1 Week Past

Well, one week has passed and I can say it's definitely an improvement. Meeting people isn't too hard, especially in Japanese Language I. Meeting Japanese people is another story though. I think it's an interesting experience, seeing Japan while looking Japanese. They treat non-Asians very differently, which is very apparent if you watch them. They like the non-Asians and approach them with eagerness. They couldn't give a crap about the Asian foreign students. So if I tell them I'm American, they don't really care b/c I look Chinese (or Japanese to some of them). I'm not too sure it's a racial thing though as much as a commonality issue. I guess it's good to think of it in terms of Koreans in CMU. If a Korean student came up to you and told you he or she was actually from, say, the Phillipines, instead of Korea, for most people, it probably wouldn't matter so much. There's too many Asians here to really care.

So in a way, while a bit lonlier (especially w/ the language barriers), it's very interesting to not always be singled out.

But in Japanese I, there are a few Chinese-speakers. From Taiwan. So thank god for the years of Chinese exposure. I can communicate with them fairly well. And unlike the Japanese, they are very open to meeting new people. Probably b/c they're new too. Remember Freshman year? (And quite literally, a guy from that class randomnly approached me afterwards and said, in English, "Hello. My name is Ha Yunbin. I would like to be friends with you.")

But speaking of being American... b/c of the Virginia Tech issue, I have been asked more than once if I own a gun. Because in Japan, all Japanese people think all Americans own guns and shooting and drivebys and events like Virginia Tech happen all the time.

I guess we can't blame them for that assumption. While I never encounter guns and most people I know don't, a lot of households own at least one. And I was told it's actually very easy to buy one too. And when you add to the fact that a lot of schools have metal detectors and the fact Japan's laws forbid anyone to own one and also include all the disasters that have been coming out of America in the past years... can't blame them for thinking America is an ungodly dangerous place.

Well, I'm bumming out for day in my apartment. Stupid of me since it's absolutely gorgeous outside.

Don't think I'll be going anywhere this weekend either. I'd like to know for sure my scholarship money is in the bank first. Ah well... maybe I'll call someone.