Loco in Yokohama

Well put!

thanks D!

[...] And they’re right, to an extent. See the article here: A liberating thought | Loco in Yokohama [...]

You had some angry times back then and I remember thinking ‘chill out and stop being so observant’. But I wasn’t there and I didn’t have to deal with that. You seem calmer, happier now. Japanese idiosyncrasies still bug you but that doesn’t consume you. You have ties to the country now. I’m sure your students, past and present, will always remember you. Well done!

When I first read Loco, I thought this guy’s pretty angry. I remember thinking ‘why doesn’t he just chill out and stop being so observant.’ But I wasn’t there, I didn’t have to live in it. You still get miffed by Japan but it doesn’t consume you. You seem calmer and happier. I think your students, past and present, will remember you. Well done!

You and SayJ must be joined at the hip lol
But, you’re right about some things i do have ties to this country. Whether or not this country has consumed me or not is still unanswerable, but i don’t think it has.
As for being observant, it’s a blessing and a curse, you know?
As a writer, the opposite of being observant is material-free detail free writing (and writing is nothing if not about the details)
For a New Yorker, the opposite of observant is victimization, death, or missed opportunities to improve one’s lot.
But, as you suggested, the opposite of observant for a foreigner (esp. a black one) is a blissful, anger-free life
I’d rather be angry, personally.
Thanks for the shout

Yes, I hope this will be a side-effect of my stay in Japan as well, OK maybe a little more than a side effect. Reading all I have about the Japanese/foreigner relationship I can’t help but feel I need be something of an ambassador, because the reality is there aren’t very many black women in Japan, and I could be the only black women any one of my students ever meets. Now I don’t want to do this at the expense of my own personality/happiness of course, but I don’t think I need to. As you said it’s just about positive personal interaction, being kind and civil, and really that’s how we all should be wherever we are anyway.

SayJ and Annabelle are one and the same. I had some issues posting on the sight and I ended up posting twice, lol. I don’t observe enough, I live in my own world and I’m rarely disyurbed. Hopefully I’ll get to the middle that is bliss ^_^

Thank you for your helping your Japanese students “seeing all humans as humans”

As for integrating into Japanese society, it is really up to you.

I look upon Japan favorably just as you seem to look upon the U.S. favorably.
I am optimistic about Japan just like young mixed people in Japan in the video.

The way I see it, people in Japan and in the U.S. have the same tendency to look upon the unknown with fear and curiosity.
But Japan and the U.S. have different histories.
Black people are relatively new member to Japanese society.
Black people don’t start their life here as slaves.
In Japan in the mid-1950s , Meredith, an American civil rights movement figure. stated, “he was never conscious of his racial identity as he was in the US. ”
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/kentanakachan/e/201f02874854b5e1f9dfeb32b905267a
The Japanese don’t share the same bias with American people about black people just as, say, American people don’t share the same prejudice against the Japanese with Korean people.

I’m not sure if you watched the video I cited.
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/kentanakachan/e/94fed8124550d9ad777ad206f7e78ff5
A young mixed race guy says

４:００
日本でハーフとして生まれて自分の肌の色とか目の色とかで弱い、って錯覚している人がいるんですけど、それ、本当に強さだから、もっともっとその弱さと思っているところを誇って頑張っていきましょう
There are some mixed-race people born in Japan who mistakenly think of the color of the skin and the eyes as a weak point, but in reality it is your merit, so be proud of what you think of your demerit and let’s keep it up

This is a strong message to the mixed-race people and the traditional Japanese.

I am aware that one way or another some Japanese people have bias against black people, (that is probably why some young mixed race people thought of the color of the skin and the eyes as a demerit in the first place).

I am realistic about Japan. They might sometimes go through some troubles because of how they look and it might take some time to realize the society they wish.
But we have people like this young man now who can send a strong message like that to us presumably because he trust our society and people in it. I think it wont’t take 400 years until they can integrate into Japanese society. They are already participating in Japanese society as one of us, speaking up to us, interacting with us, some with troubles, others with hopes.

Loco in yokohama is trying to get ” a better understanding of the world and how people in it think and feel”. I appreciate it. There is something to ask from a grumpy Japanese ojisan so that he may not get grumpier in reading your posts. Just read it half-heartedly and don’t feel pressured.

You sometimes sounds like nobody except your students in Japan see humans as humans.

“I used to think of….. the Japanese guys as the Space Monkeys, only they don’t know they are” (What’s up, Loco? Question #4)

It might be the case that a few black guys and a few Japanese guys act as if inciting violence but it is not the case that blacks guys or Japanese guys incite violence; it is just that a few look at each other that way.

As I said before I am not sure if and how the Japanese people cower, flinch, and fleet at the sight of you, but I am sure some people stare at you and some people might have cowered at the sight of you. I understand it is frustrating enough and I don’t want to make light of it, getting angry and furious is justified, but please get angry at this (Japanese) guy and that guy . not Japanese guys as Space Monkeys.(And avoid a physical confrontation.)

You said , “when I’m in the company of my Japanese girlfriend” “The look varies from curiosity to envy to shock to disgust (if I’m reading the faces right). The Japanese women represent the curious and envious and shock, the Japanese men show shock too sometimes, but generally bring the disgust.” ( What’s up Loco? Question #2).

What is lacking here is exactly the real voices of the Japanese people which should represent how people in it think and feel. It is like a story told by a white person speculating about black people and black people wondering “hey what’s he talking about?”

I can’t speak for other people, but I for one would not feel shock; much less, disgust at the sight of a black person with a Japanese girl at all— Perhaps curiosity yes.
I remember seeing a black person a few years ago in the company with a Japanese woman and their cute baby and another Japanese female friend on the Chuouo line he was a gentlemanly guy. A white woman happened to ride on the train so he gave a seat to her, talking to her in English while Japanese wife and her friend were chatting in Japanese. It was just one of the heartwarming scenes.

I am happy to hear that you are not Debito. But you admire Debito,which worries me. Debito and Tony Lazro did a good job at Otaru onsen . Since then they went different ways. The way I see it, his wife and Tony have been showing how Japanese and non-Japanese can get along by their examples. By contrast, Debito has been engaging negative campaign against Japan so much so that a young innocent guy who was curious about Japan give up coming to Japan,Trying to change Japanese society for better is welcome, but it makes no sense and no difference if you don’t discuss the problem with the Japanese people in Japanese as I have argued and if the information provided are often misguided and won’t accept corrections. The blog is not open minded and it just provides the oasis for Japan haters with something like Paris syndrome
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_syndrome
and attracts many expats who want to let steam off.

The photos are nice. I like to hear the regular conversations with Japanese students. That also helps other people understand it is just a common scene that people like you and the Japanese people stay together.

Too demanding? maybe.Just let it go in one ear and out