Japanese lies

As you may have noticed I always claim that the Japanese are lying about something or another. Well I'm ashamed to say I've picked up their habit without even knowing it. Although I call it more of an alternative truth than a lie. You see, I'm often in situations where my awful Japanese cannot compensate for something I have just said or done. For instance, if I'm kind of late for a meeting I don't really know how to say "I couldn't find the right line at Shinjuku and ended up taking the express instead of the limited express which I needed to take. So I got off on the wrong station and had to go back once". Instead I say something more acceptable to my ability, "The trains were running late". I would tell them the truth if I could. But sometimes an alternate truth is just easier on everyone. Including the poor Japanese person who has to listen to me blabber on. Anyway this is well and fine except the other day I caught myself telling somebody the story above. In English. To a native English speaker. I know. I immediately figured out what I was doing and corrected myself but still. Sometimes you just forget what language you are speaking and seek the easiest thing to say.


The sign says "Chikan (translated as pervert or groper) is a crime". I'm not sure what the lady with the folder and the man with his back turned printed NO on it has to do with groping on the train, but it makes someone feel better.

Other than that randomness, school begins again tomorrow. We have a week of finals/last classes and then spring break. I don't understand this system of having a break before finals and having finals and then having a 3 month break, but I'm only western. The only things I really should be worrying about is a 4 page paper on crimes of the Yakuza, in Japanese, and an 8-10 page research paper on phone bling in Japan, in English thank goodness. Other than that, just some tests that won't be anything like the teacher told us in review. The norm for Japan.