Gaijin Always Listen to Music

I think it used to be the joke that Gaijin (foreigners) always sleep on the train....Now, I think it's more accurate to say that they just listen to ipods. I mean.....the majority of the world population listens to their ipods on the train, so now the gaijin don't stick out so bad.

That intro leads to this random snippet from my life today...

I usually listen to my ipod on the way to work, its just a 10 minute walk or so, but that's two songs! At any rate, I usually go to the Daily Yamazaki to get some coffee or something then sit in the plaza if it's nice out and I'm early. I usually have my ipod on for that too...

But today, I didn't have it since the battery was out. So I was actually aware of the world around me. What a novel experience!

One of the other foreign teachers at my school had asked me recently if I had noticed anybody noticing me as a foreigner. I had to say no, and I attributed this to the fact that I'm a woman and much less noticeably foreign than a quite tall, blondish guy. He protested, however, that it would happen. That I'd be on the train and some 5 year old would just....gape at me, open mouthed, like I'm some kind of...golden monkey...and then after a few minutes would turn and tug on his/her parents pant leg and point at me. He did such a good impression that when it did happen last week, it was quite comical. Of course, I'd not be offended by the curiosity of a child anyhow. Rather, I think it's pretty cute. I like waving at them and hoping that they remember the smiling face of a friendly foreigner in their far distant future, when maybe prejudice could have had the upper hand. Inevitably the parents are always quite embarrassed and quash the innocent, inquiring pointer finger as quickly as possible. I have mercy on them and pretend that I didn't notice their child's 'rudeness'.

That was last week though. Today I sat on the low brick wall on the edge of the landscaping, my back to the bushes, glorying in the beauty of a perfectly sunny, early autumn morning when a small group of 3 older Japanese women approached me. One came up to me and asked in Japanese if it was "okay" and then asked if I spoke English. Funnily enough, I responded in Japanese...actually, she asked if I "Eigo....English?" I responded in the affirmative, in combination likewise "Hai....yes." Then...she smiled and said something to her friends, laughing, and off they went. Maybe they had a bet going or something. It was a little charming, I have to admit, to see oldish women acting so schoolgirlishly.

These small incidents come after a couple recent encounters with the potential unwelcoming nature of Japan. I attempted to open my bank account at Mizuho with my Japanese coworker doing the real business for me, but the bank said that foreigners have to live in Japan for a full 6 months before opening a Mizuho account now. This wasn't the case before, and the change is pretty recent, as far as I know. They said something about tax reasons, and when confronted with the fact that this seemed contrary to their previous policies, they said "the past is the past..."

I had no trouble opening my account at a neighboring bank, aside from the pretty normal frustration of dealing with a HIGHLY and senselessly bureaucratic system and mindset.

I have also recently heard that many smaller inns and hotels are not welcoming to foreigners simply because they don't know how to deal with the difference in language. Communication is pretty difficult between languages as different as Japanese and English, but I believe that these same inns and hotels usually change their minds after hosting a foreigner for the first time and finding the joy in sharing their culture with an eager learner.

Anyway. Just a small incident that I thought I might share.

Coming Soon! Lauren's trip to Asakusa, Harajuku, and the Meiji Shrine...

<3 Love!