Stranger in a Strange Land
A fellow backpacker said to me that this was the first place he ever felt like a complete alien. After some consideration I would agree. Here are some observations:
Every stares at me all the time. Especially younger people. Especially in cities besides Tokyo. There are so few westerners in some areas it is hard to explain. I’m fairly tall and wearing boots that give me at least another inch, so that might be part of it. Plus I’m usually hauling around a giant backpack.
People constantly talk about me / us. I can tell because usually small groups of younger people are whispering to each other and trying to point when I’m not looking. This happened a ton when Hamby and I were together. We stood out big time in Nagoya because there are very few westerners there.
Everyone minds their own business all the time. No one talks to each other on the streets or on the subway. Almost everyone walks around with headphones, ignoring everyone and everything around them.
The final thing is that the characters not roman, to me they look like scribbles. For the first time I can’t identify any of the writing on any of the signs. It all looks the same to me. At least when I was in Europe I could get the gist of what a sign was saying.
I truly feel like an alien, or a stranger in a strange land.
Japan was by far the most culture shock I have ever felt while traveling. When I rounded the terminal corner in Detroit’s airport to board my plane to Japan and saw about 300 Japanese people in line, I knew I was in for an experience. One of the most unique things for me was being a minority. Do all the kids still dress exactly the same as their friends?
Europe is different than here – they are our 2nd cousin we see at family reunions. Japan is the crazy uncle who we try and keep locked in the basement.
Lots of them dress alike. Fads come and go super quick here. I have been here almost a year and always feel very out of place.