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  1. #1
    Junior Member YAMA's Avatar
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    Thank you for your reply, Lexico-san.

    Befere I came to this forum, I have never imagined that asking "Do you have four seasons in your country?" is so offensive to some Western people.
    I myself usually ask this question to foreigners. Most of the time, it is for ice breaker, but sometimes I really have no idea about their climate when I speak to people from countries such as Sudan or Lebanon.

    I think the Japanese people feel the same sort of offense when asked
    "Do you eat raw fish?" with a superior smile from Western people.

    Fortunately, I have never asked this question in Australia, but when I traveled to Germany, I was asked this question and I was a little bit upset.

    Anyway,I agree that we have to know more about other countries.

    Lexico-san
    "Are you having fair weather in your country ?"
    Yes, we are.I love the sub-tropical climate in Brisbane.But sometimes it is too warm to me.
    "Are your four seasons exactly the same as what you've had in Japan ?"
    I arrived in here just 1month ago, so I can't say.But summer is similar to that of Tokyo's.
    "When does your spring, summer, autumn, and fall begin and end ?"
    Spring,Sep-Nov Summer,Dec-Feb,Autumn, Mar-may,Winter,Jun-Aug
    It supposed to be Autumn now, but it's still hot.30ŽI
    Have you experienced snow in Australia ?"
    Not yet.Maybe it will never snows in BNE.
    "Have you noticed what might be related to global warming recently ?"
    Before I came here I was in Melbourne,one day the maximum temperature dropped down to 13degrees in the middle of summer. I think something is going wrong in global weather system.
    "How is it going with you ?"
    I'm enjyoying my stay in Australia.Wonderful country!

  2. #2
    Twirling dragon Maciamo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by YAMA
    I myself usually ask this question to foreigners. Most of the time, it is for ice breaker, but sometimes I really have no idea about their climate when I speak to people from countries such as Sudan or Lebanon.
    First you say you ask this to Westerners, the you talk about Sudan and Lebanon. Anyway, it seems obvious to anybody who has seen a world map that Sudan is hot almost all year round (being partly in the Sahara desert) and Lebanon is forcedly mediteranean, as it is on the Mediteranean Sea.

    I think the Japanese people feel the same sort of offense when asked
    "Do you eat raw fish?" with a superior smile from Western people.
    ?? Where you asked if you eat raw fish by Westerners ? Do you mean, after you asked them if they can eat it and they said yes ?

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  3. #3
    –Ú˜^ Index's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maciamo
    First you say you ask this to Westerners, the you talk about Sudan and Lebanon. Anyway, it seems obvious to anybody who has seen a world map that Sudan is hot almost all year round (being partly in the Sahara desert) and Lebanon is forcedly mediteranean, as it is on the Mediteranean Sea.



    ?? Where you asked if you eat raw fish by Westerners ? Do you mean, after you asked them if they can eat it and they said yes ?
    I think he wrote that he ased this of 'foreigners', not 'Westerners'. In regards to geography, I think Maciamo that you are pre-supposing too much about what others may or may not find obvious when looking at maps.

    Asking non-Japanese about raw fish is justifiable I think, since eating raw fish is relatively rare outside Japan, especially Europe, Australia or the US.

  4. #4
    Regular Member cicatriz esp's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Index

    Asking non-Japanese about raw fish is justifiable I think, since eating raw fish is relatively rare outside Japan, especially Europe, Australia or the US.
    Ceviche, prepared in central and South America for hundreds of years.

  5. #5
    Regular Member bossel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Index
    Asking non-Japanese about raw fish is justifiable I think, since eating raw fish is relatively rare outside Japan, especially Europe, Australia or the US.
    Actually pretty common at least in parts of Europe: in Germany & the Netherlands many people like to eat Matjes, Rollmops or Bismarck-herring, which is salted or marinated raw herring.

    Caviar is pretty common, too. OK, that's only roe, not really fish yet, but quite fishy.

  6. #6
    –Ú˜^ Index's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bossel
    Actually pretty common at least in parts of Europe: in Germany & the Netherlands many people like to eat Matjes, Rollmops or Bismarck-herring, which is salted or marinated raw herring.

    Caviar is pretty common, too. OK, that's only roe, not really fish yet, but quite fishy.
    Get up on the wrong side of bed today?

    Relatively was the key word in that post. Two or three types of fish isn't really comparable to the varieties available in Japan.

    As an aside, rollmops and herring is common in Poland but it's not really considered raw in the same way as sashimi or sushi.

  7. #7
    Regular Member bossel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Index
    Get up on the wrong side of bed today?

    Relatively was the key word in that post. Two or three types of fish isn't really comparable to the varieties available in Japan.

    As an aside, rollmops and herring is common in Poland but it's not really considered raw in the same way as sashimi or sushi.
    Just on the way to bed now.

    I understood your previous post slightly different: "relatively rare outside Japan, especially Europe" as "especially rare in Europe."
    While I think, it's pretty common. Yeah, not as many different types, but if you go for that, vegetables/fruits are also "relatively rare" in Europe (compared to what my girlfriend tells me about China).
    You are right that Europeans very often may not recognise that they are eating raw fish, although they do. I sometimes heard people talk about Japan & how unusual it is to eat raw fish. When told that their Matjes is essentially raw, too, they often seemed a bit surprised.


    Quote Originally Posted by lexico
    I understand the Chinese also had the practice. But nowadays they don't eat raw fish. I don't know exactly when they stopped. Could be related to change in weather, pollution, or cultural change ?
    Don't know about Sushi-like stuff (can't ask my girlfriend, she's already asleep), but they also eat raw fish, though dried (like they do in Korea, too).

    They look down upon us Europeans for eating raw meat, though (oh, what a barbarian I am).

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