What is your favorite Asian nation?

[Lackadaisical2]

17,000 per capita? What year is that from?

Try 20,000 nominal (which doesn't mean much for living standards) and 30,000 PPP (which is your quality of life right there). Obviously no competition with the uSA, but its not bad compared to Japan or Taiwan (about 10% lower).

From 2009. It's what Google gives me anyways.

Well, 6% growth doesn't really cover the difference, must have been a large change in exchange rates... (the 20,000 is form 2010, obv.)

And looking it up, South Korea's PPP is $30,000, and Japan's is $34,000. Taiwan's is $35,000.

Yeah, thats pretty close to 10%... OK, maybe a bit more.

[Parhe]

My uncle and aunt(she married a japanese guy) owns a Japanese restaurant, and i love the Japanese pancakes, though i do not understand the name. I actually prefer Japanese food over korean food most the time, except for traditional snacks/candies and barbecue.

Japanese pancakes? I don't think I've ever tried them.

My uncle also runs a Japanese restaurant, interestingly.

I think both Japanese and Korean snacks are great, and I really like Korean barbecue, but I've never tried Japanese barbecue before.

Here are japanese pancakes that aren't really for breakfast. Every year we go to this Japanese festival in Dallas/Irving where they make it and I always try to win the goldfish game for there son, spoiled brat.

That's weird, I can't think of the word to use. But I think I saw you mention that before, or someone, on this thread.

its only because the only asian traditional snacks i like are teok and Korean pastries.

[Parhe]

I just realized something, I was playing fantasy tennis online before I came on here and now everyone left me.

[Arumdaum]

From 2009. It's what Google gives me anyways.

Well, 6% growth doesn't really cover the difference, must have been a large change in exchange rates... (the 20,000 is form 2010, obv.)

And looking it up, South Korea's PPP is $30,000, and Japan's is $34,000. Taiwan's is $35,000.

Yeah, thats pretty close to 10%... OK, maybe a bit more.

Yeah, I think the won's risen against the dollar, it used to be worth a lot less in 2009.

Japanese pancakes? I don't think I've ever tried them.

My uncle also runs a Japanese restaurant, interestingly.

I think both Japanese and Korean snacks are great, and I really like Korean barbecue, but I've never tried Japanese barbecue before.

Here are japanese pancakes that aren't really for breakfast. Every year we go to this Japanese festival in Dallas/Irving where they make it and I always try to win the goldfish game for there son, spoiled brat.

That's weird, I can't think of the word to use. But I think I saw you mention that before, or someone, on this thread.

its only because the only asian traditional snacks i like are teok and Korean pastries.

Hmm, interesting.

I don't really like tteok to be honest.
It's too bland for me.

[Soviet Haaregrad]

I just realized something, I was playing fantasy tennis online before I came on here and now everyone left me.

How's that work, anything like fantasy hockey/baseball/football?

[Parhe]

Well, 6% growth doesn't really cover the difference, must have been a large change in exchange rates... (the 20,000 is form 2010, obv.)


Yeah, thats pretty close to 10%... OK, maybe a bit more.

Yeah, I think the won's risen against the dollar, it used to be worth a lot less in 2009.

Here are japanese pancakes that aren't really for breakfast. Every year we go to this Japanese festival in Dallas/Irving where they make it and I always try to win the goldfish game for there son, spoiled brat.

That's weird, I can't think of the word to use. But I think I saw you mention that before, or someone, on this thread.

its only because the only asian traditional snacks i like are teok and Korean pastries.

Hmm, interesting.

I don't really like tteok to be honest.
It's too bland for me.

The only tteok I like are the little balls with the powder all over them, if you can even call them tteok, gae tteok, and the rainbow colored rectangle. Yeah, I do not know what it means

[Parhe]

I just realized something, I was playing fantasy tennis online before I came on here and now everyone left me.

How's that work, anything like fantasy hockey/baseball/football?

not sure how to describe it. I believe its Korean, but you can download it on alaplaya

[Arumdaum]

Yeah, I think the won's risen against the dollar, it used to be worth a lot less in 2009.


Hmm, interesting.

I don't really like tteok to be honest.
It's too bland for me.

The only tteok I like are the little balls with the powder all over them, if you can even call them tteok, gae tteok, and the rainbow colored rectangle. Yeah, I do not know what it means

Oh yes, those are actually good.

I hate plain old bland tteok though. I find it disgusting.

And the rainbow colored rectangle tteok is the best.

[Parhe]

The only tteok I like are the little balls with the powder all over them, if you can even call them tteok, gae tteok, and the rainbow colored rectangle. Yeah, I do not know what it means

Oh yes, those are actually good.

I hate plain old bland tteok though. I find it disgusting.

And the rainbow colored rectangle tteok is the best.

Basically I just eat tteok that is very sweet. I'm not sure why i like gae tteok though, its bland and too oily, but my parents always buys it at h mart.

[Arumdaum]

Oh yes, those are actually good.

I hate plain old bland tteok though. I find it disgusting.

And the rainbow colored rectangle tteok is the best.

Basically I just eat tteok that is very sweet. I'm not sure why i like gae tteok though, its bland and too oily, but my parents always buys it at h mart.

Ooh, me too.

What's gae tteok?

[Parhe]

Basically I just eat tteok that is very sweet. I'm not sure why i like gae tteok though, its bland and too oily, but my parents always buys it at h mart.

Ooh, me too.

What's gae tteok?

the flat circular tteok that is dark green in color. I can't find it online though. Hey I have to go, i have to take a practice SAT test for hagwon and have to wake up at six. Its already four, so GTG. See you tomorrow.

[Arumdaum]

Ooh, me too.

What's gae tteok?

the flat circular tteok that is dark green in color. I can't find it online though. Hey I have to go, i have to take a practice SAT test for hagwon and have to wake up at six. Its already four, so GTG. See you tomorrow.

Goodnight.

I think I sorta get what you mean.

[Amphetorphine]

Before I taught English in Asian countries, I also worked at a Toyota plant in Japan. Surprisingly, it was in Hokkaido, which if I remember correctly, is up north. A bit cooler, lots of land/farmland.

Japanese working conditions are brutal. Not in the way that your boss is sexually harassing you with an anime blowjob doll, but in the way that the exceptions are high. Especially when you work manual labor. They expect you to be punctual, take infrequent breaks and work hard constantly. Whilst that is corporate code anywhere, in Japan it is especially stressed. You work ALOT of overtime hours with no pay to get the work done. 8 hours aren't enough? Too bad. Shit has to get done. I remember there was a seminar where they were trying to make the work environment more "friendly". Even when I started working at a desk, the expectations were high. Yeah, the boss would stroll by and tell people to go home (It's required now at most jobs where you work full time hours) but they would still want you to get the work done, regardless if you're on the clock, working at work or working at home.

Regardless of that, the nation is very friendly and technologically advanced. I lived in an out of nowhere town, but everyone there was nice, especially when I was struggling to learn Japanese. There was one family who actually moved to Canada for a few years, so their youngest two knew english and spoke it without any accent. Their "R"'s and "L"'s were perfect, which is hard linguistically for asian speakers to pronounce. Although their parents always made fun of them because of it.

"It's cold outside dad, bad winter weather."
"Oh, the hell is win - T - er?"
"Uh, winler?"
"Oh yes! Well, better wear hat then"

When I taught english it was just a total riot. It was alot more relaxed, but tons of fun. I loved Japan. It had nice weather, cigarette machines, good food, friendly people. The recycling was fucking crazy. Although the houses were fucking nice and unless you're in the hardcore downtown core, there was alot of green lawns and pretty trees, fun shit like that. Also, being a tall white man, you attract alot of attention. Most people, except the neighbours, thought I was a tourist. But they were all nice about it. Everyone wanted to talk to me, I hardly ever got in shit. (Pulled over once, but the cops were so surprised I was white and could talk Japanese. We had a long conversation about so much random shit, he just bowed off, and let me go). In restaurants, I always got such good service. The waitresses would come back all the time to see how I was doing. (They're supposed to top off your drink, and when you're done, you just leave it topped off (Which is strange because the expectation is you waste NO food (but you can slurp soup loudly haha)) but they went beyond just topping it off). Chefs would come out to see how much I liked their food. People would ALWAYS try to sell me shit.

The only bad experience I ever had was trying to break up a fight between two kids from different schools. The one guy backed off, but the other guy kept in my face (Before I could speak basic Japanese). But a really old man came walking by and then everyone around left when, apparently (according to one kid) he said "Respect your elders, this man is a guest in our country and it is our jobs to treat him with dignity". That was fucking awesome, though.

I remember grading papers in my English class, when two jokers came up to me. They asked me if they could write their names in Japanese instead of English, and I said okay. So this girl came up and said, "Oh really? Well my name is really hard to write in Kanji. Can I have an extra 5 minutes to write my test?". It was fun rambling with these kids. I showed them a video I found of a Japanese comedian trying to learn english, and I've never seen people laugh so hard in their life.

I was also about 29 at the time, and one of my students was 24 so we went out drinking one night. He was extremely fluent in English so it was alot of fun really bonding with someone. All the beer there is rice beer, mostly, and rice wine (Sake). We had a couple shots and drank a couple beers and met some of his friends. I was so surprised he kept up with me. He told me "Yeah, man, Asian people can't drink because of some liver enzyme we lack... Or have? So we flush easily. I don't know, I think I have good genes so I drink well. Also, Japanese people make good whiskey. Speaking of that, let's get some..." I was surprised, the whiskey was fucking good. I've had nice scotch, but in Japan, they make good whiskey. I would have never pegged the Japanese for whiskey makers. They had some really delicious stuff. We polished off a bottle, and stumbled home. He passed out on a tatami mat and complained to me for weeks about a crink in his neck he got. He also bitched me out for having my mats in a bad layout. I also crossed my chopsticks when we went to dinner with some girls and he just laughed and told me to be careful. I accidentally called him Takeshi-Chan once and he laughed so damn hard. He also called me the 'Yellow mans white 'cwawker' slave' because bowed so deep to people, even children, which I guess I shouldn't have done because I'm older.

Same story in China, most people were friendly. Nobody talked politics, though. I had a really hard time speaking Chinese, ironically, I picked up Japanese quicker. Writing Chinese was hard as fuck too. I mean, I had some kanji down in Japan, but with hirigana and katikana, it was easier to read mail than to read traditional chinese in China. I lived in the city there as well, and it was hot as anything. I'm talking, one minute off the bus, and it smells like sweaty balls and you're wet as anything. Humid place. Although the countryside was GORGEOUS.

The last place I taught was in Korea, although I spent most of my time in Japan (7 years, 2 in China and 2 in Korea). S. Korea had a very nice and easy writing system, stacking was pretty simple once you got the hang of it. It was fun to speak. Again, good food. Everybody loved me because I was white, haha. I was two heads taller than most people. Korea was a beautiful place too. But I learned everyone I went that there is alot of animosity between some asian people because of wars, and shit that happened in the past. Although younger people don't care. But this one older Korean man was ranting about me spending time in Japan and China because "The Chinese never shower, they smell like piss, and the Japanese are assholes because they rape women and have dirty, imperialist intentions and dishonoured so many Korean people in the past".

God, this thread brings back memories. But I'd have to say, it's hard to choose. I loved Japan, China, and Korea. They were all great. I guess I'm biased towards Japan because I spent so much time there and the Toyota corporation employed and paid many of my family members. My uncle was high up in the Toyota American Branch. It was kind of shifty, because I didn't know really what he did or why I got transferred to Japan. Although the two years I worked there really helped me get a foothold on the culture and language, so it was super easy to start teaching English once I finished my degree and teachers college. (I did distance ed for the last few credits while I worked at the Toyota plant, and spent a year and a half, maybe more, at college before I went back). It was alot of work.

[Arumdaum]

"The Chinese never shower, they smell like piss, and the Japanese are assholes because they rape women and have dirty, imperialist intentions and dishonoured so many Korean people in the past".

My dad says that about the Chinese and my mom says that about the Japanese.

[Soviet Haaregrad]

"The Chinese never shower, they smell like piss, and the Japanese are assholes because they rape women and have dirty, imperialist intentions and dishonoured so many Korean people in the past".

My dad says that about the Chinese and my mom says that about the Japanese.

Always listen to your mother, she's right.

[Arumdaum]

My dad says that about the Chinese and my mom says that about the Japanese.

Always listen to your mother, she's right.

But...but... I don't think I'm Korean. Dx

[Drackonisa]

Corporal punishments are a good justification to use violence to eradicate that government. A few targeted acts of violence will make a government think twice about enforcing unjust laws. Once the scum of society (politicians) have had a few of their kind offed in carbombings they'll think twice about being tyrants.

I always liked the idea of getting canned better than spending years in prison, myself...

trust me, you don't. 2 strokes is enough to ensure ur sleeping on your stomach for up to a month. Your ass literally splits from the strokes, the scars last for life(unless you get a skin graft or something). Not to mention caning does NOT come at the expense of your jail term.

[Drackonisa]

I always liked the idea of getting canned better than spending years in prison, myself...

To be honest, it has more to do with the things that will earn you a caning over there. I'd probably be on the fence between prison or asswhooping if I had to choose, but that doesn't make me think the state has the right to order beatings either.

Lets see, sexual offences, assault, repeated housebreaking, armed robbery, living or trading of prostitution(pimp) all nets the caning penalty. I don't see how these guys shouldn't be flogged. Anyways, you don't get to choose whether or not to be caned, the judge decides. More likely than not you will get both.

May i inquire why the state has no right to order corporal punishments? I do believe every country has the right to decide their own laws and punishments right? For example, some have death penalty, others don't.

[Soviet Haaregrad]

Always listen to your mother, she's right.

But...but... I don't think I'm Korean. Dx

Neither am I.

[Soviet Haaregrad]

To be honest, it has more to do with the things that will earn you a caning over there. I'd probably be on the fence between prison or asswhooping if I had to choose, but that doesn't make me think the state has the right to order beatings either.

Lets see, sexual offences, assault, repeated housebreaking, armed robbery, living or trading of prostitution(pimp) all nets the caning penalty. I don't see how these guys shouldn't be flogged. Anyways, you don't get to choose whether or not to be caned, the judge decides. More likely than not you will get both.

May i inquire why the state has no right to order corporal punishments? I do believe every country has the right to decide their own laws and punishments right? For example, some have death penalty, others don't.

States have no rights at all, including the right to exist.

[Arumdaum]

But...but... I don't think I'm Korean. Dx

Neither am I.

Yes, but my mom always tells me I'm Korean even though it's not true....

[Venezuelu]

I would think Singapore is a good country to live in. Very low crime rate, environmental levels are above average & a good, robust government administration.

But recently, there has been a huge influx of immigrants that have really diluted our national identity as a whole. Everywhere I go, I see at least 15 people who are from mainland China or India, whether be it on a public bus or a train. If I'm not wrong, the ratio for every Singaporean to an immigrant is 3:1 right now.

Even other Asian countries are sitting up & taking notice of Singapore's policies & governance style, be it in a positive or negative fashion. This is what drives other Asian countries to be better. By taking a look at other neighboring countries and thinking "hey, I can be just like that if my administration & people put in the effort and resources needed to achieve that."

[Lykosia]

What i find surprising is the fact that countries such as Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, are on the list; whereas Indonesia, the fourth or fifth largest country in the world (if i recall correctly), with over 250 billion population, and is the largest national economy in Southeast Asia, is not even there on the OP's initial list.

But then again, i guess it reflects the fact that not a lot of people have heard of Indonesia in the first place. =P

Well, Indonesia kinda sucks anyway.

That because many of the foreign peoples only sees Jakarta & Bali, which are just the small portion of the country. I bet you never go to Bunaken Island, Mount Bromo, Lombok or even Yogyakarta.

My advice: Never go to Jakarta, except if you are a mall-goers

[Drackonisa]

I would think Singapore is a good country to live in. Very low crime rate, environmental levels are above average & a good, robust government administration.

But recently, there has been a huge influx of immigrants that have really diluted our national identity as a whole. Everywhere I go, I see at least 15 people who are from mainland China or India, whether be it on a public bus or a train. If I'm not wrong, the ratio for every Singaporean to an immigrant is 3:1 right now.

Even other Asian countries are sitting up & taking notice of Singapore's policies & governance style, be it in a positive or negative fashion. This is what drives other Asian countries to be better. By taking a look at other neighboring countries and thinking "hey, I can be just like that if my administration & people put in the effort and resources needed to achieve that."

Indeed, every other person you see on the street is a tiong. But i highly doubt our friendly neighbours will ever achieve singapore's success. Too much corruption in the region(Phillipines,msia, Indonesia). If you took the causeway to JB confirm you kenna some tps asking you for kopi money. Not to mention the abandoned buildings in jakarta. Seems they leave like half the buildings as skeletons(apparently the contractors were so corrupt the building funds ran out, haven for gangs and druggies) there the last time i visited.

[Rambhutan]

I don't understand why I would have a favourite Asian nation.