advice for company moving Japanese staff to NAS Pax

[slowlane]

Again, as a courtesy, I am copying an inquiry from another forum. http://www.city-data.com/forum/hampton-roads-area/2367952-any-japanese-families-chesapeake-area.html

As you see, a corporate rep. wants advice on relocating a number of their Japanese staff to work at NAS Pax River. (He has also confused Chesapeake Bay with the city of Chesapeake, VA).

I will reply and re-direct them to this forum, so he/she can read any responses you all care to make. Thanks in advance.

 

[BernieP]

oh this should be good...

Wait until the IT companies in Indian start moving their people here, 2.5 imported (visa included) IT workers for every one American.

 

[Beta]

Wow, this area could be a huge culture shock for them. If I were them I wouldn't go south of DC.

 

[Forkian]

My only advise to them.

Learn EngRish.

 

[BernieP]

My only advise to them.

Learn EngRish.

that's the problem, they probably speak better English than 90% of the people in SoMD.

 

[dgates80]

And it'll be actual English, as opposed to SOMD English.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Driving is going to be.....interesting. They will also be unaccustomed to the lack of things they most likely have at home.

 

[merc669]

And they probably will not be related to one another...

 

[PJumper]

Driving is going to be.....interesting. They will also be unaccustomed to the lack of things they most likely have at home.

What do you lack of things? The only problem is they're used to right hand drive vehicles and actually obeys the traffic rules, so I could imagine the confusion. The Japanese males love to have Karaoke party, so that might be a good thing to start if they do move here. They would also enjoy the cheaper food and US made products.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Good public transit, restaurant types they are use to, politeness, as you said Karaoke, shopping.

One request please don't stand on the toilet seats and crap on top of the toilet, it was a problem with the asian graduate students I knew in college as our toilets are very different.

 

[PJumper]

Slowlane, there's not a lot of Japanese families living here in SOMD but our organization, the Filipino-American Association of SOMD (www.FilAmsomd.org) have a lot of members that are retired from US Navy and have spend several years in Japan. We are more than happy to help them with the relocation. I tried to post a response in their forum but it's asking for a login ID.

 

[bilbur]

I would assume the culture shock and transition would be the same as if I or anyone else from here moved to Japan. An acquaintance of mines daughter moved to Japan and there was a huge culture shock but it has now been over a year and now it is business as usual. The biggest thing she complained about is when she arrived her hosts tried to set up what they believed was stereotypical US customs and she found that more annoying than helpful even though she knew they were just trying to make her feel at home. So my advice is not to try and set up things based on what you read as a cultural norm unless they ask for it because it might come off as being stereotypical and slightly racist.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

I would assume the culture shock and transition would be the same as if I or anyone else from here moved to Japan. An acquaintance of mines daughter moved to Japan and there was a huge culture shock but it has now been over a year and now it is business as usual. The biggest thing she complained about is when she arrived her hosts tried to set up what they believed was stereotypical US customs and she found that more annoying than helpful even though she knew they were just trying to make her feel at home. So my advice is not to try and set up things based on what you read as a cultural norm unless they ask for it because it might come off as being stereotypical and slightly racist.

I am interested in what these stereotypical US customs were that they had set up.

 

[bilbur]

I am interested in what these stereotypical US customs were that they had set up.

According to her father they had a TV setup with a recorded NY Yankees baseball game from the week before and a lunch with hotdogs and beans. They also decorated the room with US flags and had country music playing in the background. This was the last workday of her first week at her new job. Her father said they would do other things too but he didn't go into detail. According to him she doesn't even like hotdogs, baseball, and country music but she was polite about it and thanked them for their efforts. That is why I think it would be best to ask these people what would make them more comfortable here instead of just assuming.

 

[vraiblonde]

The OP doesn't say why these families are relocating. The obvious reason is that they work for a contractor that has a location here, but that isn't specified. It also doesn't say where in Japan they are coming from - Tokyo is not the same as some little bitty village, and their culture shock will depend on what they're used to.

Regardless, they are coming to live in a foreign country. Of course there will be things that are....foreign to them. They will learn to acclimate and get along just like any other come-here, right?

 

[dgates80]

Regardless, they are coming to live in a foreign country. Of course there will be things that are....foreign to them. They will learn to acclimate and get along just like any other come-here, right?

There is the reality that people are just... People. Sure, some different ways of looking at things and different customs and social norms... But a lot more in common than one might initially think. They would make awesome tenants I suspect!

 

[Hodr]

Good public transit, restaurant types they are use to, politeness, as you said Karaoke, shopping.

One request please don't stand on the toilet seats and crap on top of the toilet, it was a problem with the asian graduate students I knew in college as our toilets are very different.

Everywhere I have been in Japan, except for really old buildings, have a mixture of both western style toilets and squatty potties. I doubt very seriously that this would be an issue with Japanese visitors.

 

[vraiblonde]

There is the reality that people are just... People. Sure, some different ways of looking at things and different customs and social norms... But a lot more in common than one might initially think. They would make awesome tenants I suspect!

And while it won't be just like home (because no foreign country is) they will have several Asian grocers, not to mention nice big sections in Shoppers and Giant, to buy food that they're used to.

If they were going to Haiti or Jamaica or even Mexico, NOW you're talking about a major culture shock. Coming to the US shouldn't be such a big deal because we have stuff here.

 

[SG_Player1974]

Most have probably been to Hawai'i anyways. That is Japanese Disneyland so it probably won't be a shock at all. :shrug:

 

[Hodr]

And while it won't be just like home (because no foreign country is) they will have several Asian grocers, not to mention nice big sections in Shoppers and Giant, to buy food that they're used to.

For their sake I hope our international section has more of interest to them than your typical "American Foods" sections do abroad. It's like they believe the only things we eat are Pop Tarts, Marshmallow Cream, Pancake Syrup (not Maple Syrup), Lucky Charms cereal, and A1.