☆ENGLISH ONLY☆コミュのthe best and worst memory or experience you had in the foreign country

I've had some pretty bad experiences, things like
seeing people killed but for some reason something
that happened when I was about 15 always sticks in
my mind. It's not even all that bad but a girl
who I had never done anything to, didn't even know
that well said she hated me. There was no reason, it
just came out of the blue.
I'm reasonably happy but for some reason I can't
think of anything I would describe as a "best
experience". I'll get back to you on that.

I had my "worst experience in a foreign country" here in the U.S. It's got nothing to do with pronunciation or grammar, though.

I was waiting at the passport control in the Sea-Tac airport. (I'd just flown back from Japan.) I had an H-1B visa (i.e. work visa) at that time. A Japanese lady was standing at the ends of the lines helping tourists and those unfamiliar with passport control find the appropriate line.

For some reason, she was very rude to me. As soon as she saw me, she asked (in very rude Japanese) if I was a student. I said no. She then asked if I was a fisherman. I was like "Huh?" Of course, I have nothing against fishermen. It's just the way she apparently stereotyped me that ticked me off.

So I just ignored her, took my passport back from her and stood in one of the lines for the non-citizens. She apparently didn't like my attitude. As my turn came, the bitch came over to the booth and told the immigration officer that "I was very nice to her" (sheer sarcasm).

What happened next is just unbelieveable. The immigration officer told me to apologize to that lady! She didn't even give me an opportunity to tell her my side of the story. She said she had the power to send me back home if I refused to apologize. To date, that is still the most ridiculous situation that I've ever been in.

Well, you know better than to mess around with the immigration office, so I broke down and apologized to her. I felt like literally crying. I still don't think I did anything wrong. I had to give in just 'cause I was on a visa.

It's been 10 years since then. Thinking about the incident still makes my blood boil up inside me.

My worst experience in a foreign country really isn't that bad... but kind of funny for other people. I'm a tall American guy, 6'4" (195cm, I guess), and I weigh probably 200lbs. Nothing in Japan is made for a guy my size. So last time I was in Japan, we were going to undokai for my nieces, and my mother-in-law buys this plastic picnic table like you see all over Japan. Well, I sat down on that thing at one point and the whole thing completely broke in half, sending me tumbling into a reverse somersault on the ground. I heard a loud collective laugh among the crowd around us. I can't blame them, but it was *really* embarrassing.

That day, I also got extremely sunburned, to the point I thought I might have to go to the hospital. It really hurt. I was beet red for the rest of the trip, which was also kind of embarrassing.

Other than that, though, that trip was fantastic. So I can't complain. Every vacation has these little hangups.

My best experience is probably the first time I went to Japan. I went alone and it was a business trip, but "business" at that point meant going to the Tokyo Game Show. The first thing I did when I got there was just go out exploring by myself in Makuhari. It was the dead of summer, it must have been 110 degrees (F) with 100% humidity, you know that real tropical weather that Japan gets in summer. It *felt* so different than the United States, I mean physically. I've been to other countries (Canada, Mexico, England), but that was the first time I really physically felt like I was somewhere unfamiliar. And walking around alone, on this deserted beach next to my hotel, I felt like a whole new world had been opened up to me.

Even now, whenever it gets really hot and humid, I feel like I really want to go to Japan.

Also on that same first trip, there was an Utada Hikaru concert at Chiba Marine Stadium that I was able to watch from my hotel window. That was pretty amazing, with fireworks and everything, and another experience that really made me feel like I was in a new place. We have big concerts like that here, and I've been to plenty, but obviously not sung in Japanese :)

They later turned that exact show into a DVD ("Bohemian Summer 2000"), and I swear there are a couple helicopter shots where you can see me watching from my hotel window.

(I was a big Utada fan for like 2 years after that, even though she's not anything like the kind of music I listen to.)

Worst experience for me happened this week.

I broke my wrist playing basketball in Tokyo. I just got out of the hospital this morning with 4 shiny new metal pins stuck in my arm.

but on the positive side the treatment i got was outstanding and it was funny trying to speak with the nurses in my broken japanese while they tried to reply in english. and having them fight over who got to sponge bathe me was quite amusing as well.

Sorry to hear about Die Hard's story... Too bad....
Unbelievable...

Also hoping Matto's wrist will be better soon!!
Are you on insured?? I hope so!! treatment in a foreign country must cost a lot....

Let me just tell you here about my experience about this matter now!! My turn!!

One thing was when I was in London, my friends (Japanese) (I'm also a Japanese!) and I wanted to go and buy some fast food, so we went there.( I forgot which burger shop was...)
Separately, we waited on a line and finally my turn came!!

I wanted to buy a vanila shake!!!! BUT!! I couldn't say the word correctly to a staff!!!
In Japanese... we don't distingish the sounds between B and V as you know, maybe.., so I just said ," A banila shake, please! making a stress on the first part, ba, like Banila, Banila!!

Then, a staff asked me... banana??
I said , no... not banana.. Banila!! and then I changed the stress point to the second part like baNila, baNila!!
But ...of course... still the staff looked puzzeled.., so, finally I didn't like a banana, so I had to order something else, chocolate shake, instead..., oh, no...
The pronounciation of chocolate is easy!!!

After that, I checked the word in a dictionary and then, I found out the correct spelling, vanila!!
OK!!! I see!!
I could learn the new word....

Well, I still have another funny experience, but... maybe next time.. It's getting longer now...

It's funny how many bad experiences come from not
being understood. Along time ago, I was at Bondi
Beach in Sydney which has a few icecream shops. There
was a young Japanese couple standing in an icecream
shop waiting to be served but they were sort of
standing back and people were just pushing in front
of them thinking they hadn't chosen yet.
I asked them if they needed any help and it turned
out they just didn't know how to order, so I asked
them what they wanted and ordered it for them. They
must have been standing there for 10 minutes.
My personal opinion is that Japanese tourists are
good customers and any shop who employed Japanese
speakers and put Japanese furigana above the English
menu would make a lot of money. I don't know why
more businesses don't do it. Especially tourist spots
like Bondi Beach.

MAtto

I've never relished the thought of having my arm broken more than after reading your post...

I'm from England and sometimes when I am out with Japanese friends, people serving in shops etc seem to purposely mis-understand their english pronounciation even though they are saying it fine. Even if you say 'BANILA SHAKE' I can understand you want vanilla not banana! banila doesnt sound anything like Banana! Its cruel and I dont know why they do it, but I'm sure they do do it on purpose. Dont be offended, its just England. So, being British... I'm sorry!

...damn do i need to get out of this country!

let me tell a very beautiful story happened in a
foreign country.I met him at shinsaibashi station when I back Osaka last Christmas...up to now,the memory is
still kept in my deep mind though we never see each
other in person after that...

for me,it's a completely big surprise,but i will
cherish it forever even it'd not easy to handle

I was in Malaysia a few years ago with some
friends. I hate travelling with people, it
drives me completely nuts. Anyway after 3
days of the 5 star resort experience I deserted
my friends and went into Georgetown for a break.
I got completely lost and at about 2am I found
myself in a not so pretty part of town.
A group of kids (around 20 years old) were
sitting on the side of the road smoking
cigarettes and as I walked past they all went
quiet.
One of them asked what I was doing and I
really thought they were going to kill me.
I had an umbrella and decided I would take
a few of them with me.
But it was nothing like that. They were just
being nice. When they found out I was lost
they offered me a ride home. There were 3 of
us on a motor scooter. A guy his girl friend
and me. I'm not a small boy and it was
quite a hair raising trip home. Around us
were about 6 other motor scooters all screaming
away.
I still thought I was gonna die but was quite
happy that if it happened it would be a traffic accident and not a fight.

I always think I'm gonna die. I was in New Guinea
a while ago and again had deserted my friends.
This time I had caught a bus to Boroko Markets.
Not too many white people there. Anyway, I was
walking through the markets when some gangsters
with metre long machetes and mouths stained red
from betel nut approached me. As they got near
they broke into the biggest smiles I've ever seen
and just said "hello" then walked off.

I have been to so many countries, and I think I had really good time there.

The best memory I had is when I was in England. I used to stay in England, when I was 23 years old. I made English friends, they are really nice. After staying there for 1 year, I had to go back to Japan. Then they held a goodbye party for me. I had a really good time with them, and I felt I didn't want to go back to my country.

So still now, I feel my secound country is England.

Don't think I've had my WORST experience yet, but last week on my Anniversary my Husband and I went to a freaking high class Japanese resteraunt (the kind that costs about 150 bucks for the cheapest plate). Anyway, he had made reservations a while back and the waitress spoke to him the entire time and had the nerve if I could eat fish. Grrr....why would we have made reservations?? On top of that, my husband knowing I freaking love fish asks ME in ENGLISH if I can eat fish.

KOKKO (#8),

Thanks for the kind word. It sure took me a while to get over that. I have a green card now, but I'm still afraid of messing with the immigration officers. I guess they call it a trauma. I may not be truly over it until I become naturalized...

Hi!I would write my worst memory in Canada.I went to Trontoto to meet my friend who had lived there two years ago,and I used the *** airline to Tronto. I arrived at the airport in Tronto,and was waiting for my baggage at baggage area. Though I had been waiting for a long time, my baggage was not coming!YES!! My baggage was lost by the *** airline!!! I complained about the problem to a staff,she said ﾞWe promise to deliver your baggage to you tomorrow morning". But actually I received my baggage 4days later.