"Louise Bremner" <dame_zumari@yahoo.com> wrote in message 
news:1gl0r76.1t3xpvoug9zj0N%dame_zumari@yahoo.com...
> Haluk Skywalker <halukakaNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> "John W." <worthj1970@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:1096637372.961352.214870@h37g2000oda.googlegroups.com...
>> > Michael Cash wrote:
>> >> On Fri, 1 Oct 2004 14:34:34 +0200, "b"
>> >> <nospam.bengabenga@caramail.com> brought down from the Mount tablets
>> >> inscribed:
>> >>
>> >> >to stop being a gaigin once you've really been one -
>> >> >or is there no turning back ?
>> >>
>> >> Since one generally attains gaigindom through emerging from the womb
>> >> and taking a breath before somebody jams a pair of scissors through
>> >> one's skull, it's sort of hard to turn back.
>> >>
>> > Arudo begs to differ. Pretty soon he'll be asking gaigin if they know
>> > how to use chopsticks and have four seasons in their home countries.
>> > John W.
>> >
>>
>> OK, great. Does anyone have an idea why Japanese brag about having four
>> seasons all the time? I'd been wondering about this when I was in Japan, 
>> can
>> anybody come up with the reason.
>
> I suspect it's part of a "conversation" in a beginner's English book,
> similar to one I've been subjected to, and I've heard of variations from
> other people:
>
> Earnest Japanese Student of English (EJSE): Hello!
> Unenthusiastic Gaigin Victim (UGV): Hi
> EJSE: Where are you from?
> UGV: Britain
> EJSE: Oh, is that near California?
>

Not interesting for me. I'm from Turkey. I encounter that conversation every 
day on my overseas trips. And in Japan, all people know about Turkey is 
limited to Tonde Isutanbuuru and Torukoburo -and they think of there as a 
place they can get a handjob.