Encounters with a Japanese international student

It's fun to meet new people. You get a chance to see what they're like, where they come from, and possibly learn something (which is something people don't really do these days).

So, this quarter, I met Hazuki, a girl from Japan studying here. Being "friends" (more on that later) shed some light on Japanese mentality, for girls at least, or maybe this particular mindset belongs to those from Yokohama. From what I understand, people from Osaka are all sorts of laid back and open to anything, while those from Tokyo aren't so much.

So when I first met her, it was the usual trappings. Meet and greet. Say hi. Wow her with the language speaking skills (or lack thereof). Granted, she was impressed and things went well from there. A few hangouts with my little group of friends, and it was good times all around. However, we actually got know each other and things kind of went down hill from there.

Down hill, not so much in the sense that we would fight or argue. Rather, down hill due to high contrasting personalities. Think about it, if you will, the personality of myself, usually happy and optimistic, but rather blunt and straightforward. I will have a good time, but I will not beat around the bush if the occasion needs it. Compare that to her. I am not sure how to put it, so I believe "Planet B-Boy" puts it best:

Japanese education stresses homogenization which is reflected in the proverb, "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down"

Homogenization. Conformism? Uniformity? The whole idea of homogenization may explain a few things. Hazuki was not really down for talking about personal issues when things were clearly bothering her. A simple thing like a hug or touching in general, I found, was a thing that Japanese people don't do, for whatever reason, and it set her off kilter. Rather than say so, she kept her mouth shut. Very rarely, she would tell me something that's bothering her or just something on her mind. It was just a very "Things are ok mentality" and that's it. Not to say that is a bad thing. Things were lively when she was around. It is just that when it needed to be, she didn't keep it real.

However, this is all biased perspective. It seemed I was the only one that made her uncomfortable, for whatever reason. One interesting time was when we were at the basement of the Student Union, where the arcade machines are. I was playing, doing my thing, being good, apparently (I just consider myself mildly decent, considering I know people that can double-A stuff, but remember, it's all perspective). After doing paranoia survivor, she noted that doing songs like those are impossible, almost non-human. I responded that nothing is impossible. It's just that people don't try and just hold themselves back. She insisted that it was, quipping that I was a little non-human when I asked her if I wasn't human for being able to do all the things that I do.

Hopefully, this uneasiness will cease, cause really, this whole tension thing kinda silly, dontcha think? Here's to wondering what will happen after the summer when I see her for the next two quarters.

Stay safe, stay thinking
-Nick