For our Japanese readers : Things you should not say to Westerners

[Skipphead]

The Can comment has been said to me by some people who are quite smart and good in English. A few times, I've met someone who said "Can you eat..." and then corrected themselves with "Do you like..."

Although the "Can you eat natto?" question I understand as many people, Japanese or otherwise, can't stomach the stuff. On the other hand, I love it.

I asked my girlfriend about the 4 seasons. She said she learned a lot about the world from her well educated and internationally minded mother, so I can't at all say what is taught in school.

Maybe her fashion sense isn't very Irish, as I must admit I've never been to Ireland, but I know it's not very Japanese and those are the only two countries she's lived in. She is quite lovely, thanks.

[pipokun]

So the can story is just a story about the cultural difference in usage of different languages. For some, it is an offensive story, for others, just a small talk.

I asked my girlfriend about the 4 seasons. She said she learned a lot about the world from her well educated and internationally minded mother, so I can't at all say what is taught in school.

I cannot say anything about her mother. I sometimes notice something like "younger generation is different in Japan", but her mother is a great example, older generation is also different here.

If she had not been educated in Ireland or wherever outside Japan for all her school life, it is easier for her to tell you a bit about what she did in school, I suppose. I don't deny she met some stupid students believing in "4 season in Japan" in the past, but this is also the same in other countries except Belgium as in the provocative John Stossel's program, 'Stupid in America'. No Stossel here, but I often watch "Learn from the great Indian/Finnish or wherever education" here.