Awww. I can see from your body language and wording that you have become very "Japan-ized". I am so glad you are doing well here. You should work as hard as your husband works. Even if it's not paid work, the house still needs cleaning and food needs making. I think he is a great person for offering to help if you start working. You should hold on to him, he sounds like a nice guy.
@HannahInJapana thanks 4 answering me/every1 questions. by the way i thought u left a comment on my comment at "challenges i face living in jap" vid... just curious why is it gone? :)
@MacrobioticGeorge My reply to Ellie telling me everything is alright was "lol yeah" and I realized that the reply came up right after the other question you asked which was "have you ever been groped" (which I thought was a little inappropriate) and under that question it said "lol yeah" The placing was akward so I erased it sorry! And no I have never been groped on a train. I will put up a different reply that doesn't read weird how's that?
I also understand even if you stay at home, sometimes it's hard to prepare dinner on time every day - thinking of the menu, preparing it, etc. And housework is something that's not visible no matter how much work you put in it.
I totally understand the part where you would make good dinner because you're staying at home, not because you're a woman. I think it's a misunderstanding. At the end of the day, the reason why your husband said you have to make dinner because you're a woman is because culturally women stayed at home normally in Japan, I have a feeling he didn't mean it in a sexist way, and eventually he meant to say the same thing that you were thinking.
You are doing so well. I bet if you asked your mother in law to teach you to cook she would love it. At the same time ask for help with your Japanese. I think it would mean a lot to your husband and his family if they see you are working hard to blend. Take care.
@cheskydivision Actually my mother-in-law has taught me a couple of my favorite recipes ^_^ and some weird old Osaka ben words like "kamahen" (like it don't matter)
Nice video, you are honest and caring girl I can tell! But I hope you are wrong about Japan becoming more like America, would be too bad for such traditional and historically rich country to get ruined like that!
@HannahInJapana Thank you so much for replying to my comments! I would love to visit Japan, especially in the spring when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. Does it look like it's snowing when the cherry blossoms fall off the trees? Is it hard to learn Japanese? I would like to learn but I find that trying to figure out the pattern in the Japanese alphabets (katakana, hiragana, and kanji) so hard to figure out!
@YukiMigoto Yes I can speak fluent causual Japanese because that is what I speak with my husband (he doesn't speak English). I do not however speak very good keigo (polite Japanese) and I wouldn't say my Japanese is perfect by any means. I can speak to anyone I am to encounter throughout the day and understand about ... 80% of it. I can understand 99% of what my husband says but he kind of avoids words he knows I don't know. Technical terms the doctors and such use are difficult.
WOW!! Amazing video!!! When I was ten my family and I moved to Singapore and lived there for a year and a half. It was a whole new experience for me. Like I tried foods that I have never tried, and it was more crowded than I was used to. It was hot too>__< But what I got from living in Singapore is a love for Asian culture, especially Japanese! I dont know why but the culture of Japan enthralls me!! I have heard about Japanese men treating there wives differently than in America.
@YukiMigoto Wow it must have been really cool to live in Singapore. You are lucky to have had that experience. It is different in Japan than America but pretty everything is different. I can't even begin to explain you should come and see ^_^
I'm married to a Japanese woman, and I have always thought that foreign women married to Japanese men had it a lot tougher. I still think so. I think it's tough either way, but there is just so much more expected of the woman in a Japanese relationship than the man. In my opinion. I've had it pretty easy in regards to family expectations. Good video.
I am happy with my Japanese fiancé dong the dishes, but I agreed since it was cultural reasons, I will wash dishes, laundry, clean and I am good at cooking...but a lot more to learn ((ESP from him mama)) because I was successful at cooking nikujaga and others on my own, but he loves his moms cooking too.
I remember I had asked my host mom once when I was in kyoto how much house work she did b/c I honestly did not think that she slept.. and she told me that she had 4 hours of sleep every night and the rest of her time was spent taking care of the house and cooking. I thought that was crazy!
Hi Hannah, I'm watching lot of videos on your channel, I can so relate to so many experiences you are having... I lived with a host family for two years and I saw how my ostousan treated my Okasan, and this happend in few families.... after work they both come home and my otousan just sat down in the kotatsu and waited for his beer/ meal until my okasan did everything...and it was bit strange at first but I got used to it....
I so envy you for experiencing a whole new different culture, and the Japanese that is! I'm so fascinated with anything asian and the whole asian culture. :) I'm even planning on living there one day,.. i mean I hope so.. -_-
PS: ADORABLE BABY! :))
oh and btw, how long have you been living there and was it hard to learn the Japanese language?
Ya, I wouldn't worry a single bit! Ellie will picu up Japanese no matter what. So just be consistant talking to her in English 24/7. BTW, I wonder how exipensive it is to send a child to an international school?? いろいろと文化、言葉、食べ物、そして環境が違うと大変でストレスもたまるでしょうが影ながら応援させていただきます。
In the UK all health care is free! Dentists, and most orthodontics too, everyone should have an NHS. if the UK can do it I'm pretty sure the US and Japan can too, well what do I know
@simplyshama In Japan health care isn't free but it is WAYYY cheaper than America. THe government pays for most all of Ellie's doctors appointments and vaccinations and medicine, sometimes I only have to pay like $6 or something.. My husband work provides insurance too so I have no complaints really about Japanese health care.
@HannahInJapana honestly Japanese healthcare system for me is the best!! cheap, efficiant ! in Australia we pay huge amount of taxes and still the health care system is expensive.. we for extras...like dental...
Hello! I really like you video. I'm also a house wife in japan but we do not have kids now.
My friends back in germany used to ask me if its ok for me to be the typical housewife which is cooking dinner and it sound for them like I need to do it bcuz I'm a woman. But I explain them,my husband and his family that I am ok with it cuz i NOW dont have a job.Not bcuz I'm a woman. Thats really important to make clear over here! Anyways, respect to you that you did this step in a realy young age.
@agrodolce33 Yeah unfortunately I do see a lot of inequalities around me but I guess what is important is that you establish the rules and normality between you and your husband. My house is kind of like the middle of America and Japan.
o.o where are you from this is everything they did to me in america im mexican and they wanted me to wear 3 like a jacket a thermal and like and long socks and idk what else if not i get screamed at and im talking about a warm/ windy night
@vVCantTouchThisVv Really that's so weird! I am from michigan and all the books and stuff I read from America said that you should allow your body to be at a comfortable temperature for you and thus the baby. I Japan even when it' hot they want you to wear warm clothes!
@NANNIN78 Yes it is important to surround them at a young age with English or in your case Japanese.I try to show Ellie kids shows in English.She understands me better than my husband because we are together more often. She can say more English words than Japanese. I am not worried about her Japanese cuz we live in Japan and she will learn that naturally. Once she enters day care I hope to put her in an international school. It's too bad you don't have an Japanese community around you.
When you talked about the expectation on meal, I thought " gee, I was pretty much like that" which is expecting a full corase meal..( Since we moved to the states, I've gotten more flexible!). Sorry to go on and on about my opinion, but my question is this: how are you guys making out to raise a bilingul child? I was just wondering and I'd appreciate it if you could give your experiance there in Japan. Thank you!
@NANNIN78 Honestly I haven't really put too much thought into it. I just speak to Ellie in English when we are together (except sometimes when I scold her I do it in Japanese .. dunno why) and when her dad is around I speak to her in Japanese only when I want him to hear what I am saying to her.. He only speaks Japanese to her. So I am English and she is Japanese. I am not to worried about it because I know people in other countries are raised trilingual and sometimes more!
Hi, I'm a Japanese male living in CT, USA married to an American woman for ten years with two kids 7 and 5. First of all thanks for your video. Your perspective of life and experiance in Japan is interesting and you remind me of my wife how she thought or used to say about Japan and its culture and all of that. continues to next post
It was interesting to hear your story! I am asian and have so many cultural issues with my white/caucasian bf lols, it's so difficult for him to understand some things about my culture and traditions. Personally, I am a conservative person and my bf is so used to saying such things as "I love you", and if I don't say it he thinks I don't feel the same lols. Although I don't blame him haha... sorta haha (jkjk), I hope that things are going well for you and thanks for sharing!~
I understand some of the things you describe. My mom is Japanese and dad is American. They would fight about some things that were culturally different. ( They are sitll married though --32 years and going) Itotally understand about you growing up fast being a mom because I couldn't cook either when I got married. However we have to eat 3 times a day and you will become a great cook with experience. I've been married 11 years and can cook pretty well now. Get books from the library/internet..
@bigbuggie5 and ask what kinds of meals your husband likes and practice. I couldn't even tell you how many meals I burnt..YOu learn so much from your mistakes. Just don't give up =).
@VibrationsDrawn Thanks Kurt. Yeah I am glad Tsukky is adaptive and understanding. Yeah old ladies are always talking to me. I actually like old ladies but the mid-life crisis age.. I feel like they are very opinionated on how to raise kids. Old ladies just ooh and awwe at Ellie.
Is studying abroad in japan worth it? I'm 17, still in highschool. I don't really have any plans so far as to my future, I'm thinking either about going into college or going to college and studying abroad. The only problem with that would be money. Another option I'm considering is the military, not sure about that either. Are there scholarships for studying abroad programs? Also, was it hard? I agree culture is definitely important, it's the leading factor influencing our environment.
@MrVontar Yeah it is totally worth it! You should definitely study abroad, it was one of the best experiences for me as a 17 year old! Go to college! I got a scholarship in Japan. If you find a college with a sister-ship to a Japanese school you can most likely get a scholarship. Mine payed for (if I remember correctly) all my Japanese class fees and gave me I think over a thousand dollars a semester for living costs, my dorm fee I believe was also covered. I can't remember but do it!
I get you, I'm married to a Japanese woman and in Japan. But I think being married to a Japanese guy is harder, as they are raised to be the boss and do nothing.
@digwillhachi I'm guessing your right about it being harder for a women being married to a Japaneses man, but as for the being the boss thing, thankfully my husband isn't like that.
@HannahInJapana I think being a bossy thing is just an individual preferences. I'm Asian and I've seen wifes boss their husband around more than a husband boss his wife. And your husband looks like a really nice person :-)
@kienez Yes, I think your right. It depends on the person. My husband is very nice and understanding. Thank you. I am glad he is helpful with raising Ellie. He of course plays a very significant part in her life and is not at all an absent father.
This was an excellent video (all of your videos are - see new subscriber Maxwell S Hunt ... we have been watching Ellie's development as she is a little older than Max). Thank you for sharing your experiences and information on what it is like to raise your baby in Japan.
@viralmarketingmom Thank you. I am really glad you are watching my videos. It makes it all worth it! I will try to make more videos, sorry just been so busy with weddings and family events lately it's hard to keep up!
What about pain medication taken during labor? I know in the states its very easy and encouraged to get an epidural. In Japan, they dont give as many epidurals or pain relief medication during labor. Oh, I had the old ladies try to tell me how to dress in Japan lol... not about kids cause i dont have any but about other stuff and i would just get frustrated and shoo them away or either give them a blank look. See, I would not be good daughter-in-law material in Japan.
@HannahInJapana omg you are so brave. My mom had six kids, 5 of them all natural. I dont have kids yet but I know i dont want an epidural. I detest needles but I am also a sucker when it comes to pain.
You look so young... I was so close to marrying twice in Japan but I just couldn't just because of some small annoyances I had with communicating but also the expectations of Japanese men for women in general. I'm glad I waited instead of getting hitched in the first year of living in Japan. But Japan is an awesome place to live, I just choose not to date the guys here anymore. Not bitter, just a conclusion I came to after 5 years of living here. You sound like a strong chick and best of luck.
@khalilahinjapan Thanks, nice to hear that sometimes, Japanese people seem to think I'm old. Yeah it can be hard but if you really love that person than it is worth it. But I respect your decision, whatever you think is best yourself, cross cultural relationships tend to be more complicated. I try to be a strong chick, I want my daughter to become a strong women someday so I need to try to set an example.
One reason why i started vlogging is to show how it is to live in a diffirent culture and have somebody to understand how it is.You perfectly said whats inside me (since i cannot do a face to face vlogs.Just clips and videos of me being a mom,housewife and a foreigner living in Japan)
@722amoregmaeda Thank you so much for saying that. I would like to hear your thoughts too. Your house is beautiful by the way, love the traditional Japanese style. Why don't you do face to face vlogs? I would love to chat sometime send me a message! How is it for you being a foreigner in Japan? It is so nice to have someone who has been living here longer and me and has experience with housewife stuff and kids. I will definitely seek your advice sometime.
Good points all around! It's funny how people have a romantic view of international marriages and seldom consider the cultural complications. My wife and I are still working out cultural issues, even after 12 years together. I think, being a woman, the expectations for you to conform to J ways may be greater than those put on me, as a foreign man. As for meals, I try to get my wife to make less courses so I have less dishes to wash afterwards! She's starting to come around. ha ha Good vid!
@geofg Thank you so much for your input, that means a lot. It's always nice to talk to someone in the same situation as yourself and hear their thoughts. Wow 12 years is so long. Nina is 6 so you had 6 years together before having a baby, that must have been nice. I wish my husband and I had time together before having a baby, but if that were the case Ellie wouldn't be here so no regrets. Very nice of you to do the dishes! Too bad Japanese apartments don't have build in dish washers!
Well, we were both ambivalent about having kids at first, actually, and when we started trying it took a couple years. There are merits and demerits to having kids later in life. But, like you say, you've got Ellie now, so no point debating it. Now that my wife does most of the cooking, I am happy to do the dishes. If your husband does the dishes, he should be happy too if you just make one or two courses. Traditional multi-dish Japanese meals create a LOT of dirty dishes! ha ha
@geofg Well If it were timed any differently you wouldn't have Nina and I wouldn't have Ellie. Sometimes things take time and sometimes they happen too fast but it's hard not to be grateful either way when they turn out so perfect.
I'm glad you decided to upload this :) It's the sandwich story amused me, having read the actual reason for his surprise. I'm glad you guys have found a good balance, Ellie's got a great family :D
The differences in information on childbearing is interesting, too. Like the bath thing, I'm not sure what to make of that. I mean, I wouldn't want to cook my kid, but I know the Japanese tend to take really hot baths anyway, don't they? I'd be interested in hearing more of that sort of thing, too!
Hannah, I love these kinds of videos! Your story is really unique and I think it's really amazing to share it with the rest of the world. Please do more!!
@HannahInJapana Maybe being a foreign mother in Japan. Do other Japanese mothers treat you differently? Or like, how do people react when they see a blonde mother walking around with a Japanese baby?
Thank you so much for this video! I honestly think of you as my idol/role module! You are so amazing and I honestly agree with all of your opinions! ^^ I hope you keep making more videos of your beautiful family and your personal thoughts! No matter what anyone says about you, I think that you are so cool and are my idol! When I grow up I want to be just like you! Keep up the great work!
@xxxmio3 Aww thanks so much, that means a lot to me, and it is nice to hear sometimes. But remember there are always two sides to the story I should get my husband to do a video on being married to a foreigner haha. I will try to keep making videos.
@HannahInJapana I hope it does! That would be so awesome to see what he thinks!! ~ If he has time and is willing to do it! I hope you do! And I hope that you don't let people let you down because of bashing on you and your family. You guys do have your issues once and awhile but, you guys look actually happy. Which can be rare now days.
@xxxmio3 Actually I am lucky no one has bashed on my family yet. Everyone I know, and even people on the internet have had only nice things to say. :)
I really liked this video, it was very insightful and cleared up some of the cultural and gender expectations that a country places on an individual. Thank you for sharing!
@artichokeh34rts Thank you. Yeah living in another country, no matter how much you love the country, is really hard an individual. Sometimes I feel like my family in American and in Japan have no idea what I am going through, only other foreigners who moved here really truly know.
Thanks for the video, Hannah! The difference in opinion between American doctors and Japanese doctors regarding teething and pregnancy is so interesting. Crazy. I am interested in what type of childbirth education you went through. I know that Tsukky and you took a class. Was it required, or recommended?
@mkhei1 That was recommended. There was child birthing classes but they were very brief. I am sure that are other classes available though I just thought I would wing it hahah. I also feel like Japanese sexual education classes in school are pretty crappy, or so tsukky tells me.
MAKE HIM A BETTER BITCHIN SAMMICH WOMAN!
Atomsking 1 day ago
Comment removed
rirkla 2 days ago
@rirkla I agree that Japan can be very old-fashioned.
HannahInJapana 2 days ago
Wow =\ that just sucks for me I don't like a single word I'm hearing.
Afraid0fGhosts 3 days ago
Awww. I can see from your body language and wording that you have become very "Japan-ized". I am so glad you are doing well here. You should work as hard as your husband works. Even if it's not paid work, the house still needs cleaning and food needs making. I think he is a great person for offering to help if you start working. You should hold on to him, he sounds like a nice guy.
AzumiRM 5 days ago
how old r u? may i ask
MacrobioticGeorge 6 days ago
@MacrobioticGeorge I am 22
HannahInJapana 2 days ago
@HannahInJapana thanks 4 answering me/every1 questions. by the way i thought u left a comment on my comment at "challenges i face living in jap" vid... just curious why is it gone? :)
MacrobioticGeorge 2 days ago
@MacrobioticGeorge My reply to Ellie telling me everything is alright was "lol yeah" and I realized that the reply came up right after the other question you asked which was "have you ever been groped" (which I thought was a little inappropriate) and under that question it said "lol yeah" The placing was akward so I erased it sorry! And no I have never been groped on a train. I will put up a different reply that doesn't read weird how's that?
HannahInJapana 1 day ago
Comment removed
MacrobioticGeorge 1 day ago
@HannahInJapana Thanks 4 taking ur time clearing up my stewpid question :)
MacrobioticGeorge 1 day ago
And also agree - getting married in Japan is adding on to the family!
ylfriends 6 days ago
I also understand even if you stay at home, sometimes it's hard to prepare dinner on time every day - thinking of the menu, preparing it, etc. And housework is something that's not visible no matter how much work you put in it.
ylfriends 6 days ago
I totally understand the part where you would make good dinner because you're staying at home, not because you're a woman. I think it's a misunderstanding. At the end of the day, the reason why your husband said you have to make dinner because you're a woman is because culturally women stayed at home normally in Japan, I have a feeling he didn't mean it in a sexist way, and eventually he meant to say the same thing that you were thinking.
ylfriends 6 days ago
おもしろい。あなたの話 :).
Luioomba 1 week ago
@Luioomba Thanks glad to hear it :)
HannahInJapana 1 week ago
Quick question, you may get this a lot. Do you plan to make Elli bilingual? :D
Laura12378 1 week ago
@Laura12378 Yes
HannahInJapana 1 week ago
You are doing so well. I bet if you asked your mother in law to teach you to cook she would love it. At the same time ask for help with your Japanese. I think it would mean a lot to your husband and his family if they see you are working hard to blend. Take care.
cheskydivision 1 week ago 7
@cheskydivision Actually my mother-in-law has taught me a couple of my favorite recipes ^_^ and some weird old Osaka ben words like "kamahen" (like it don't matter)
HannahInJapana 1 week ago
Nice video, you are honest and caring girl I can tell! But I hope you are wrong about Japan becoming more like America, would be too bad for such traditional and historically rich country to get ruined like that!
3bepko 1 week ago
lil bit long...lol
NiuWayN 1 week ago
@HannahInJapana Thank you so much for replying to my comments! I would love to visit Japan, especially in the spring when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. Does it look like it's snowing when the cherry blossoms fall off the trees? Is it hard to learn Japanese? I would like to learn but I find that trying to figure out the pattern in the Japanese alphabets (katakana, hiragana, and kanji) so hard to figure out!
YukiMigoto 1 week ago
Thank you for this wonderful video! :D i've been wanting to pin down what it would be like to be married to a japanese person.
BarsilaiBlue 1 week ago
Wow, thank you for sharing this with us :D
icysparks2007 1 week ago
how old are u mam??
stakisolo 1 week ago
@stakisolo I am 22
HannahInJapana 1 week ago
@HannahInJapana 日本に何年に住んでいるんですか？？？
stakisolo 1 week ago
Also, can you speak Japanese fluently?
YukiMigoto 1 week ago
@YukiMigoto Yes I can speak fluent causual Japanese because that is what I speak with my husband (he doesn't speak English). I do not however speak very good keigo (polite Japanese) and I wouldn't say my Japanese is perfect by any means. I can speak to anyone I am to encounter throughout the day and understand about ... 80% of it. I can understand 99% of what my husband says but he kind of avoids words he knows I don't know. Technical terms the doctors and such use are difficult.
HannahInJapana 1 week ago
WOW!! Amazing video!!! When I was ten my family and I moved to Singapore and lived there for a year and a half. It was a whole new experience for me. Like I tried foods that I have never tried, and it was more crowded than I was used to. It was hot too>__< But what I got from living in Singapore is a love for Asian culture, especially Japanese! I dont know why but the culture of Japan enthralls me!! I have heard about Japanese men treating there wives differently than in America.
YukiMigoto 1 week ago
@YukiMigoto Wow it must have been really cool to live in Singapore. You are lucky to have had that experience. It is different in Japan than America but pretty everything is different. I can't even begin to explain you should come and see ^_^
HannahInJapana 1 week ago
@HannahInJapana Pretty Much*
HannahInJapana 1 week ago
You have sooo much on your plate, you young thing... From the bottom of my heart I wish all your dreams come true.
ChainReaction666 1 week ago
I'm married to a Japanese woman, and I have always thought that foreign women married to Japanese men had it a lot tougher. I still think so. I think it's tough either way, but there is just so much more expected of the woman in a Japanese relationship than the man. In my opinion. I've had it pretty easy in regards to family expectations. Good video.
JapanHDVideo 1 week ago
Your really look like from a japanes entertainer gouriki hitomi剛力瞳
Baron25451 1 week ago
@Baron25451 haha no I don't!!!
HannahInJapana 1 week ago
how do you cook cereal lolz
treshnefix 1 week ago
@treshnefix My point exactly! But I did learn how to cook! Practice makes perfect. (at at least edible lol)
HannahInJapana 1 week ago
Thanks for your video!! It was really interesting!! :)
bellitawurst 1 week ago
If I wasn't working that's the deal haha
KatLovesTokyo 1 week ago
I am happy with my Japanese fiancé dong the dishes, but I agreed since it was cultural reasons, I will wash dishes, laundry, clean and I am good at cooking...but a lot more to learn ((ESP from him mama)) because I was successful at cooking nikujaga and others on my own, but he loves his moms cooking too.
KatLovesTokyo 1 week ago
I remember I had asked my host mom once when I was in kyoto how much house work she did b/c I honestly did not think that she slept.. and she told me that she had 4 hours of sleep every night and the rest of her time was spent taking care of the house and cooking. I thought that was crazy!
cobratwinturbo 2 weeks ago in playlist More videos from HannahInJapana
Hi Hannah, I'm watching lot of videos on your channel, I can so relate to so many experiences you are having... I lived with a host family for two years and I saw how my ostousan treated my Okasan, and this happend in few families.... after work they both come home and my otousan just sat down in the kotatsu and waited for his beer/ meal until my okasan did everything...and it was bit strange at first but I got used to it....
kaushilopez 2 weeks ago
@kaushilopez Yeah but It's not like that in my house! I think things are starting to change.
HannahInJapana 2 weeks ago
I so envy you for experiencing a whole new different culture, and the Japanese that is! I'm so fascinated with anything asian and the whole asian culture. :) I'm even planning on living there one day,.. i mean I hope so.. -_-
PS: ADORABLE BABY! :))
oh and btw, how long have you been living there and was it hard to learn the Japanese language?
AdaDamon 2 weeks ago
@AdaDamon I have been living here about two and half years ish.. and been here to travel before that and study for a month when I was 17 and 18
HannahInJapana 2 weeks ago
Ya, I wouldn't worry a single bit! Ellie will picu up Japanese no matter what. So just be consistant talking to her in English 24/7. BTW, I wonder how exipensive it is to send a child to an international school?? いろいろと文化、言葉、食べ物、そして環境が違うと大変でストレスもたまるでしょうが影ながら応援させていただきます。
NANNIN78 2 weeks ago
In the UK all health care is free! Dentists, and most orthodontics too, everyone should have an NHS. if the UK can do it I'm pretty sure the US and Japan can too, well what do I know
simplyshama 2 weeks ago
@simplyshama In Japan health care isn't free but it is WAYYY cheaper than America. THe government pays for most all of Ellie's doctors appointments and vaccinations and medicine, sometimes I only have to pay like $6 or something.. My husband work provides insurance too so I have no complaints really about Japanese health care.
HannahInJapana 2 weeks ago
@HannahInJapana honestly Japanese healthcare system for me is the best!! cheap, efficiant ! in Australia we pay huge amount of taxes and still the health care system is expensive.. we for extras...like dental...
kaushilopez 2 weeks ago
@simplyshama I don't know too much about it though just from my experiences
HannahInJapana 2 weeks ago
Hello! I really like you video. I'm also a house wife in japan but we do not have kids now.
My friends back in germany used to ask me if its ok for me to be the typical housewife which is cooking dinner and it sound for them like I need to do it bcuz I'm a woman. But I explain them,my husband and his family that I am ok with it cuz i NOW dont have a job.Not bcuz I'm a woman. Thats really important to make clear over here! Anyways, respect to you that you did this step in a realy young age.
agrodolce33 2 weeks ago
@agrodolce33 Yeah unfortunately I do see a lot of inequalities around me but I guess what is important is that you establish the rules and normality between you and your husband. My house is kind of like the middle of America and Japan.
HannahInJapana 2 weeks ago
o.o where are you from this is everything they did to me in america im mexican and they wanted me to wear 3 like a jacket a thermal and like and long socks and idk what else if not i get screamed at and im talking about a warm/ windy night
vVCantTouchThisVv 2 weeks ago
@vVCantTouchThisVv Really that's so weird! I am from michigan and all the books and stuff I read from America said that you should allow your body to be at a comfortable temperature for you and thus the baby. I Japan even when it' hot they want you to wear warm clothes!
HannahInJapana 2 weeks ago
At this point both my kids only speak in English and are
resistant to learn Japanese and there is no Japanese school nor community
nearby to speak of. Anyways, that's just my experience and
situation, and I'm sure it is much different from yours. Good luck with
everything and thanks for showing me your perspective of been a mother in
Japan!
NANNIN78 2 weeks ago
@NANNIN78 Yes it is important to surround them at a young age with English or in your case Japanese.I try to show Ellie kids shows in English.She understands me better than my husband because we are together more often. She can say more English words than Japanese. I am not worried about her Japanese cuz we live in Japan and she will learn that naturally. Once she enters day care I hope to put her in an international school. It's too bad you don't have an Japanese community around you.
HannahInJapana 2 weeks ago
Hi, I made a mistake of speaking more English than Japanese at home because
my wife and I communicate in English. And when I first moved to the states,
I felt the need of improving my English which made me neglect on teaching
my kids Japanese.
NANNIN78 2 weeks ago
Are you married?
sourmanofcoal 3 weeks ago
When you talked about the expectation on meal, I thought " gee, I was pretty much like that" which is expecting a full corase meal..( Since we moved to the states, I've gotten more flexible!). Sorry to go on and on about my opinion, but my question is this: how are you guys making out to raise a bilingul child? I was just wondering and I'd appreciate it if you could give your experiance there in Japan. Thank you!
NANNIN78 3 weeks ago
@NANNIN78 Honestly I haven't really put too much thought into it. I just speak to Ellie in English when we are together (except sometimes when I scold her I do it in Japanese .. dunno why) and when her dad is around I speak to her in Japanese only when I want him to hear what I am saying to her.. He only speaks Japanese to her. So I am English and she is Japanese. I am not to worried about it because I know people in other countries are raised trilingual and sometimes more!
HannahInJapana 2 weeks ago
Hi, I'm a Japanese male living in CT, USA married to an American woman for ten years with two kids 7 and 5. First of all thanks for your video. Your perspective of life and experiance in Japan is interesting and you remind me of my wife how she thought or used to say about Japan and its culture and all of that. continues to next post
NANNIN78 3 weeks ago
What is your heritage? I'm curious...you're really pretty !
jellybeannose 3 weeks ago
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It was interesting to hear your story! I am asian and have so many cultural issues with my white/caucasian bf lols, it's so difficult for him to understand some things about my culture and traditions. Personally, I am a conservative person and my bf is so used to saying such things as "I love you", and if I don't say it he thinks I don't feel the same lols. Although I don't blame him haha... sorta haha (jkjk), I hope that things are going well for you and thanks for sharing!~
shokaido 3 weeks ago
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shokaido 3 weeks ago
I understand some of the things you describe. My mom is Japanese and dad is American. They would fight about some things that were culturally different. ( They are sitll married though --32 years and going) Itotally understand about you growing up fast being a mom because I couldn't cook either when I got married. However we have to eat 3 times a day and you will become a great cook with experience. I've been married 11 years and can cook pretty well now. Get books from the library/internet..
bigbuggie5 3 weeks ago
@bigbuggie5 and ask what kinds of meals your husband likes and practice. I couldn't even tell you how many meals I burnt..YOu learn so much from your mistakes. Just don't give up =).
bigbuggie5 3 weeks ago
Women: So being a foreign wife in japan...
Me/Tony: Why am i watching this???
YoungKoolness17 3 weeks ago 18
@YoungKoolness17 that's so true hahaha
MattRodrig 3 weeks ago
my god you're so beautiful. Best wishes.
cornelius386 1 month ago
It's really cool to hear about all of this, so post some more if you get an idea :D
You seem to have adapted really well to the cultural differences, along with Tsukky adapting to yours. It's great how you've met each other half-way.
Having a bunch of old ladies chasing you must have been odd O_o
VibrationsDrawn 1 month ago
@VibrationsDrawn Thanks Kurt. Yeah I am glad Tsukky is adaptive and understanding. Yeah old ladies are always talking to me. I actually like old ladies but the mid-life crisis age.. I feel like they are very opinionated on how to raise kids. Old ladies just ooh and awwe at Ellie.
HannahInJapana 1 month ago
Is studying abroad in japan worth it? I'm 17, still in highschool. I don't really have any plans so far as to my future, I'm thinking either about going into college or going to college and studying abroad. The only problem with that would be money. Another option I'm considering is the military, not sure about that either. Are there scholarships for studying abroad programs? Also, was it hard? I agree culture is definitely important, it's the leading factor influencing our environment.
MrVontar 1 month ago
@MrVontar Yeah it is totally worth it! You should definitely study abroad, it was one of the best experiences for me as a 17 year old! Go to college! I got a scholarship in Japan. If you find a college with a sister-ship to a Japanese school you can most likely get a scholarship. Mine payed for (if I remember correctly) all my Japanese class fees and gave me I think over a thousand dollars a semester for living costs, my dorm fee I believe was also covered. I can't remember but do it!
HannahInJapana 1 month ago 2
I get you, I'm married to a Japanese woman and in Japan. But I think being married to a Japanese guy is harder, as they are raised to be the boss and do nothing.
digwillhachi 3 months ago
@digwillhachi I'm guessing your right about it being harder for a women being married to a Japaneses man, but as for the being the boss thing, thankfully my husband isn't like that.
HannahInJapana 3 months ago
@HannahInJapana I think being a bossy thing is just an individual preferences. I'm Asian and I've seen wifes boss their husband around more than a husband boss his wife. And your husband looks like a really nice person :-)
Cheers
kienez 1 month ago
@kienez Yes, I think your right. It depends on the person. My husband is very nice and understanding. Thank you. I am glad he is helpful with raising Ellie. He of course plays a very significant part in her life and is not at all an absent father.
HannahInJapana 4 weeks ago
Did you say porn wife ? O___O
alvocaloid 3 months ago 12
@alvocaloid Haha no! A foreign wife lol. I will work on my enunciation!
HannahInJapana 3 months ago
@HannahInJapana Oh sorry ! ^__^
alvocaloid 3 months ago
you are nice~
yumeyume 3 months ago
@yumeyume thanks, at least on youtube I am lol
HannahInJapana 1 month ago
This was an excellent video (all of your videos are - see new subscriber Maxwell S Hunt ... we have been watching Ellie's development as she is a little older than Max). Thank you for sharing your experiences and information on what it is like to raise your baby in Japan.
viralmarketingmom 3 months ago
@viralmarketingmom - I forgot to mention ... Ellie did an excellent job entertaining herself while you did this video.
viralmarketingmom 3 months ago
@viralmarketingmom haha yeah she is a smart little girl she plays well alone.
HannahInJapana 3 months ago
@viralmarketingmom Thank you. I am really glad you are watching my videos. It makes it all worth it! I will try to make more videos, sorry just been so busy with weddings and family events lately it's hard to keep up!
HannahInJapana 3 months ago
What about pain medication taken during labor? I know in the states its very easy and encouraged to get an epidural. In Japan, they dont give as many epidurals or pain relief medication during labor. Oh, I had the old ladies try to tell me how to dress in Japan lol... not about kids cause i dont have any but about other stuff and i would just get frustrated and shoo them away or either give them a blank look. See, I would not be good daughter-in-law material in Japan.
khalilahinjapan 4 months ago
@khalilahinjapan I wanted to have a natural labor so I chose a hospital that didn't even offer the epi, I was really happy with my labor experience.
HannahInJapana 4 months ago
@HannahInJapana omg you are so brave. My mom had six kids, 5 of them all natural. I dont have kids yet but I know i dont want an epidural. I detest needles but I am also a sucker when it comes to pain.
khalilahinjapan 4 months ago
You look so young... I was so close to marrying twice in Japan but I just couldn't just because of some small annoyances I had with communicating but also the expectations of Japanese men for women in general. I'm glad I waited instead of getting hitched in the first year of living in Japan. But Japan is an awesome place to live, I just choose not to date the guys here anymore. Not bitter, just a conclusion I came to after 5 years of living here. You sound like a strong chick and best of luck.
khalilahinjapan 4 months ago
@khalilahinjapan Thanks, nice to hear that sometimes, Japanese people seem to think I'm old. Yeah it can be hard but if you really love that person than it is worth it. But I respect your decision, whatever you think is best yourself, cross cultural relationships tend to be more complicated. I try to be a strong chick, I want my daughter to become a strong women someday so I need to try to set an example.
HannahInJapana 4 months ago
@khalilahinjapan P.s. nice channel!
HannahInJapana 4 months ago
@HannahInJapana thanks! :) Blessings to your family. I look forward to seeing more videos on your channel :)
khalilahinjapan 4 months ago
I love this video! You make these amazing and interesting observations...You should totally do more of these cultural type videos ;)
beautyboxonline 4 months ago
@beautyboxonline Thank you I was hesitant to upload it but all these positive comments make it worth it.
HannahInJapana 4 months ago
Im so glad i found you!
One reason why i started vlogging is to show how it is to live in a diffirent culture and have somebody to understand how it is.You perfectly said whats inside me (since i cannot do a face to face vlogs.Just clips and videos of me being a mom,housewife and a foreigner living in Japan)
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts
722amoregmaeda 4 months ago
@722amoregmaeda Thank you so much for saying that. I would like to hear your thoughts too. Your house is beautiful by the way, love the traditional Japanese style. Why don't you do face to face vlogs? I would love to chat sometime send me a message! How is it for you being a foreigner in Japan? It is so nice to have someone who has been living here longer and me and has experience with housewife stuff and kids. I will definitely seek your advice sometime.
HannahInJapana 4 months ago
Good points all around! It's funny how people have a romantic view of international marriages and seldom consider the cultural complications. My wife and I are still working out cultural issues, even after 12 years together. I think, being a woman, the expectations for you to conform to J ways may be greater than those put on me, as a foreign man. As for meals, I try to get my wife to make less courses so I have less dishes to wash afterwards! She's starting to come around. ha ha Good vid!
geofg 5 months ago
@geofg Thank you so much for your input, that means a lot. It's always nice to talk to someone in the same situation as yourself and hear their thoughts. Wow 12 years is so long. Nina is 6 so you had 6 years together before having a baby, that must have been nice. I wish my husband and I had time together before having a baby, but if that were the case Ellie wouldn't be here so no regrets. Very nice of you to do the dishes! Too bad Japanese apartments don't have build in dish washers!
HannahInJapana 5 months ago
Well, we were both ambivalent about having kids at first, actually, and when we started trying it took a couple years. There are merits and demerits to having kids later in life. But, like you say, you've got Ellie now, so no point debating it. Now that my wife does most of the cooking, I am happy to do the dishes. If your husband does the dishes, he should be happy too if you just make one or two courses. Traditional multi-dish Japanese meals create a LOT of dirty dishes! ha ha
geofg 5 months ago
@geofg Well If it were timed any differently you wouldn't have Nina and I wouldn't have Ellie. Sometimes things take time and sometimes they happen too fast but it's hard not to be grateful either way when they turn out so perfect.
HannahInJapana 5 months ago
I'm glad you decided to upload this :) It's the sandwich story amused me, having read the actual reason for his surprise. I'm glad you guys have found a good balance, Ellie's got a great family :D
The differences in information on childbearing is interesting, too. Like the bath thing, I'm not sure what to make of that. I mean, I wouldn't want to cook my kid, but I know the Japanese tend to take really hot baths anyway, don't they? I'd be interested in hearing more of that sort of thing, too!
LilyoftheShadow 5 months ago
Great vid. I think these types of videos are super interesting so you should continue making these!
celebskin22 5 months ago
@celebskin22 Thanks! I'm already thinking up my next one.
HannahInJapana 5 months ago
want a hug o.O?
XAnimeManiax 5 months ago
@XAnimeManiax haha sure
HannahInJapana 5 months ago
Hannah, I love these kinds of videos! Your story is really unique and I think it's really amazing to share it with the rest of the world. Please do more!!
brotherannie 5 months ago
@brotherannie Thanks Annie do you have any recommendations on a topic?
HannahInJapana 5 months ago
@HannahInJapana Maybe being a foreign mother in Japan. Do other Japanese mothers treat you differently? Or like, how do people react when they see a blonde mother walking around with a Japanese baby?
brotherannie 5 months ago
@brotherannie haha ok I'll try to incorporate that into a video
HannahInJapana 5 months ago
You must have had Ellie at a very early age? Good insightful video!
newyorkjapan 5 months ago
@newyorkjapan Yeah I was 21 and my husband 28 when I had her. Thank you.
HannahInJapana 5 months ago
Thank you so much for this video! I honestly think of you as my idol/role module! You are so amazing and I honestly agree with all of your opinions! ^^ I hope you keep making more videos of your beautiful family and your personal thoughts! No matter what anyone says about you, I think that you are so cool and are my idol! When I grow up I want to be just like you! Keep up the great work!
xxxmio3 5 months ago
@xxxmio3 Aww thanks so much, that means a lot to me, and it is nice to hear sometimes. But remember there are always two sides to the story I should get my husband to do a video on being married to a foreigner haha. I will try to keep making videos.
HannahInJapana 5 months ago
@HannahInJapana I hope it does! That would be so awesome to see what he thinks!! ~ If he has time and is willing to do it! I hope you do! And I hope that you don't let people let you down because of bashing on you and your family. You guys do have your issues once and awhile but, you guys look actually happy. Which can be rare now days.
xxxmio3 5 months ago
@xxxmio3 Actually I am lucky no one has bashed on my family yet. Everyone I know, and even people on the internet have had only nice things to say. :)
HannahInJapana 5 months ago
@HannahInJapana I hope so! You are a working mama so things like people basing you shouldn't even matter!!! <3
xxxmio3 5 months ago
@xxxmio3 no one's bashing thankfully, I'm not working now but I plan to in another year or so when I graduate.
HannahInJapana 5 months ago
@HannahInJapana Oh really?!? What are you going into? (Like career choice??)
xxxmio3 5 months ago
@xxxmio3 I am a Japanese major and plan on teaching English here.
HannahInJapana 4 months ago
I really liked this video, it was very insightful and cleared up some of the cultural and gender expectations that a country places on an individual. Thank you for sharing!
artichokeh34rts 5 months ago
@artichokeh34rts Thank you. Yeah living in another country, no matter how much you love the country, is really hard an individual. Sometimes I feel like my family in American and in Japan have no idea what I am going through, only other foreigners who moved here really truly know.
HannahInJapana 5 months ago
Thanks for the video, Hannah! The difference in opinion between American doctors and Japanese doctors regarding teething and pregnancy is so interesting. Crazy. I am interested in what type of childbirth education you went through. I know that Tsukky and you took a class. Was it required, or recommended?
mkhei1 5 months ago
@mkhei1 That was recommended. There was child birthing classes but they were very brief. I am sure that are other classes available though I just thought I would wing it hahah. I also feel like Japanese sexual education classes in school are pretty crappy, or so tsukky tells me.
HannahInJapana 5 months ago