A Gaijin in Japan
Here is your first Japanese lesson (today was my first-Arigato Kae!!) Gaijin in Japanese=foreigner & Arigato=thank you.
Being a Gaijin in Japan where I am instantly recognized as a gaijin is a totally different than being a foreigner in Europe where I at least have the same skin color and facial features as Europeans. Everywhere I go I am recognized as a outsider, and its ok-most Japanese are very nice, some are not, but I'm sure you run into that everywhere you go. Many Japanese are not used to seeing gaijins everyday so they are not sure how to react-two reactions usually take place 1) they completely ignore you, 2) they stare at you and don't hide it,-- or they 3) ask you where you are from (3 is quite rare). When I tell people I am from America they usually get very excited and ask which part-when I say California they get very excited. For some odd reason the Japanese love America especially california-probably has to do with movies.
The fun thing about being a foreigner in Japan is that you can recognize foreingers (non-Asian)right away, and you can meet some very interesting people. Since it is rare to run into a foreigner two things usually happen: 1) you give them a nod and walk by or 2) if the you are more out going you walk up to the other foreigner and strike up a conversation (this is more common among the younger peps). Number 2 has happened a number of times and I have meet people from Alaska, Chicago, Portland Oregon (she went to high school in Roseville-small world), Australia (not my co-workers), Canadians... And everyone is just so happy to talk to someone you can understand and can vent your frustrations with.
***Side notes
-Grandma, I'm very excited to hear you got a computer, good luck figuring out
how to use it. And Happy Birthday on the 23rd if your not able to hear from me before then.
-Picture of my bike will be coming soon-I just need to take it : )
Being a Gaijin in Japan where I am instantly recognized as a gaijin is a totally different than being a foreigner in Europe where I at least have the same skin color and facial features as Europeans. Everywhere I go I am recognized as a outsider, and its ok-most Japanese are very nice, some are not, but I'm sure you run into that everywhere you go. Many Japanese are not used to seeing gaijins everyday so they are not sure how to react-two reactions usually take place 1) they completely ignore you, 2) they stare at you and don't hide it,-- or they 3) ask you where you are from (3 is quite rare). When I tell people I am from America they usually get very excited and ask which part-when I say California they get very excited. For some odd reason the Japanese love America especially california-probably has to do with movies.
The fun thing about being a foreigner in Japan is that you can recognize foreingers (non-Asian)right away, and you can meet some very interesting people. Since it is rare to run into a foreigner two things usually happen: 1) you give them a nod and walk by or 2) if the you are more out going you walk up to the other foreigner and strike up a conversation (this is more common among the younger peps). Number 2 has happened a number of times and I have meet people from Alaska, Chicago, Portland Oregon (she went to high school in Roseville-small world), Australia (not my co-workers), Canadians... And everyone is just so happy to talk to someone you can understand and can vent your frustrations with.
***Side notes
-Grandma, I'm very excited to hear you got a computer, good luck figuring out
how to use it. And Happy Birthday on the 23rd if your not able to hear from me before then.
-Picture of my bike will be coming soon-I just need to take it : )
posted by Brenda | 3:00 AM
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