrible and hard it was. That they only go shopping on base and don't want to "bother" with a lot of events etc out in town as it's just bothersome with the language. Their first PCS (Permanent Change of Station) and first time out of the country..
So sad for them, to be out here on this beautiful island that has so much exciting things to offer, and not take advantage of it! I can understand that we don't see it the same way as we are used to different languages, speak several languages, and have traveled more through the years, but I can't understand how narrow minded some people are.
Their loss- I on the other hand, can't wait to explore and get out and do things!! Learning a new language is exciting, sometimes frustrating - but still so rewarding!
BUT, we don't stay much on base when Chris is off work, we go out and explore and go shopping in local stores, local Farmers markets etc, and then it's only Japanese and YEN as a currency that works. Some bigger stores do take dollars or even card, but many times it's YEN or nothing. We have had some fun times trying to figure out what labels say and how to ask for prices and where to find certain items. Luckily today, you can get a lot of help from your phone apps, there are many great ones that we use when we are out and about. Some that you can write your word/sentence in, and it translates in Japanese, some even with speaking - which is great and people are so friendly here, and with a smile and "Sumimasen" (excuse me) you get a long way! They are so helpful and take their time to help you out and we have always been able to get what we need, the "hardest" task was when we went to a local wood shop, to buy a wood piece to remodel Rusty's cage. We had to ask them for a thickness, and for them to please cut it into a certain way with the measurements, and it all worked out great! We even got more than we asked for, as we had understood that we only paid for the part that he cut out, but when we paid, we got the cut out part + the rest of the wood. So it turned out to be a really good price!
Something that still is hard is to try to figure out and to order from a certain menu in only Japanese. It is really a hit and miss if we like it or not. Sometimes it's not really that clear what you actually order, and with picky eaters in the family, we try to stick to things for the kids that we do know what it is. Luckily they eat rice, which you always can get with a meal here.
I had to smile though the other day at the playground here on base, two (very) young dependents were talking about the language barriers and that they thought how horrible and hard it was. That they only go shopping on base and don't want to "bother" with a lot of events etc out in town as it's just bothersome with the language. Their first PCS (Permanent Change of Station) and first time out of the country..
So sad for them, to be out here on this beautiful island that has so much exciting things to offer, and not take advantage of it! I can understand that we don't see it the same way as we are used to different languages, speak several languages, and have traveled more through the years, but I can't understand how narrow minded some people are.
Their loss- I on the other hand, can't wait to explore and get out and do things!! Learning a new language is exciting, sometimes frustrating - but still so rewarding!
Again, I have to share a comic strip- fits perfectly for the young wives in the park....
