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project-sekai-facts · 4 months

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How are we feeling about ensekai’s emu3 translation!!! (I’m mad)

(if you remember the 3 whole posts i made when asahi got de-gayed on EN you'll know i am mad too and that this is probably going to get long)

i don't like to be too cynical but it was so obvious that they were going to change that line, i had a feeling since the event first released on JP and after the incident with Asahi where I went through and tracked down multiple other examples of EN removing queer subtext it became clear to me that in no way shape or form was "emu-chan really loves nene-chan" making it to EN without getting changed. what i didn't expect was them changing Nene's line after Luka's comment, which actually makes this whole situation far worse than many of their other instances of toning down queer subtext.

for anyone who isn't aware of what happened, in chapter 5 of the current Emu event, there's a scene where Nene, Rui and the Virtual Singers are talking about what would cheer Emu up. The vsingers all talk about how much Emu loves spending time with Nene, leading to the following exchange

If you look for them, any fan TL of this scene will be something similar to this:

Luka: ...Fufu. Emu-chan really loves Nene-chan, doesn't she? Nene: Th-that's nothing special...

EN's official translation is this:

So what's the issue? I'll start with Luka's part. In the original text, she uses the word daisuki, which can mean to "like a lot" or "love". It's a word you will see frequently in the idol/idol-adjacent genre of games, due to its ambiguity in that it can be read as either platonic or romantic when used towards a person, and often will be used in ambiguous situations so that it's harder to confirm the writers' intentions either way. so here, fans of the emu/nene ship could view the fact that emu loves spending her time with nene as more on the romantic side, but people who don't like the ship could view it as platonic and move on.

while they didn't translate daisuki directly, Luka's line still works, and still contains the ambiguity that works as ship tease in the original text. it's a perfectly fine localisation that still conveys the original intent. despite that, there is something to be said about EN's consistent refusal to translate daisuki as love in most instances when it's not used on An/Kohane (but then again, EN has literally teased An/Kohane on their twitter account so is it all that surprising?).

Here's some examples:

Aibou no koto ga daisuki de / he loves his partner -> he cares about his partner very much (The Power of Unity chapter 7 when Kaito is comparing Arata to Akito and Toya)

HARUKA-CHAN, DAISUKI DAYOOOO!!! / HARUKA-CHAN, I LOOOOOVEEE YOU!!! -> You're the best!!! (Dear Me, As I Was Back Then chapter 4 when minori is at an ASRUN concert. this one isn't actually that great of a localisation)

Honachan no koto daisuki dakara. Kore de iinda yo. / I love Honachan, so this is fine. -> I want what's best for her. And this is it. (Leo/need main story chapter 14 after Saki tells Honami she won't bother her anymore)

Minna daisuki de - taisetsuna tomodachi na no / I love them all - they're my dearest friends -> They're all amazing, and very dear to me. (Leo/need main story chapter 17. this isn't good either)

What's particularly amusing about that last one is that there's a second official translation for it that I assume was done by JP staff (since EN never promoted doing the Journey to Bloom subs like they did back when they provided subs for Petit SEKAI) that actually keeps the word daisuki as love.

Yeah. I love all my friends - and they mean the world to me.

It's a better localisation than the official EN team one.

Questionable localisation choices aside, Luka's line is fine and is actually in line with the original. The issue with this localisation very much lies with Nene's part, because that is an entirely new line.

In the original text, Nene's "that's just normal" or "that's nothing special" or however you choose to TL it, is meant to be her questioning Luka's statement, since all the things that the other vsingers said that Emu liked were pretty normal things like going shopping and playing video games with nene. To Nene, these things are normal activities for them to do together, so she gets embarrassed by the fact that Luka concludes from that information that Emu loves Nene. When I dissect it like that I think you can really tell what the writers were going for here lol.

"That's just us being friends" does still convey the idea that Nene thinks these activities aren't anything out of the ordinary and she isn't sure why the vsingers are picking these out as some of Emu's favorite things to do, but it's very different from the original line. "But those are just normal things we do together" is something I just came up with on the spot, but it's a lot closer to the original text and still conveys the same meaning. The fact they changed the line to "that's just us being friends" is, honestly, not even subtle that they're covering up queer subtext. The original scene was very clearly written in as ship tease, and EN mentioning "friends" for no reason, especially since the word nor anything close to it was not used in the original, is instantly a red flag because it's like the go-to for queerbaiting and censorship. This was intentional. There was no need for them to specify that the relationship is platonic, Luka's part is ambiguous for a reason so that fans can view it how they like.

Just to top all this off, here's Rin's original line just before that Luka+Nene interaction:

Oh, and! And! She said that playing games with Nene-chan is also super fun!

And here's Rin's line from the official EN translation:

That's not the same thing, but even more weirdly, the incorrect part (super fun->really loves) is a correct translation for the part changed in Luka's line. So, they can do it, they are willing to say "really loves", just not in the right places. Maybe because Rin's part is less personal than Luka's part? It's strange actually, this isn't the first time they've done this either. Off the top of my head I can think of an example from Shiho's Varied Kindness 2* story where they translated the word "suki" as really loves, despite that being much stronger than the original word used (and the fact that daisuki is used a lot in the Leo/need stories and it's incredibly rare if not entirely unknown for them to translate it correctly).

It's not subtle that they're trying to remove implications of the characters possibly being queer, they did it in curtain call and they did it in walk on and on, and multiple times before then too. And considering some of the content in this year's events and the amount of times they say daisuki alone, it's gonna keep happening. honestly i hate the fact that i keep trying to justify the translations in these posts. these translations are intentional. what happened in the curtain call translation back in october says enough. when a character who uses explicitly romantic language towards another guy passes as a straight character in the translation you know they're doing it on purpose.

oh and once again, it's only the EN server that has this issue. The scene in question was translated almost word-for-word on the TW and KR servers.

read fan translations. they're better than what EN gives us and people put a lot of effort into them.

#since the EN translation qualifies as a leak i am scheduling this to post when the event drops #asks #mod talks #i'm going to leave this in the tags because i don't want to make the post any longer #but something that's been really annoying to see recently on twt has been the gradual uptick of players saying that there's no queer #characters/subtext/etc in the game outside mizuki being trans. and i do wonder if EN's consistent habit of toning down #or outright removing moments of heavy subtext and other more ambiguous shiptease moments has anything to do with it.#that or people live under a rock because even EN keeps most of An and Kohane's relationship intact and there's still plenty of #moments that were impossible to edit or tone down due to being plot relevant or being part of longer interactions that wouldn't make sense #if part of it was changed. like the An wedding event.#eh maybe people are just ignorant.#but anyway it does bug me immensely that EN-only players are getting a censored version of the game. it's 2024. staff can do better.#also like i mentioned in the part about rin. they /add in/ things occasionally. so why the hell are they removing so much?

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tin-can-iron-man · 1 year

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I'm just gonna say it again real quick:

Yes!! Iron Man is a tragedy! It has and always has been since the very first appearance in 1963 which describes itself, Tony's life, and legacy, as such.

Tony causes most of his issues himself, he is his biggest villain, a majority of his rogues gallery are caricatures of the worst versions of himself brought to life (when they're not just being racist cuz...60s...). The worst thing about being Tony Stark is that he can't stop being Tony Stark (he tried!!) That is the point.

The majority of pain Tony goes through, is pain he inflicts on himself, whether intentionally or inadvertently. That is the point.

He is not A villain (at least. Not usually. There are...some rough moments and arcs that are. Not great. As there is with any character as old as he is). But he is his own main antagonist.

#I—just—*slams fists on floor*—I WANNA PUT HIM IN A PIETRI DISH AND VIOLENTLY SHAKE HIM #tony stark #iron man #616 tony stark #marvel #marvel comics #*screams cries throws up* IT'S NOT HIS FAULT HIS CHARACTER WAS ASSASSINATED IN 2005 IN A WAY THAT HASN'T BEEN RECOVERED FROM YET #***starts openly weeping*** if the next main IM series is bad it'll have been 20 years of this shit make it STOOOOOP #being his own antagonist! his actions and mental state and poor judgement calls reaonates with people!!#I'm wildly under qualified to talk about this stuff but #I feel like that's *why* people with mental health issues. self esteem issues. addiction issues. flock to him.#he is not a BAD person. he is a person. who makes mistakes. and devastates himself. and even leaves himself half dead sometimes.#who doubts himself. is simultaneously oversensitive and alarmingly oblivious. he is a mess. that is a fundamental requirement of being him #that. resonates with people. it's *relatable*. Tony Stark is a lightning rod of interest for people...like him. hurting. sad. desperate.#and he brings *enjoyment*. he brings jokes. comfort.#he brings hope #because if a guy like *that* can be *iron man*...maybe we'll all be ok too #it's solidarity but also it's a kick in the right direction. it's saying ''it's ok that this is how you feel. I'm right there with you.''#''but you can't stay here forever. we always need to try''#Iron Man is and always has been about the future. after all.

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keefechambers · 2 years

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thinkin about those shitty white dudes on set who talked about oj's dad dying as insensitively as possible while he was still in earshot and how it's not just a condemnation of the sort of attitudes bred in the industry and the lack of empathy given to people in work places but also a condemnation of the way society sort of expects men, especially black men, to just carry on in the face of the most traumatic shit that can possibly happen to a normal person

#my husband actually (seriously) pointed out to me that you have to filter all of OJ's actions and behaviors through the lens of someone #still freshly enduring a huge amount of grief #but no one ever does because #YA KNOW.#like i don't feel super qualified to talk about race because i'm white but i do have a degree in this kinda stuff so #anyway yeah nope is a good portrait of how non-white folks trauma is not treated with respect or gravity now i'm done bye #oj haywood #nope

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hojiteaversion · 2 months

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Why I Think RC Has Trouble Sticking Their Landings

(Or, a pantser talks about structure and DLS for like 8 paragraphs)

My short answer: Because these stories are first drafts

Longer answer: ⬇️

1) (Lack of) Developmental editing

RC's model has its authors write long stories 2-4 chapters at a time. As much as the authors might perfect these chapters, they have no way to change something later on if they realize a scene no longer matches the big picture. An author may revise and make a batch of 4 flawless chapters, but it still doesn't mean they will fit the story seamlessly.

Developmental editing, according to this article, "involves feedback on the big picture of a […] writing piece. A developmental editor will critique structural elements like the plot, characters, theme, and organization of ideas." They also say that this kind of editing is recommended after the first or second draft.

So this type of revision would help an author make sure every character has its place (too many LIs and uneven LI screentime could be fixed), that characterization is consistent, that the plot is clear and moving at a good pacing, etc.

In DLS, for example, things that might be revised after a developmental editing: Leo's introduction scenes not matching his characterization later on, the Leo/Vlad rivalry that seems a bit strange in hindsight, more prominent role and scenes for Sandra, a more consistent progression in Noe/Laia and Ezel/Laia routes, fairer distribution of LI scenes (🫠), Laia's character motivations, the plot mysteries might be revealed to the reader a bit earlier, etc.

But these stories are arguably first drafts that will never be revised holistically (like Choices stories are/used to be, as far as I'm aware), so problems that only become clear once you're further along might not be fixed satisfactorily (or at all).

What sort of problems? Well...

2) Structure, part I

So the visual novel medium is fairly recent, right? Choose Your Own Adventure stories have existed for a while, but, I'm pretty sure, not in the scale of RC stories. 3 seasons demand a lot of story. And the thing is, I'm not sure there is a lot of guidance out there regarding story structure for interactive stories? Not that I've found, at least.

This is a problem, I think, because even if these authors follow the existing material on story structure (Save the Cat, Hero's Journey, Classic 3 Act, Seven-Point Structure, etc.), they will have to do the work of adapting it for a visual novel that A) has 3 seasons as a default, and B) 3 seasons of more or less equal length.

Look, it absolutely can be done! But my point is, I think it's generally uncharted territory and requires a lot of problem-solving. It's not just figuring what must happen in this story for it to be satisfying, it's also deciding when each thing must happen in a way that fits the requirements of three seasons and their finales, which must all fit together, but also be individually exciting and balance setup and payoff. And there is no way to go back and fix it if you realize you messed up the pacing somewhere! Not to mention…

3) Structure, part II: Routes

Not only do they have to figure out plot and structure (without being able to revise the finished story as a whole), but they also need to figure out and balance at least 4 different dynamics. As in, when it gets established, how to keep those dynamics fresh even after they get together, and how to synchronize MC's development with that relationship and its milestones. And again, it's not like there is a manual or a right answer. You have to write and fix afterwards — except they can't 😀. So if an author realizes later on that x couple needed a scene earlier on, or that they rushed things, or any other problem, there is nothing to be done except maybe add more scenes that might stand out from whatever they're trying to correct.

A tiny example of this problem in DLS would be Leo and Laia telling Derya that they're dating, which is clearly a correction of the scene in 4x02 where Laia called him "a friend" because "[she] thought it went against local customs to make a show of pre-marital relationships". In 2019 Istanbul. It would just make more sense if she had just called him her boyfriend in the first place.

4) Authors

I'll admit I'm least informed about this one, but based on a few interviews I've read with the authors, it seems some of them have never written fiction or visual novels before…? I could be wrong! But! Imagine being new to this medium and having to figure all of that ⬆️ out, with the limitations that RC's model brings. I'm not sure how much training and/or assistance they get in this entire process. It just seems a lot for one person.

And I have no answers for any of this, by the way! I don't work there, I don't know how the company works or how it doesn't. This is just my tentative opinion based on my limited experience with writing. It's extremely hard, and I genuinely cannot imagine trying to do any of that ⬆️ in the first place, but especially if I had to get it right on the first try.

Every writing advice on Earth recommends multiple drafts on longform writing because it's impossible to make your story the best it can be on the first attempt. So I think the RC endings often being unsatisfying might be, mainly, a consequence of that.

#romance club #the examples are all DLS because that's what I'm like‚ qualified to talk about djkfghfdkjg #this is just my personal opinion! i could be very wrong on all accounts‚ but it's an explanation that makes sense to me atm

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wedding-shemp · 3 days

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should preface this by saying that I am A) a white girl from New England and B) a generally unserious person who should not be listened to. But a thought I came to recently is that yes, music made by and for black people is occasionally going to have things that I cannot relate to, and I will feel weird about it. I will feel like an outsider eavesdropping in on something, and I will be a bit uncomfortable. And I think that's okay. I think it's okay to occasionally be reminded that my experiences are not universal and I'm not the center of the universe. I think it's okay to sit with that discomfort, and then move on. Does that make sense?

#I mean to be clear #When I say that it's good for you to have that feeling #I don't mean to say that white Americans should be listening to rap as like. A moral obligation in your path towards antiracism #I think you should listen to rap music because it's cool and you like it #I see that attitude sometimes in progressive circles and it's like. I don't think you're doing the musicians you're claiming to like any #Favors by thinking of their work as like. Homework or penence or something.#My point is just. You should not avoid art that makes you uncomfortable. Sometimes it's ok to be uncomfortable for a bit #Anyway.#These are my thoughts on rap music. I know everyone was waiting for me specifically to weigh in #I'm very qualified to talk about this on the basis of having listened to The Low End Theory again pretty recently

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lolsonic-idk-man · 2 months

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Talk to Me: Chapter 4

Chap1, Chap2, Chap3, Chap5, Chap6

I was writing chapter 4 of Talk to Me yesterday and it was over 6000 words there was still a lot more I wanted to write so I cut it, and now chapter 4 is done and just under 4000 words and chapter 5 is halfway done.

Anyway, there is now going to be 6 in total chapters unless I manage to do something else...

I'm sorry IT TOOK SO LONG! (@sfdsds)

It was nothing large this year, just your average raid with a few more people added to the mix. Which was a good thing considering Dream's mental state. Nightmare had told his men to keep the rest of the Stars busy as he attempted to speak with Dream.

He had also pulled some of the strings he had on some AUs that used him for protection or supplies. It was at times like this that Nightmare was glad that he had allowed for trade between some of the more negative AUs, they owed him to some extent and they all knew it.

The reason he had to ask them to fulfill their debt today was because everyone in the Omega Timeline knew Nightmare always planned something larger on the 21st of December, (it being their birthday after all.) So they prepped their own forces to defend, gathering as many as were willing to volunteer, which was a lot.

So it was best if Nightmare had his own army.

The AU they would attack was a fairly close copy to the original that leaned into the more positive side of the spectrum, perfect for acting like he was trying to do damage. It wouldn't really though, Error would probably get to the AU soon after, and it would be like nothing happened.

Nonetheless, the Stars showed up shortly after they started.

His men quickly took to making sure Blue and whoever else was working with the Stars that day were busy, and it seemed like Ink and Error decided it was better to watch today. Although fairly ironic. You'd think at least the Protector would join.

Regardless, Nightmare had managed to engage Dream in a timely manner. And Dream had not kid. His movements were slowed, so much so that Nightmare would more often than not have to miss him purposely. Which in turn made it harder than it should have been to herd him into a more secluded area, but nonetheless Nightmare had done it.

By the time they got to an open area in the Snowdin forest, not a single word had been spoken between the two, any of the forced glow in Dream's eye-lights had disappeared and was replaced with a stare that begged Nightmare to end it.

Nightmare let his tentacles return to his back as Dream struggled to hold his bow with his dwindling will and stared at his brother.

" I would like to speak with you Dream. "

Confusion seeped into his eye-lights as he tried to keep them trained on Nightmare. " What? "

Nightmare fixed his poster, " I, would like to speak with you Dream, and properly figure some things out. " Dream merely continued to stare but with the addition of anxiety. " More specifically about what has happened in that little apartment of yours. "

His eye-lights disappeared at the menchen. " How did you- what does it matter? "

" I've heard a multitude of things over the past few weeks, " His brother's arms drop. " And I would like to… start apologizing, for… the many things I've done. "

His bow dropped into the snow and he started to laugh. " You're sorry!? WHY!? Why would you be sorry? Do you want to get my hopes up just so that you can pour water on it? I'm sorry to tell you but I don't think that will work if you haven't noticed I'm at my end. " His arms slowly wrapped around him as he started to tremble, crooked smile still there. " You've been watching, I'm sure you know I'm giving up, so do whatever you want! Kill me, trap me in an overly negative AU, do whatever! I won't fight it. " Dream fell to the ground, curled into a ball, and weakly muttered. " Do whatever. "

Nightmare did this.

" I wish to speak with you. I wish to speak about your side of the story, what's going through your skull, voluntarily, not because you're having a panic attack and muttering it aloud. "

Dream barely looked over his arms and stared Nightmare down with dead eye-lights before sighing, " Fine, my side. My side was me being a quivering fool by listening and helping the villagers even after I saw them hurt him. "

Dream couldn't even say his name.

" I couldn't do my damned job and because of it he's gone and our AU is dead. "

" You were scared. "

" I shouldn't have been. "

" We were children. "

" And I was the Guardian of Positivity. "

" That was a role that was never meant for a child. "

" Yet it was given to one. "

" It doesn't change the fact that a child never should have had the responsibility. "

" WHY ARE YOU DEFENDING ME!? " Dream snapped. " I failed! It was my fault! What's with the sudden change? For seven years you tell me how it was my fault, and now it's not!? And as if you'd just forgive me! So what do you want? What do you want if you don't want me dead? "

A moment of silence.

" I want to make a truce, I want to try and rebuild the bridge I burned so many years ago, I wish to ask for forgiveness, but I do not expect any of it. For that is up to you. "

" Why should I trust you? Why should I trust anyone? Everything I've ever been told in our old AU was a lie. The villagers lied about nearly everything, he lied to me. Even today people use me. Some of the Omega Timeline's council try to get me to do their shit for them, even some of the people from the Omega Timeline! And I couldn't even realize it until Cross Brought it up! " His arms flung above his head to exaggerate the sentence. " I've been used from the start and I'm still being used now, and I can't tell if I am myself. So if I can't even trust myself why in the world should I trust you? "

" Well, you seem to already trust my word about your brother being gone. "

" Sort of hard not to when presented with such compelling evidence. "

" What if I forged it? "

" Then I am more naive than I thought. "

" And if I invited you to my castle for a nicer setting for this conversation would you? "

Dream takes a glimpse of the area and himself, " With where I am I do not see why not. "

Nightmare nodded and turned to open a portal, Dream was still, " Are you coming? "

Without a word, his brother stood up and walked through the tare in reality, not hesitating in the slightest.

Nightmare's tentacles dragged in the snow as he walked after Dream.

On the opposite side of the portal was a room made of the same stone as the rest of his palace, dimly lit by torches and the fireplace. The room had a wide range of furniture, from the bean bag Error demanded for his visits, the silk couch that his goop had stained more times than he was willing to admit, the RGB TV Killer begged for, and a coffee table made with bulletproof glass, even then it was replaced once a week.

Dream stood a few feet ahead of Nightmare, dumbfounded.

" Yes, I'm aware I should never let my man decorate again. " The negative Gaurdian groaned. " But on other matters, I need to call back my man. Sit wherever you desire, except the bean bag, Error will kill me if I let anyone else touch it. "

His brother gave a small nod but no move to sit down. With a sigh, Nightmare went to call the retreat.

After a little more than an hour of sorting monsters into their appropriate AUs and drilling into Killer's skull that he was not allowed to bother Dream, he returned to where said skeleton was radiating anxiety from the middle of the couch.

To be honest anyone could tell just by his body language, and the fact that Nightmare could sense it made it even more prominent. Which was odd. Normally Nightmare couldn't sense how Dream was feeling due to his positive aura hiding his feelings. Making the situation worrying.

Nightmare pushed him to this point.

" Dream. " the golden guardian jolted, turning to face his brother.

" Y- yes? " He stuttered.

In complete honesty, the dark guardian did not know what he was supposed to do. Dream was now in his place, his castle, his home, sitting on his couch as a guest instead of standing in a field of dust and blood prepared to fight with his life, and for the lives of the ones still standing.

How Nightmare had failed to realize how awkward this would be was astonishing. " I would assume you would like a tour of the palace? Or perhaps you would like some food to replenish yourself? " He gestured to the large doors in the room.

Hesitating, Dream nodded.

Understanding that his brother also had no idea what to do in the situation. He returned the action, pulled out his phone, and sent Horror a text requesting some sort of treat be set up in the dining room for when they arrived.

Placing his phone back in his inventory he turned his gaze to Dream once more, who was now standing a few feet away from him, and seemed to think the floor was the most interesting thing in the world.

Excepting the fact that there was not going to be a conversation Nightmare started the tour. " I suppose the best place to start would be here, wouldn't it? We are in the north wing, the area of the place made for more calm recreation. I am sure you've figured out this is the living room, although rarely used by anyone other than me. Other areas such as the library and kitchen will be found here as well. "

With that being said Nightmare led Dream out of the room, down a few halls, naming every meaning full room, and into the west wing, which had turned into an area his men used to train and do anything they wanted without breaking any valuable. Guests were not allowed to go there if they wanted to live because Nightmare's gang did not watch out for anyone when training.

Dream remained soundless.

The South wing was compressed of storage and where more serious business was taken care of.

" What sort of ' business '" Dream's vow of silence ended.

" How do you think I filled my castle furnishing? " He turned to face the golden guardian. " I run an extensive trading system between some of the more negative AUs. It serves me well and was fairly good at boosting positivity when it was needed during your absence. "

" Ah. " Dream shrunk.

Perhaps that last part was unnecessary. Regardless the tour continued.

The last place for the tour was the East Wing, the East Wing was where the sleeping quarters were. Nightmare pointed to where all of his subordinate's rooms were, his own, and where Dream's room would be.

Although once shown his room it was apparent he wanted to disappear inside it, alas, Horror had already prepared food, and Nightmare knew better than to leave it untouched.

" Horror made food for your visit, you can hide after you've eaten. You need to get something down your hatch anyway. "

After deflating a little and a realization of some sort, (most likely that he hadn't eaten for a while now.) he nodded and allowed Nightmare to lead him to the dining room.

The walk was no different than the rest of the time they had had together, the only sound heard was the sound of their footsteps.

Apon arrival the first thing they saw was (Instead of food) Horror with a tray above his head and the gremlin Killer, trying to worm his way out of Horror's other arm.

" Come on! I'm just gonna have one! Is that really that bad? " He wined as he attempted to escape his captor's arm.

" Nightmare wanted them for Dream. You can have whatever is left, " the large skeleton granted.

" Booooooo! " Horror adjusted his hold on Killer and threw him over the table. " ACK- "

The plater was placed by the head of the table, " They're here anyway, ya won't have to wait long. "

" Oh, HEY BOSS! " Killer shouted pulling himself off the ground and waving. " and Dream. "

Not amused by the spectacle the dark guardian massaged the bridge of his nasal cavity, took his place at the head of the table, pulled out Killer's seat with his tentacles, and motioned for Dream to take it.

The chair's normal seater let out a loud offended gasp, stopping Dream from even considering taking a seat. " Boss! You wouldn't! "

" But I have, Dream, you may seat yourself, " He motioned to the chair again.

The confused and anxiety-filled guardian took a second trying to register the situation as Killer grumbled on his way to the seat on the other side. A moment longer before he quickly shuffled to the chosen seat.

With all of the dramatics out of the way Nightmare- " Horror please explain to me why there are ten bags of chips on a silver platter. "

" Had ta make sure there was flavor Dream would like, " The giant released a deep chuckle.

Holding a groan, " You couldn't have made anything… " What was a good way to put it? " with more effort? "

" Nah, I'm workin' on dinner. Couldn't waste too much time on a snack. "

The groan had its freedom, " Very well, I expect something of exceptional quality tonight Horror. "

" Nothing less boss, " Really Horror. 'Nothing less,' Nightmare ought to strangle him. He couldn't though, Horror had already made his way out of the dining hall.

Dream had taken to looking at the chips and back to Nightmare, playing a game of ping pong with his eye-lights. A game that would only end when he got an answer of whether or not he could eat the chips.

With a sigh, the dark guardian nodded and messaged the rige of his nasal cavity.

Sweat formed on his twin's skull as he slowly reached past the Doritos for the classic lays, continuing to stare Nightmare down as if he'd change his mind at any given moment.

" Just take a damned chip bag. " Killer whines from his board form. " Boss doesn't bite. Plus I want some chiiiips! "

" Killer! " A glare threatening his removal from his boss and from Dream a look that desperately wants to say something about 'Boss doesn't bite.'

As Killer grumbled his defeat and leaned back into his chair with his arms crossed, Dream grabbed a bag and took to quietly eating it.

Not much more happened in that evening, Killer ran off with the entire plater when Dream did not reach for another bag of chips. When it was offered that Dream gets comfortable with his room he eagerly agreed. So Nightmare left him to be alone till dinner. However, feeling Dream's anxiety spike led to a change of plans. Nightmare was not about to force his brother to join them, he wanted him to feel comfortable, and have a choice in his endeavors here, or when he wanted to leave. So the offer that Horror or someone else brought a surviving of dinner to him was made, and with it, Dream's anxiety withered.

The following days happened the same. Dream would stay in his room, and someone would bring him food, sometimes attempting a conversation, only to be met with the silence of a room that felt empty or if they were lucky a hum.

It was exceptionally worrying.

The matter only became worse with how he could feel Dream's anxiety rise over time.

So a plan to get Dream out and about or just to help soothe him was devised.

Shortly after breakfast had been served, and Dream ate in his room once more, Nightmare knocked on his door and announced, " I hoped that you would join us this morning, and as you didn't I've decided we're going furniture shopping. "

A few beats of silence before the door opened slightly revealing dimly lit yellow eye-lights and a very confused stare. " What? "

" You need to get out and get some form of positivity, and with how much Ink drones on about nearly everything, I know fully well that this room is not your usual style nor the most comforting to you. Seeing as you do not plan to leave I figure your room ought to be set up for your comfort. "

A few blinks and silence was all Nightmare was met with.

" Get ready we will be leaving in 30 minutes, " With that, he nodded, walked away, and did his best to ignore Dream's confused panic.

Once the time had passed Nightmare made his presence known to Dream, before opening the door regardless if he answered or not.

Inside the golden guardian sat on his bed twitling his thumbs, wearing the outfit he wore for battle, and probably other formalities required of him by the Omega Timeline. Unexpected to say the least. Nightmare would have expected him to take one of the more casual options his boys collected for him. He supposed it was better than the white t-shirt and short shorts Dream had taken to wearing.

" Good to see that you did more than mope in your room. " Dream looked like he wanted to say something about the snarky greeting, but then realized that he had been moping in his room for the past four days. " Thought so, but let us be on our way. "

Walking through the newly formed portal and making sure Dream actually followed, they arrived in an odd AU, to say the least.

Nightmare deemed himself Lucky to have even found this AU. Its entire concept is practically the same as the original AU, just with an obsession with furniture. When Nightmare had found it it had been tilted towards the negative side of the spectrum because the humans of their world much longer than most AUs to fall into the underground, and monsters had started to lose hope of escape.

Though, through Nightmare's trading system they made it till the human fell and got them to the surface, and shockingly let them stay without any RESETS. It truly is an odd AU. But it served its purpose.

Stepping out of his portal and into an alleyway only to make sure one who did not know him did not see him come through.

He quickly made his way into the streets of an open mall-like area, mainly full of shops that had different styles of furniture, and had quite a number of Humans and monsters wandering the lots.

Dream stood close behind Nightmare trying to figure out what sort of AU this was. " Uh, where are we? "

" I'm unsure of its name, " – it's as if the creator of it made it quick just for a single quick plot point. – " But it is the reason my castle is well furnished. "

Dream stared a bit bewildered at Nightmare, " Didn't Ink make your place? "

Ah, it seemed Ink had told Dream how he had made Nightmare's home. " Indeed, but I had to manage him as he made it so that it wouldn't turn into whatever monstrosity he had planned. So you think I would let him furnish the place as well? "

" I won't deny Ink is a bit… hectic? " he looked away and sweat formed on his skull as he tried to make Ink sound like less than a sugar-high child who was given expensive art supplies and permission to do whatever he wanted with them, yes that includes eating it.

" Indeed, and from what he's told me, you took to, erm, ' Cottagecore ' for your choices in decor. " Nightmare had to look into that term to figure out what on earth Ink was talking about.

" Yes, that is how Ink described my house to me… " His eye-lights avoided contact with Nightamre's as he stood stiff.

Not wanting to live in the silence that followed Nightmare continued to the story that he had chosen for the trip, thankful that he didn't have to drag Dream, as he heard the clop of Dream's boots trying to catch up to him shortly after he walked away.

The shop Nightmare had set his eye-light apon was just up an escalator and past three other shops, so the walk should have been quick.

That didn't stop the monsters who recognized The Guardian of Negativity from stopping them to giving thanks or asking questions about Dream who had slipped his smiling mask on again, trying desperately to act like he was fine.

After a few minutes of shoving through the monsters, the few humans who got swept in by the crowd or were curious to know what the gathering was about, answered the same question " Why are you here with Dream? " who knows how many times, they finally made it to their goal.

Looking through one of the windows from the shop he could see a small dining room set up centered around a soft desaturated green, white, and light brown with a plastic vine plant of some sort draped over the edge of the table. The other window had a living room scene the main colors being nearly the same. The only difference is the soft desaturated yellow instead of the green.

Inside the shop the walls were lined with transparent pictures of different furniture one could purchase, separated by actual furnishing of varying designs.

Nightmare went to convey how large of a purchase he would be making to the monster at the counter after assuring his brother he could choose whatever he wanted.

He was not kidding when he said it would be a " large purchase. " The bedrooms of his palace had waiting rooms that were filled with seating, and the inside of the room itself was massive. It could hold its own living area, office, and gym, every room even had its own bathroom. One could fit nearly anything they wanted in those rooms. Nightmare had placed a library of his favorite books in his own so that he would be able to retrieve them without having to traverse the castle for them.

Knowing just how nervous Dream was his brother paid close attention to how he was feeling and what he was looking at. Taking note of the different amounts of affection and intrigue to different pieces, to then be scared away by the price.

Maybe an hour of looking – for cheap stuff – Dream found a few that fit whatever budget he had set up in his own head. Only for Nightmare to grab a few more of the ones Dream had taken a liking to. " You need not worry about the prices Dream, we need to fill your room anyway. "

The golden guardian said nothing as he watched his brother buy a stupendous amount of furniture. So much so that it was to be picked up in a week.

Once bought, Nightmare considered offering to get lunch in Fluffytale, a quant AU mainly known for the cat cafe run by the sans of the AU or Ccino, (Nightmare may hate cats but the coffee was worth it,) but After a look at Dream decided against it. Dream was already confused as a fish out of the water just from Nightmare's actions thus far.

Walking through his portal into the main living area as it had become customary to arrive there, only this time instead of the room being empty or dust napping on one of the couches, Killer and a skeleton wearing a complicated black and white uniform decorated with straps that make X's.

Cross.

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danielpowell · 1 year

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Find it very interesting that Chai is labeled as a slacker and is on paper having no prior work experience + is called an idiot on several occasions + is stated to be a college dropout

And somehow he managed to get into college in the first place

I'm going to be contrarian and say this man actually had a scholarship but struggled with certain aspects of academia, consequently losing the funding he needed and forcing him to struggle to find a career with no credentials and no experience

#mel talks hi fi rush #you can find ways to get through school by doing the bare minimum #and with how Chai is I'm willing to bet he saddled up a bunch of extracurriculars that helped him qualify #for said scholarships #I would even goes as far to say he is fully capable of studying things he has interest in but #lacked a support network to assist with things he struggled with #and who is to say he didn't do odd jobs or run errands to get enough to survive #but had no idea how to put that in a resume #the beacon (original intro song / streamer mode version) has very telling lyrics to me #also unrelated but the disability commentary is there and it leaves such an impact in my eyes #will one day make a post talking about my favorite line #edit: saw a lot of people saying it's not a serious game so Chai might have just dropped out to get said arm #which I'm not... a fan of #I could see the possibility and 100% get behind the reasoning #and still manage to make it super angsty because (vague gesture)#but this makes way more sense to me personally #gods is it apparent I have no one to infodump and discuss this game with

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seaalgae · 5 months

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while i'm doing fucked up and evil intercommunity discourse i do need to say that it hits in a way that the "transphobes say 'don't be surprised if testosterone doesn't turn you into an anime twink' but every trans guy is trying to be the bear-est bear possible" post that went around a bit ago set it up as something transphobes say to show how out of touch they are, but it's also just. specifically the statement that's outlined as transphobic is the type of post that goes unquestioned for thousands of notes within queer spaces practically once a month when it's about transfems

like i think i've been trying to find ways to outline how specifically caustic even the most open queer spaces tend to be about transfems for years now and i think this is just the example i'm going to latch onto, that this thing that is a pretty obvious, conceptually ridiculous expression of transphobia is also just a genuine sentiment that goes viral among even other trans people pretty regularly, and it's such a strong sentiment that it almost feels taboo to even mention that transfeminine people are also capable of making informed decisions about trans health care as the bare minimum 'hey trans women are still people' type of statement

(because i know people will interpret this in bad faith i'm making this because i've seen enough genuine, unironic "transfeminine people don't be worried if you don't turn out like a petite anime girl :) they're not real" posts enter my mostly trans timeline with enough regularity that i've Been mad about it, and it really just took seeing this one really good post point out that, yeah, that's just a transphobic sentiment, to really drive that home)

#reblogs off because i don't trust like that sorry #like i'm not qualified to talk about the actual differences in depth and experiences nor am i interested in doing so #and that's a thoroughly dead horse anyway and i've never had even passable conversations about it in all the time i was beating it #the specific context here is just that it's like #hard to get people to acknowledge specific ways that even queer communities reflect cultural transmisogyny without it becoming a whole thin #the venn diagram of people that will laugh at the bear post and people that will actually just say that about transfems is almost a circle #and the fact that i can only barely say 'hey transmisogyny might be a real thing' to that circle feels very connected in this moment #i dunno this will probably read like shit in the morning but that's a problem for future me #this is the least acceptable version of a post i've been thinking about for days #but it's the one that happened when i was actually in front of a keyboard

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commsroom · 2 years

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the day lovelace returns to in change of mind, the reminder that “you can be more [than what you were made to be]”, and how eris was designed by goddard to serve a very similar purpose to the dear listeners’ duplicates... that she exists to infiltrate and assess and return information to her creators; that there are a theoretically infinite number of more or less identical versions of her, but any one iteration is considered incidental, with no regard for her personhood or desires, so much so that she’s encouraged not to think of her death as a death. the complete removal of the individual from the concept of self. that this ‘big picture’ conception of a person as something replicable and disposable is what lovelace is rejecting, just as much as the version of herself she’s deciding not to be, shaped by goddard’s manipulation and the trauma she’s endured.

i think maybe there’s something to the fact that we only know this captain lovelace and this eris, theoretically one of a potential many but, in our understanding, continuous and singular. even with what jacobi’s encounter puts forward, the show makes a choice re: what questions of identity it wants to explore - and the question of what happens when there are two of a person who are both equally that person? ... is not really one of them. i don’t want to say that the show’s approach is metaphorical, exactly, but i do think it means something that its questions of identity are almost always directly analogous to things experienced by real people. that because there is only one lovelace, her experience can be read literally, but it can also be seen as a representation of feelings of being split before/after a traumatic event, depersonalization as a response to trauma. that despite the sci-fi framing, it isn’t speculative, and the way wolf 359 explores topics of identity always remains in the realm of the emotionally real.

#wolf 359 #w359 #isabel lovelace #okay i'm done talking about memory and identity in wolf. for now #it's one of those topics that's like an infinite series of rabbit holes i can fall down forever #and the whole point to all of this is that there are no clear answers. that it can only ever be about #individual choice and self-determination #that lovelace is lovelace because she decides to be. etc.#also this is why i don't believe in any 'this character is actually a clone now' theories #because like 1) if they were it would be significant to what the show says about identity. and so it would've come up #and 2) it kind of undermines what the show DOES say about lovelace. which is that she is just isabel lovelace. no qualifiers.#it's not really relevant beyond that and making a conspiracy out of it misses the point imo

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monster-noises · 7 months

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Ahahahahaaha love love Love getting Medical Anxiety triggered by over hearing something at work and fucking Finally feeling normal by the end of the work day only to come home and Remember It

Best time

Good vibes

My insides are vibrating at a daaaaangerous frequency and it's Not Helping

#monster noises #i never know what to call this type of Ongoing Exaggerated Anxiety #cause I don't want to misues terms #and I don't think it's...... Active enough for me to qualify it as Paranoia Or Hypochondria #but it's got a Hairline trigger #(i.e useful tips posted benignly on the internet about how to check for/detect something - overhearing co workers talk about their health -#part of a podcast that portrays a catastrophic health event; all things that have sent me absolutely Spiralling #some that Continue to affect my behavior)#and a base level of Constant Fear that i just really wish i didn't have to deal with #i loose a lot of days were i'm just kinda puttering around not doing much unable to drum up the energy because my Brain is on Fire #trying to convince myself i either Am or Am Not on the verge of having a Stroke or some shit #and I don't talk about it a lot because.........#idk #seems like it's not serious enough to warrant it #though it absolutely is #and i don't want anyone to like... get concerned cause that's just gunna make Me Worse #and that's Really not gunna help

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upperranktwo · 10 months

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I am not in a good mood at all rn. Got an email from my landlord saying I need to do more cleaning or else I'll get in trouble but I'm the only person in this hall that actually cleans anything which means someone is throwing me under the bus and claiming I do nothing and it's really pissing me off. I can't move until November but I also don't have a job so even when November comes around I won't be able to pay rent anywhere and I'm seriously on the verge of crying. I do not have the money to pay them to get someone else to clean since their standards are so high... I worked really hard so I could have somewhere to live and finally have an address of my own since I spent 3 years sleeping on the floor at my dad's and it's just unfair that things ever seem to work out for me :(

#my dads flat is very small he doesnt even have a bed he sleeps on the sofa #so it's not like he made me do it and he had a bed #he's not sleeping the best either #i just feel so :(#sky rambles #i want to live on my own so badly #but it's so expensive #this was the only option i had to have my own space #up until November last year I had never had my own bedroom #so having my own room was a big thing for me #i've been through so much in my life which I will not talk about on here #i just want something to go right for me in my life #i rlly thought i'd be able to find a job by now #but lmao :)#i'll never forgive my old place #firing me for being mentally ill #after I had people laughing at me and making me cry #because I like a fictional character #and having people make me do things i wasnt qualified for me and then shouting at me when I messed up #i'm so hopeless i need something good to happen for me or else i'll go insane

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esmealux · 3 months

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I'm going through the research literature on experiences of motherhood in female-partnered non-birth mothers (the topic of my bachelor's thesis), and the first author of this article is basically me 🥹

#no but it made me so happy #because I've had so many thoughts about whether I'm qualified/eligible to actually research this #but I am!#it's also crazy because I just talking to my friend the other day about exactly this #how me being a bisexual cisgendered woman makes me both an insider and an outsider #esmealux's bachelor's thesis

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supercantaloupe · 11 months

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i'm also looking for a job right now (one of those studying a degree needing a graduate degree to work, fml) and the job market is so fucked right now. i hope you do find one soon.

thank you for your kind thoughts. i think at this point, barring any potential one-off gigs i might get asked to play, it's really unlikely i'll get a job this summer. on the bright side i DO have a job lined up for the fall -- i'm working a fellowship at my university while i'm in grad school. it doesn't pay very much, but it funds the degree which is as good as deal as i could hope for (esp cause my program will probably take up to three years). i just really really wish i had something to do in the meantime over the summer; i hate sitting around without something to Do, and i'm bad at motivating myself to do stuff, and i hate the fact that i'm not able to contribute significantly to my own expenses yet. (of course i've extremely grateful to have a support system willing to help me while i'm at this point in my life, but i do WANT to be able to support myself at least in part by now.) but considering the fact that it's already mid june (and i'm out of the country for a week pretty soon), even if there were seasonal positions still available around me no one is realistically gonna hire me for only two months of work. i think i'm pretty much fucked on that account and i just have to get over it at this point. still, it would be nice if even a fraction of the jobs i've applied to so far would even message me back...but almost none of them have. sigh!

#sasha answers #anon #ty for your care. i appreciate it i do #and i hope you get a job soon as well #it just sucks. it's so frustrating. i can't even get a crummy grocery store cashier or barista job #which is about the only thing i'm 'qualified' for (because the qualifications don't require experience)#(and i still somehow get ignored or rejected when i apply...)#the only other shit that's consistently pushed at me on indeed are waitressing jobs and I Cannot Do That #like physically i would not be able to work that job (and i would probably crumple the second a customer was shitty to me)#(but i can't be on my feet for that long without significant breaks i'm just not physically capable)#what fucking gets me too is that like...i applied to internships and stuff that i AM qualified for.#i applied to performing arts jobs #i got interviewed for some of them! i thought i had a really good shot!#but i was rejected from all of them and i don't even really know why #which is just. really upsetting #especially when i have friends my age (and younger! with as much or less experience as me!) getting jobs in this field #jobs they love and love to talk about #and they're my friends. i am so happy for them. i am. i swear #but it also does sting a bit every time #knowing that they got it and i didn't #and some of them like to say how easy it is. how great a gig it is.#just apply! there are so many positions! you don't need a lot of experience! you would love it!#well. i would love it. i know i would. that's why i applied to similar programs here #and i got rejected.#everytime.#and now it's june and i have nothing to do with myself except waste time on tumblr and bake #and it just. sucks.#anyway.#i wanna talk about me #man i even picked my grad program specifically to make sure it would give me Marketable Skills(tm) when i'm out too.

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tytrack · 1 year

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it actually makes me so angry that people are not there for you the way you need them but in a way that wants to make them feel good

#i'm pissed my friend just came to visit me at midnight on her way home bc she's leaving for california when i told her not to come #*she's leaving for california tomorrow #my uncle had to be taken to the hospital over the weekend and has been on the ventilator and she didn't call me at all to check in on how i #was doing and sent a text super late with a general how are you text because i've also been working on my qualifying exams #and i told her that was i was surprised she hadn't called me then and she said she was trying to give me my space (???????????)#meanwhile i've been dealing with stupid roommate drama and she knows that it wouldn't be ok for her to come and told her multiple times not #to and she thought i was being polite or something? when i said 'i literally do not want you to come'#there's actually been so much shit going on in my life and instead of coming when i needed you you're coming now that you have no other #time to come. i needed her this whole time and she's just been unavailable and socializing with other people and otherwise preoccupied #i do not need you to come at midnight to show me that you care it feels so disengenous #meanwhile while she was doing her phd apps i was literally glued to her side read her drafts was there for her emotionally was there #IN THE MOMENT as she was submitting them and even when she was finding out from programs and i was upset with her i was following up with #her and calling her every day. i really hate everything #i'm writing all this because i'm angry and i'm angry that i feel guilty for being upset with her when she just came over even though #i literally told her i didn't want her to come and suddenly it feels like it's my fault even though i know it's not #even today while she was on the phone she was just talking about shit going on in her life maybe to fill in the space that i wasn't filling #but like are you serious?#god i'm so upset i already can't concentrate on my work

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01tsubomi · 4 months

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hi!! if you dont mind me asking, how did you manage to end up teaching in japan?? ive been researching but info online is so extense and overwhelming and i never have good answers....

hello!! first of all i wanna say i understand the stress - i applied to j/et first and was going to work on backups like int/erac and private hiring if that didn't work out and i'm always thankful that i didn't have to. honestly now that i'm here it feels funny that i stressed out so much during the application process bc i always find myself thinking "damn they'll let anyone in" (often about myself lmao). it can be really odd and unexplainable who j/et does and doesn't take but japan needs a lot of ALTs to keep the system going so if you've got the enthusiasm for it there's definitely a place for you!!

i would definitely recommend trying for j/et and int/erac first before worrying about the other options!! since j/et has the biggest reputation ofc there's the double-edged sword of it feeling the most prestigious and hard to get into but again they do hire a ton of candidates every year, plus it has the highest guaranteed pay and takes care of so much for you pre-departure. idk where you're at in life/when you'd plan on applying but if you wanna start the job as soon as possible, int/erac has pretty much a rolling application and their main recruiting cycle is for spring departures (while j/et won't start recruiting again til october, for departure in summer 2025). int/erac gives you a little less pay and a little less initial help, but it's still very reputable. int/erac ALTs also have a few more freedoms once you're in japan bc i believe int/erac has your school hire you directly intead of employing you to your city's board of education. so for example my BoO doesn't let ALTs commute by car, but int/erac ALTs and private hires don't have that restriction. knock on wood, if neither of those work out, there are lots of sites like gaijinpot posting private hire opportunities. i don't know about the competitiveness of those and they do often require you to sort out visa application or housing on your own, but opportunity is always out there! seriously though i wouldn't worry about that at first. that's the backup plan ace up your sleeve

in terms of what you can do to raise your chances of getting hired, again, i think the enthusiasm is the key!! people say the j/et interview is a glorified vibe check bc they've been known to reject people who sometimes seem overqualified for the position (maybe for good reason - the amount of responsibility you get and teaching you get to do is suuuuper variable and dependent on your school, and probably about ~1/3 of my work days every year i have no classes and little relevant work to do, if any). i don't have a background or certification in teaching but i did a lot of tutoring in college and minored in japanese so i had a lot to say about my passion for language education. i know j/et really loves the angle of "what will you get out of the position, and what will you give back" - i can tell you're excited about the idea of teaching in japan so i'm sure you already have your answers!! if you have hobbies related to japan it's good to explain how being in japan would help you continue them. or you can always research what you could do with your non-japan related hobbies in japan! i love cooking and i started taking classes at a chain studio that does a mix of japanese and worldwide cooking. again i know the hit-or-miss element of it is scary but really they just want friendly open-minded people who can share their culture, have enthusiasm about education and exchange, don't mind the hours/job restrictions, and are down to pack their bags and live in japan. if you have any other questions please ask!! i know this is random but i've helped a couple of friends with their applications so if you do want some extra eyes on a statement of purpose my inbox is always open!! cheering for you!! 🎉🎉

#seriously i got. so so stressed out during the whole application process. and nothing any of my friends could say abt how i #seemed perfectly qualified could help #i really do understand the position you're in #but seriously the job is so much lower stakes than i thought intiially and a lot of the reason i say that is because of how little #responsibility i get #i love my school and my teachers are really receptive to my ideas #but basically once you're here all the meaning's gotta come from you #the dreaded Every Situation Is Different applies ofc #but at my school i don't get directly asked for activities much and get told i don't have to come to class pretty often #so if i'm not taking the initiative and making stuff myself or going to talk to the students myself it can be very easy to just coast #which i think a lot of people do. which i can't blame anyone for because 1) i know people who are physically in the classroom less than #8 hours a week #disregarding if they're given an active role in those lessons or if they're just asked to read vocab #and 2) i also don't use all of my downtime on work-related tasks and i honestly find it hard to imagine how i could #i'm just getting into my thoughts about my job now which is something i could talk about for hours and hours #trust me i do really love being here and i actually like that i have to challenge myself to speak up and carve out my place #i'll cut myself off there because i have too many thoughts #but genuinely good luck!! you can do it!!#asks

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