Maciamo posted
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Same for going out; people go out with their friends (and especially girl/boyfriend) not with coworkers.
Possibly, though it is much more flexible in America, the going out with coworkers; if you want to do it, you might, but if you just feel like leaving work to do your own thing, it's cool. An Englishman mentioned the same thing to me, that in English people didn't generally go out with coworkers.
Mike Cash posted
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The fact that he basically let some little kids saying "gaijin da!" run him out of the country after a very brief stay sort of takes the wind out of the sails of anything he may have to say regarding permanent residency and one has to wonder why he still wears (or ever wore) that visa as some sort of badge of honor.
Maciamo posted
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You never miss an opportunity to badmouth me, do you ?
Mike Cash posted
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You consider a statement of fact badmouthing?
Hmm, the impression I get here is that you are glossing over a lot of Maciamo's other experiences in Japan as the 'dame' kids were a small part of what he related. As to it being a badge of honor, yours is a matter of opinion, hardly a statement of fact.
Gaijinalways posted
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Thanks Mike, that was much clearer. would like to add though that I said my wife also, who is Japanese, wants to leave as well.
Mike Cash posted
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I noticed that. It is irrelevant to my point, though. That you want to leave is not.
I think it's very relevant as people carry different travel docuements, but can choose to live where they wish, my wife and I included. The permanent resident status is similar to being a resident alien in the US.
Gaijinalways posted
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I think you are misreading the meaning of 'permanent residence'.
Mike Cash posted
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I am not misreading it in the slightest. I am a permanent resident. I reside here permanently. You and Maciamo are/were "permanent" residents. One of you has left and the other wishes to leave. The both of you have permanent resident visas, but you are not permanent residents. Perhaps in the sense that a permanent wave is "permanent", but that's about it.
Gaijinalways posted
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It implies that we often have a slightly more invested interest in what goes on in the country, because of family, length of stay,etc.
Mike Cash posted
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While either not actually residing in Japan, or planning to not reside here permanently.....
I am still residing here at the moment. Just to add to that, what's permanent is very much a matter of perception.
Actually, it is indeed more than that as I am planning to adopt my wife's family name (forget the exact term in Japanese). In other words, I would be eligible to inherit property from them directly, which at the moment I can't. That seems to be a pretty permanent link to me. In addition, my in-laws plan to retire in Hawaii near us, so I expect my link to that part of Japan will remain for some time to come:wave: .