When moving to a new country and researching it I often find many sources give a little "warning for women" section with a list of things that they may encounter that would be different in their home country.
For instance, for Japan they often warn women against "perverts" who may shout harassing things at them, molest them on trains, or expose themselves. It has been said if you are female, gajin, and go to Japan and do not get harrassed it is a miracle (and I guess I am living proof of a miracle because I have been to Japan five times and lived there and have never been harrassed).
As farang women in Thailand or Thai women who have been outside of Thailand have you experienced any changes in view or experiences you would not have had in your native country? Have you been shocked by something? Have you been overjoyed by something?
Is there anything you wish someone had told you before you arrived? And most importantly-- would you have believed them and listened?
As of mid August I am on vacation via traveling around the globe and I am not returning until the end of November (I have no Internet access until I return). Have fun!
I am living proof of a miracle because I have been to Japan five times and lived there and have never been harrassed
Is this a rant, or are you boasting? 55555
Neither-- it was my pointing out how stereotypes and things we are told to watch out for are not often true.
As of mid August I am on vacation via traveling around the globe and I am not returning until the end of November (I have no Internet access until I return). Have fun!
From what I have seen from Japanese people that I have had stay with us or met, they would be the last race of people that would conduct themsleves in that manner.
They are so polite, repsectful of where they are staying & courtious to every one that they meet.
Where did you get that information from.
I could not imagine the shame and loss of face (both personally and job wise) that a Japanese person would have to put up with if he was named and shamed in his local newspaper for carrying out what you have just stated.
The ones that I have met have been respectful to women, it sometimes puts the westerners to shame.
I would be very interested as to where you got this information and what is is based on.
Always Borrow Money from a Pesimist. "They Never Expect it Back"
chelsea wrote:I would be very interested as to where you got this information and what is is based on.
I got my information from various travel guides (online and books) and from visiting and living in Japan and talking to Japanese and non-Japanese women who have lived there or do live there.
However, do not take my word for it:
"But according to a survey conducted in Tokyo last year, nearly 64 percent of Japanese women in their 20s and 30s said they've been groped on trains, subways or at transit stations in the city."
As of mid August I am on vacation via traveling around the globe and I am not returning until the end of November (I have no Internet access until I return). Have fun!
chelsea wrote:From what I have seen from Japanese people that I have had stay with us or met, they would be the last race of people that would conduct themsleves in that manner.
Sadly, the way in which some people conduct themselves on an individual basis may differ considerably from what they do to an anonymous stranger. Likewise, I'd rarely expect this sort of behavior from a Japanese man someone knew on an named basis. Unfortunately, the possibility of "getting away with it" with a stranger whom you're merely stuck in close proximity...
It's pretty well documented what can happen to women on the crowded Japanese commuter trains, as some men take advantage of the (extremely!) close quarters to put their hands wherever they like. Western women, in particular, seem to be a favorite target since they are vaguely exotic to some "Sararymen". I've spoken with at least two women in particular that have had this happen to them.
Most of the english-language guidebooks warn of this kind of thing. It's progressed to the point that some Japanese train stations actually have signs up: "Beware of Perverts".
-- glitch.@#$%!
_______
"I want to keep you alive so there's always the possibility of murder... later"
Well, what surprised me about Thailand is how foreign women aren't harassed at all. Or at least, not on such a wide scale as in the West. A young single girl is bound to get bugged by men in the West. But here, I haven't experienced that yet.
I find it a bliss that I can walk on the streets without having some pervert eyeing me up like a piece of meat or bothering me.
What can be a problem here is that certain Thai males regard Western women as "easy". This does not apply to all Thai males, just some. Western women perpetuate this view by doing stupid things like walking through the town in their bikini tops, sunbathing topless, going to visit Wats scantily dressed, getting fall-over drunk etc etc
One of my friends took a night bus to Bangkok, where she worked, after spending a weekend here with me. She fell asleep & woke up with a guys hand inside her jeans & knickers. She screamed & shouted at him, but he just made out to the other passengers that she was crazy. Nobody did anything to help her & the guy was allowed off the bus at his stop.
I don't think this is commonplace, I've never had any real problems here, but I think every woman needs to exercise caution & be aware that bad things do happen in all parts of the world.
By the way, my friend was a very conservative dresser, she was wearing jeans & a sweatshirt at the time of her assault, so in no way did she "lead the man on".
"The question is not, can they reason? Nor, can they talk? But, can they suffer?" - Jeremy Bentham, philosopher, 1748-1832
pinksquid wrote:When moving to a new country and researching it I often find many sources give a little "warning for women" section with a list of things that they may encounter that would be different in their home country.
For instance, for Japan they often warn women against "perverts" who may shout harassing things at them, molest them on trains, or expose themselves. It has been said if you are female, gajin, and go to Japan and do not get harrassed it is a miracle (and I guess I am living proof of a miracle because I have been to Japan five times and lived there and have never been harrassed).
As farang women in Thailand or Thai women who have been outside of Thailand have you experienced any changes in view or experiences you would not have had in your native country? Have you been shocked by something? Have you been overjoyed by something?
Is there anything you wish someone had told you before you arrived? And most importantly-- would you have believed them and listened?
Hey Pinksquid
My wife adn I lived in Tokyo for a few years. We met them weekly. They're not fussy, they'll flash etc... at just about everyone.
We lived near a river and it was not unusual to see one old guy utilising his todger to try to 'machine gun' the fish in the river.
Its just one of the many weird and pathetic things that we experienced living in Japan.
Some good stuff from glitch there. Anyway to add my bit. I couple of things stuck out like a sore thumb.
1.. The information came from a travel guide. They get their information by surfing the web and making the odd phone call to a hotel. The only time where you see a represenative is if he/she is on holiday. The information is at best three years old at publication and possibly on subjects like this as old as twenty years. These are produced by marketing companies not travel journalists.
2.. The second is sexual harassability. A six foot Swedish Bird with 43 inch knockers and legs up to her armpits is more likely to be the attention of male harasser thane a little dumpy feckle faced student from Macclesfield.
Just another little point to add was that about ten years ago I was working in the City of London and above the regulation chalk stripe YSL suit I had to wear an overcoat in the winter. Everyday I had to use the Waterloo and City Line. We used to be packed in like sardines just to get us to our office for 9:00AM. In those days mobile phones wer about the same size as Thai house brick. I was squeezed up right behind a women in her thirties. For the seven minute journey she was continually looking round at me. I remeber thinking, "How can I move". I already have an umbrella stauck up my arse". When we got off the train I realised her concern. My phone was in the side pocket of my overcoat that in the melee getting on the train the phone had slid round to the front.
She must have been a dyke as any normal woman woould have asked me for my phone number. I wonder if something like that gets reported as sexual harassment by the wishful thinkers, the bored and just plain old attention seekers..
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chelsea wrote:From what I have seen from Japanese people that I have had stay with us or met, they would be the last race of people that would conduct themsleves in that manner.
They are so polite, repsectful of where they are staying & courtious to every one that they meet.
and
chelsea wrote:
The ones that I have met have been respectful to women, it sometimes puts the westerners to shame.
Chelsea
I think the noes you have met have been the exceptions to the rules (adn in Japan you ahve many rules).
Living there, I learned that women are most definitely second class citizens, and Asian women (like my wife) are teh lowest of the low.
Either you've met geniune very polite Japanese, or you've met them outside of Japan or their normal enviroment.
As I said in an earlier post, there are perverts all over Tokyo, I assume it must some kind of mental issue. There are many of them, adn they walk around normally, flasing at anyone, and nobody really seems to care.
IMHO the "dyke" comment says more about you than any woman!
Can we please try to keep off the derogatory comments in Women's Issues? (I have asked nicely see, "Guidelines for Women's Issues") After all, there are ladies present...
Thanks
"The question is not, can they reason? Nor, can they talk? But, can they suffer?" - Jeremy Bentham, philosopher, 1748-1832
Guess wrote:
Just another little point to add was that about ten years ago I was working in the City of London and above the regulation chalk stripe YSL suit I had to wear an overcoat in the winter. Everyday I had to use the Waterloo and City Line. We used to be packed in like sardines just to get us to our office for 9:00AM. In those days mobile phones wer about the same size as Thai house brick. I was squeezed up right behind a women in her thirties. For the seven minute journey she was continually looking round at me. I remeber thinking, "How can I move". I already have an umbrella stauck up my arse". When we got off the train I realised her concern. My phone was in the side pocket of my overcoat that in the melee getting on the train the phone had slid round to the front.
So your telling us you've got your mobile phone pushed up a womans f@@@y while you had an umbarella up your ass? Please keep this clean Guess and stop fantasising!!!!
Jockey wrote:
So your telling us you've got your mobile phone pushed up a womans f@@@y while you had an umbarella up your ass? Please keep this clean Guess and stop fantasising!!!!
Damn it, I knew I shouldn't have include the old and well worn dyke joke into an otherwise serious recount.
Anyway Jockey, pay attention, the lady, was standing with her back to me. The umbrella was made by Burberry BTW so what soes that make me?
[color=blue][size=134]Care in the community success story.[/size][/color]
see, "Guidelines for Women's Issues") After all, there are ladies present... 
