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Originally Posted by steven
or the classic, "he has a car?!" look.
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I tend to get this look from non-Japanese. Particularly in the summer or around this time of year. I drive a new, fairly nice car - not a beater or a kei. So apparently it gives them a shock as they`re waiting (dripping in sweat) to cross at the light and notice that the car stopped for them has a non-Japanese driver.
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I'd like to ask Nyororin a question: Have you noticed any changes in Japan as far as this topic goes over the 11 years you've been here? If so, what kind of things strike you the most?
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This is really pretty hard for me to answer as I have been here straight through the 11 years... So there have been a lot of things that have changed, without a doubt, but the changes are subtle things that add up slowly over the years. In other words, they`re hard to see or think of when put on the spot. And it`s also really hard to distinguish between what has actually changed, and what has changed because I have changed. For example - language ability improves, lifestyle changes, things like that. It can change your perspective and how people react to / treat you. Not to mention the normal changes that Japan has gone through.
I think there is a lot less of the "talking dog" reactions to me speaking Japanese. (As in reacting to the simple fact that I can talk, and not to what I`m saying. Like as if a dog walked up and started talking - no matter how profound and valid the things they say are, the natural first reaction is "Wow! A talking dog!") But I`m not sure whether this is because of my Japanese ability, or whether it`s an actual change. People tend to say that when you stop getting compliments on your Japanese, it`s a sign that you`re actually a good speaker. I`ve found that`s pretty true. Talk of Japanese ability never comes up these days. Once you`re past a certain point, people don`t dare mention it because it`s insulting really.
I have noticed that items and foods from outside Japan have become easier to get, and have become more well known. There has been a huge amount of religious awareness stuff done, so now it is automatically assumed that all foreigners follow a religion and that it should be respected. Japanese people no longer assume I am Brazilian, but more foreigners do (I don`t think I look Brazilian at all... But who knows.)
Most of the stuff I can come up with offhand though are just normal changes in Japan. Like the 24 hour supermarket. Stores being open after 8 and over the New Years holidays. Clothing costing less than an arm and a leg (I`ll never forget the shock when I was here the first time and wanted to pick up a couple t-shirts because I hadn`t packed enough... And discovering that no matter how hard I searched the absolute cheapest I could find was 4000yen, on sale, half off with discounts. And that there were people almost fighting over these "cheap" shirts...)
But that doesn`t really have much to do with foreigners in Japan.