I wrote a series of blog entries about applying for the Monbusho Scholarship, the first of which can be found here:

http://larsmartinson.com/how-i-got-the-monbusho-research-scholarship-part-1-of-4/

Those four entries pretty much contain all the thoughts I have on the subject, so take a look at them. Though I don’t know how useful they are for people applying outside the USA…

Anyway, good luck!
Lars

I am looking for Monbusho scholarship. I really want to be there in Japan and study about the culture. how can I get that scholarship?

I am a masters candidate in International Islamic University of Malaysia. My thesis is about the comparative literature between Malay and Arabic literates. My field of studies is Arabic Literary. But you know, I am looking for the new culture and literature and I have chose Japan as my next field of research (as I am a cray fan of Japanese songs and movies, hehe).

Can you inform me tru my e-mail?? please?

regards: Fatihah. ARIGATO’

I was being called ‘omae’ by younger friends from Tokyo shortly after I started hanging out with them, which left me wondering if I should be offended. Turns out they just don’t pay as much mind to such formalities.

I’ve also found that, while it’s completely weird for us Westerners not to use personal pronouns to begin sentences, they’re omitted from Japanese colloquial speech more often than not, or tacked on to the end of sentences as an afterthought, unlike the proper grammar we’re taught in classrooms. It all makes things very confusing, if you ask me.

Jitsu wa, sappari wakannai, ore wa.

Thanks for the comment! Very illuminating!

Yeah, actually I have noticed from time to time what you mention about the formalities being observed despite a clear lack of any actual respect; there’s a freshman at my school that is very diligent about using the correct form of address even as he relentlessly teases the upperclassmen.

And then regarding Ore, Boku, Watashi, Washi (the different ways for men to say “I”, for those that don’t know), yeah, that one still bothers me. In most cases, Watashi feels too polite, Ore feels too arrogant, Boku feels too childish, Washi is only for old men… nothing really strikes me as a good fit for me. I use a mix of them (heavy on the Watashi out of habit), but I’m never quite comfortable with any of them, and long for the simplicity of the English “I”. Maybe I should start using Jibun? Bah…

If you have any thoughts regarding the next installment when it goes up, yoroshiku onegaishimasu. Though I feel a little self-conscious about posting it now that I know someone who actually knows what they’re talking about is reading it. *Cough*…

Lars

Attaching -san for upper-classmates is simply just a custom. It absolutely does not reflect genuine respect. A popular freshman can easily be more respected than a dorky 4th year student.

The general public uses this custom just as a rule, but once you are familiar with a person, you can call them anything that fits. For example, my wife, who is 32, met a female business associate of mine, who is 42. She called her Tanaka-san at first. The two hit it off and have become friends, they go out sometimes to see movies and have coffee. Now Tanaka-san is just plain old Kaori.

Addressing somebody with a -san just means you grew up right. There was a bit of a fuss when the Kameda boxer family boys wouldn’t use -san for anybody. This is more of a reflection of their up-bringing than of any real respect issues. Most college students are smart enough to know that you can’t go around calling upperclass students with anything else except -san, unless you look like a punk tough guy or some kind of egotistical jerk (which is the best way NOT to succeed in the dating department, your next issue!).

As far as where you fit in, and this may come as a shock…you don’t. You never will. You may wind up staying here for 50 years, speak perfect Japanese and be able to fart Kimi ga yo in the sento, but you will still be outside of the cultural system. Once you start to wonder where you fit in, you may start feeling pissed off about things. You seem to be a real nice guy, but it can get annoying when you do make in-roads but you are still treated as if you just walked off the plane.

Of course, if you do stay here a long time, you will have your own circle of friends and maybe family and you will be treated just like everybody else. You may even be called Lars-chan if it works for you. I have many guy friends who prefer -chan, not -kun. Most folks just drop the

Once you figure this out, you next step is the whole Ore, Boku, Watashi, Washi and then Omae, Kimi, Anata, Anta. That is much more of a mind bender, in my opinion.

Anyway, I am starting to ramble now. I am sure you will figure it out.

Sorry for such a long winded comment.