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Your attitude towards other foreigners?

How do you feel about other non-Japanese?

  • We're all in the same boat, gaijin stick together

    Votes: 2 25.0%
  • They're basically competition/I'm focused on my own thing and I intentionally avoid them

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Meh, I don't really care, I'm here to experience Japan

    Votes: 5 62.5%
  • I guess my own countrymen are ok, but others....

    Votes: 1 12.5%

  • Total voters
    8

bakaKanadajin

先輩
30 Apr 2007
1,134
84
63
Those of you making a living in Japan, I'm just curious
How do you feel about other foreigners in Japan?

Do your views on what would be considered 'foreign' back home change at all? That is... in your predominantly white hometown for example, the Indian fellow is quite 'foreign', but here, you and him are a little bit closer since you're in the same boat so to speak?

Do you see other foreigners as comrades or competition?
 
Other foreigners are like everyone one else, some good guys and some difficult guys. I'll go out to a gaijin bar once in a blue moon just to be around other foreigners and actually be able to understand everything they're saying, but that's pretty much all I'll do to be around other foreigners,
 
I give them a nod on the street in my neighborhood, and I hang out with the Dutch society here in Japan because I miss talking Dutch sometimes, and I want my sons to enjoy Dutch cultural festivals.

Besides that I hardly hang out with other foreigners, although I should go to the gaijinbars more often just to make some more connections. Which is a sad thing in one way, but due to Japanese language limitations, it's the easiest and best way to get more connections and to get out of the teaching environment.

I don't really see them as competition.
 
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I'm the only Dr. Livingston on this here island!!!

...is a ridiculous posturing people take when they come to Japan expecting to be a rock star just for their novelty. I have friends of many different nationalities here, but I don't especially go out of my way to hang out with or avoid foreigners in general; friends are friends. If I end up in places like Roppongi or Kabukicho or Nagoya's Sakae area I sometimes see behavior from other foreigners that makes me cringe because as much as I hate it, we do get lumped together, and one's bad behavior reflects poorly on the rest of us.

The actual definition of "foreign" is an interesting topic, since it does seem to change depending on where I am. I suppose the side effect of the Japanese definition of foreign being "anyone not Japanese" is that I'm more likely to think on some level "oh look, an Indian guy; he's foreign, just like me." I just kind of got used to being surrounded by that attitude.
 
I do not say hi to other foreigners on the street... well maybe if we make eye contact... but i do not avoid them or anything. I guess I am really indifferent, if they are in my life, then they are in my life, if i do not know them, well it will probably stay that way unless circumstances bring us together.
 
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...is a ridiculous posturing people take when they come to Japan expecting to be a rock star just for their novelty.
Charisma man
charisma_man_01s-1.jpg
 
Charisma man
charisma_man_01s-1.jpg

To be sure, there is a breed of Japanese women that are into foreigners, but my feeling is that the majority of them could care less, and if they are going to be attracted to you it is because they are attracted to you and not, because you are foreign.
 
My experiences may be a tad different since I am an exchange student, but I found it much easier to make friends with other foreign students. This is because for the first few days my only contact with other people was other foreign students who were "in the same boat" as me. That's not to say I have not made Japanese friends as well. There are also other foreign students here I do not like/cannot stand. In fact, it's kind of funny but I find the only exchange students here I actually cannot stand are other Americans.

So in short, I'm mostly indifferent to other foreigners (apart from my friends of course). I don't say hi to them on the street or give them a nod or whatever; I don't do that back home so why do it here? I will admit that I do tend to avoid going out with big groups of foreigners who want to go drinking, especially when I do not know the majority of the people. Call it what you will, but I'd rather not hurt the image of foreigners here in Japan.
 
I'm the only Dr. Livingston on this here island!!!

...is a ridiculous posturing people take when they come to Japan expecting to be a rock star just for their novelty. I have friends of many different nationalities here, but I don't especially go out of my way to hang out with or avoid foreigners in general; friends are friends. If I end up in places like Roppongi or Kabukicho or Nagoya's Sakae area I sometimes see behavior from other foreigners that makes me cringe because as much as I hate it, we do get lumped together, and one's bad behavior reflects poorly on the rest of us.
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Unfortunatly though many people (especially American service members) are like this... 😌

I feel exactly the same way as you Nice Gaijin, we all get lumped together when "something" happens, especially military. I am sure you have read about base lock downs because some thug decides to force himself on a girl. We have a very knee jerk reaction society "on base". But I know how that then extends to those outside the military and can give foreigners a bad name... for that I appologize.:sorry:

personally I try and stay away from the foreign scenes where I know a number of US military are going to be hanging out, however if it's an area tht has foreign influence that is not solely set up for the brash young crowd then count me in for a shochu on the rocks!

I would probably hang out with most of you on this forum though. 🕺🍜
 
Honestly, I avoid foreigners, but then again, I avoid people in general. The only exception is when I go out drinking, cause I just can't get used to the idea of drinking as just part of a small select group, but rather a larger crowd of strangers intermingling, therefore I prefer Gaijin bars.

I do think some Japanese women have a romanticized image of foreigners, and so a lot would be easy to get things started with. I don't seek interaction with those kind of chicks cause I hardly see it as realistic at all. We're all people, we all have our strengths and flaws, and romanticism just seems ridiculous to me at least.
 
When I first got here I would talk to foreigners a lot, but now I only do it if I'm feeling exceptionally lonely. I used to have the "OMG, other gaijin!" reaction, but then I just got used to living here.
 
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