ALinTokyo Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 Hello everyone! Long time listener but new to the forums. I'm very happy to meet other like-minded people here. I'm originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota but evacuated to Japan about 13 years ago. I enjoy life here and now have a small family. I'll write more about my journey to voluntarism in the other thread but I basically discovered Stefan through the Peter Schiff Show and my interest in Austrian Economics. If any of you are in Japan, I'd love to meet up and chat. I also look forward to chatting more here in the forums. Thank you and nice to meet you all. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALinTokyo Posted June 2, 2013 Author Share Posted June 2, 2013 PS: I just remembered that Stef mentioned that there was a Japanese study group here on the boards. If I can be of any help or service to you, please let me know and I'd be happy to share any experience and knowledge I have in that area. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renza Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Hello AlinTokyo! [] I've been to Japan a year ago; a wonderful week! I'm trying to study Japanese (trying!!); I met some nice Japanese friends through the Japan Guide site. I'm following some Youtube channels like BusanKevin... Maybe you know "lindmejo"? I think I discovered him in this forum! [View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-BocRmMpPw] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasmlab Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Poor Peter Schiff! I was a frequent listener and the day after Stef guest hosted I completely stopped listening to Peter and now just feast on FDR podcasts. Peter probably never should've let Stef on. I still pay my $6 sub to Schiff and am still a fan. The day is just too short for both shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALinTokyo Posted June 8, 2013 Author Share Posted June 8, 2013 Hi Renza, Thank you for the video link and recommendations. If I can be of any help to your Japanese studies, please don't hestitate to ask. Cheers! Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALinTokyo Posted June 8, 2013 Author Share Posted June 8, 2013 Ha! Yeah, actually, I still listen to Peter's daily podcast which is the first two segments but I've been going through the FDR podcast from the beginning since discovering Stefan. It takes a lot of time, but I spend a lot of time on the trains here during the day so that's when I listen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magenta Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I'm originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota but evacuated to Japan about 13 years ago. How did you come to the conclusion of moving to Japan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepin Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Welcome to the forum. I will present to you an odd and random question: is it true that guitar is really big over there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALinTokyo Posted June 27, 2013 Author Share Posted June 27, 2013 It's quite a long answer so I'll try to be brief. After graduating from college and then working for two years in a call center, I just basically got sick of my routine and lifestyle. I was blackballed at work which was kind of a sign that I had to get out. I also had a few friends who were living in Japan at the time. I took a trip over there (here) on vacation for two weeks in May 1999 to visit them and I was just blown away at how exciting big city life was (compared to Minneapolis, haha) and how my friends were getting along and having a good time meeting new people and communicating in Japanese (we all studied Japanese in high school and then college). After returning from that trip, I was really pumped about the thought of living in Japan but still had a few doubts. It took me a month or so to get over those and I began applying for teaching jobs. I got an offer in July and was back in Japan in October 1999. I am half Thai actually, but my family has had a connection to Japan as my parents lived here for a few years a long time ago and we used to have Japanese students and businessmen homestay with us from time to time. Also, because I had studied the language, it was also a motivator to live in Japan to try and further that skill. If you have any other specific questions, I'd be more than happy to go into more detail. Have you been here or thought about living here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALinTokyo Posted June 27, 2013 Author Share Posted June 27, 2013 Welcome to the forum. I will present to you an odd and random question: is it true that guitar is really big over there? The odder and more random, the better! Guitar is popular here but I wouldn't know how to compare it to other places. I know of one district here in Tokyo that has a collection of guitar shops and I see people randomly practicing and performing on the street or outside of train stations here. In my classes and among the Japanese people I've met, there are quite a few who say they're into guitar. So, overall, I'd say yes, but there are many other popular activities as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasmlab Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 I'm curious about prices and living standards. My uneducated impression is that you live in a very nice 2x2 box, pay $20 for a thimble of tea, and have fantastic urban infrastructure that is sparklingly clean and well kept up. And it is bonkers crowded. How is it really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renza Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 .... and toilets are futuristic!! [] If I can be of any help to your Japanese studies, please don't hestitate to ask. Thank you!! Unfortunately I almost stopped my Japanese learning when I discovered FDR!!! [:O] (The most useful tool I found for me was Rosetta Stone) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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