Q1. What is your name?

Danny Gong

Q2. Where are you originally from?

New York City, Queens

Q3. How long have you been in Japan?

Almost 3 years now.

Q4. What are you into at the moment?

At the moment I'm busy working on my book and watching Naruto.

Q5. What do you do in Japan?

I have two jobs in Japan.
My first job is teaching Japanese artists to sing with American accents.My second job is teaching American Sign Language (ASL).

American Sign Language (ASL)
www.deafjapan.com

Once a Month Sign Language event
http://kinyoubishuwa.blogspot.com/

Japanese Sign Language Speech Competition in Kyoto (Video)
http://deafjapan.com/DeafJapan_Japanese/Coda_Culture.html

Q6. How did you manage to get your jobs?

The singing gig was purely from random circumstance. I was hired to work for a new hotel, but the project was cancelled. Then the President of my company asked me if I was interested in teaching his artists. I said, "Hai, Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu."

I was able to start my second job because my first language is American Sign Language. Both of my parents are Deaf and we communicate visually. Contrary to popular belief, Sign Language is not universal. But if you know one Sign Language, it is easier to pick up another Sign Language from a different country as opposed to Spoken Language.

When I moved to Japan, I picked up Japanese Sign Language (JSL) much quicker than Japanese. I believe it's because I didn't have to worry about pronunciation. I only had to remember hand shapes and movements. Within a short period of time I was able to communicate in Japanese Sign Language, while my Japanese was staggering along. Eventually, I noticed how my JSL helped improve my Japanese by being a mnemonic device for remembering new Japanese words.

After meeting and making many Deaf friends, they expressed interest in learning ASL. I started creating lesson plans and videos. A year later, I opened my first class.

Q7. Is it a big challenge for you to work at Japanese company? Tell me about it.

It's a big challenge to work at any company! Every company has it's own culture, but Japanese companies are so different from American companies. I still can't believe that people work 12-14 hours a day with no overtime!

Another challenge was the language barrier. I would attend meetings and try/pretend to understand what everyone was talking about. You know, looking serious when everyone had a serious face or laughing when people started laughing. However, I was lucky to work with someone who interpreted everything for me.

As for my own school, the challenge is having different students with different needs. Some of my students want to learn ASL, while others want to focus more on English. I must change my lesson plans based on this.

Q8. Any funny/horrible stories while you work?

I was only living in Japan for 6 months, when one day the president invited me out to a Jazz show. He also invited his business associates. I was the youngest and only non-Japanese person at the table. Of course, my co-worker interpreted the conversation.

They started talking about the North and South poles and how the earth's magnetic force can have an affect on your body and animals. Someone said, "That's why penguins need to live near the the poles because their body is attuned to the magnetism."

However, being a smart ass New Yorker (without even realizing it) I said, "No they don't, Penguins live in the Bronx Zoo". I didn't realize it at first, but my co-worker didn't want to interpret what I said. However, she was forced to, because everyone heard me speak in English and was waiting for the interpretation. She relayed the message and then there was silence. After a moment, they continued on with their conversation. I realized, "Oh crap, that wasn't good."

Q9. Do you have any advice for foreigners to get a job at a Japanese company?

1. Japanese people aren't very sarcastic, so try to keep wise comments to a minimum.

2. Get used to hearing and saying, "Otsukaresamadeshita" and "あの。。。あの。。。難しいですね。"

3. Keep a good attitude and listen for what is not being said.

Q10. What are your goals for future?

Compared to the US and Europe, Asia is behind on it's social services. Many Asians don't realize how beautiful Sign Language is. They view Sign Language as an inferior language that is reserved for the disabled.

On the contrary, Sign Language is a Language. Anyone can learn it.

"American Sign Language is a natural language as proved to the satisfaction of the linguistic community by William Stokoe, and contains phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax and pragmatics just like spoken languages. It is a manual language or visual language, meaning that the information is expressed not with combinations of sounds but with combinations of hand shapes, palm orientations, movements of the hands, arms and body, and facial expressions."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_sign_language (English only)
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/アメリカ手話　(Japanese)

Here are a few examples of how useful Sign Language is:

1. Talking with your friends in a Loud Club/bar.
2. The ability to communicate through glass (Bus, Train, Car, Store etc...)
3. The ability to communicate long distances without yelling.
4. The ability to communicate underwater (snorkeling/scuba diving)
5. Have secret conversations.

My goal is to produce books, films and hold presentations to show how cool Sign Language is all across Asia.

Q11. What is your favorite Japanese proverb?

第六感 (だいろっかん)

Q12. Where can we find you? (Where do you go often?)

Slices, Cafe Absinthe, Starbucks, Balabushka, and Doutonburi area.

Q13. Message to WhyNot!? users!

Thanks for reading and see you at the WhyNotJapan parties.