[annelen]

Sorry for posting this here, but it looks like there was more activity here and I need some input:
So I’m an ALT in Japan. I wasn’t out looking for a Japanese boyfriend or anything (I even said I would never date a japanese man here! -_-;) but I recently met a teacher at a school that I visit on occasions who is my age (surprisingly young for a teacher) and I think single.

My first day with the class this teacher was unusually genki around me in front of the class, gave his own self introduction and shook my hand vigorously like the rest of his students. I say unusually genki because most Japanese guys my age are shy and/or reserved. I had a blast with his class though and I felt like there was a comfortable connection between us and a lot of energy in the room (he wasn’t afraid to get close to me and wasn’t afraid to look me in the eye).

At that time I had a boyfriend back in the states so when the students asked me “do you have a boyfriend,” (btw I also have a feeling he put the students up to asking this because before the student asked he was nodding to them and saying ‘go ahead’) I said yes. At that moment the teacher fell to the floor on his knees and pretended to cry and the students laughed and ran to his side to pat him on the back.

I recently went back for my second visit and things have changed and I’m now single. When I went this time a student asked me what my boyfriend’s name is and I told them “I don’t have a boyfriend anymore,” and half the class shouted excitedly and a few students were waving frantically to the teacher and gave him the thumbs up. Everything was fine and normal in class and we actually went outside to play games after lunch together.

Back in the teacher’s room he greeted me with a warm genki smile again and thanked me for playing with them and I warmly thanked him for inviting me. But when I saw him again in the gym when I went to visit his class one more time before I left for the day he only acknowledged me with a nod of his head and seemed like he was kind of avoiding me by staying on the opposite side of where I was at the entire time.

So…was I not threatening when I was in a relationship but now that I’m single he’s nervous around me because he’s attracted to me? Or did I do something to completely freak him out and he isn’t interested at all? I feel like he’s more shy around me since he found out I’m single.
I understand that usually foreign women have to make the first move so I thought about inviting him to a sporting event with some other ALTs (mostly guys) to drop the hint that I’m interested in him but it isn’t as threatening as a date.

Before I go that far though, does he sound interested in me? Is the sudden change of attitude the way a Japanese guy says “I like you”?