A Japanese in the Land of the Gaijin
by LiLBlueEyes, HSM special guest contributor
GAIJIN – That’s the Japanese word for outsider or foreigner. Literally, it translates to “outside person.”
So what happens when a Japanese enters the world of the gaijin? It’s fairly well known by now that there are Americans and others who have Japanese Home accounts, but very rarely do we see Japanese citizens visit the other Home regions.
I would like to introduce you to Tomo; he’s a former Professor of Physics at the University of Tokyo who now works for the more lucrative private sector. He also frequents North America Home.
LBE – When did you first join Home?
Tomo – Early 2009. Some of my coworkers spoke of a new application on the Sony game console; I purchased a PS3 and found the service to be most enjoyable.
LBE – You mean to tell me you’re Japanese and you didn’t have a PS3?
Tomo – I played video games as a child – this is Japan and everyone had Nintendo – but when I became [an] adult, I did not see any advantage to playing video games, so I no longer played them.
LBE – Well, welcome back to the world of video gaming.
Tomo – Thank you!
LBE – So tell me: how did you come to find USA Home?
Tomo – I began to see avatars speaking English in Japan Home; not only English, but other languages. Most Japanese do not speak English or other languages. My English was acceptable, so I approached one of the foreigners and asked them how they came to be in Japan Home.
LBE – What did you think of these foreigners?
Tomo – Many of my friends did not like having foreigners in Japan Home, [but] I was not disturbed by it. There were many rude guys in the beginning, but now most have come to understand Japanese culture and behave more appropriately.
LBE – You seem to spend a lot of time in USA Home; why?
Tomo – Japan has limited selection; USA has many apartments that I enjoy buying, [and] I also find the American culture most interesting. There are many impulsive and funny American people – in Japan, the people are traditional and orderly.
LBE – What are some of the things you don’t like about USA Home?
Tomo – I may never come [to] understand why so many in USA Home will like to argue. I find it to be crude; I sometimes will become embarrassed for the people involved. Also, the scrutiny of avatars in USA Home is confusing. In Japan Home, I can wear whatever I wish and it matters to no one. But if I dress in a female avatar in USA Home, I will receive a wide spectrum of responses; if I wear bright male clothing, I am called homosexual, if I wear funny costume I am called [a] loser – so many unnecessary labels.
LBE – How do you handle the aggressive nature of USA Home?
Tomo – I do not take anything personal, so I do not involve [myself] in the drama.
LBE – What do you like best about Home in general?
Tomo – I like that when you enter Home it is the same, but it is never the same. I’m sorry; I don’t know the English word for the meaning.
LBE – Unpredictable or spontaneous.
Tomo – Yes; I have now confirmed the meaning using my dictionary.
LBE – Do you use a dictionary a lot while in USA Home?
Tomo – People from the US speak in different colloquialisms. Someone from the East Coast will speak different words and meanings then someone from the South. I can understand most of what is said, but it is the slang that confuses me the most. Slang words I cannot find in the English to Japanese dictionary.
LBE – I have some bad news for you. Americans are always inventing new words and phrases.
Tomo – I will continue to see if my American friends laugh or argue when they say these unknown slang words, and then I will act accordingly.
LBE – Do you ever get involved in your friends’ drama? You said you avoid drama. But with your friends I am sure you have to pick a side once in a while?
Tomo – Sometimes it is unavoidable for me to put my two pennies into the situation between friends. I do not wish to gossip about my friends, though; you may ask another question, please.
LBE – Fair enough; where do you see PlayStation Home in its development in a year from now?
Tomo – There will be new advances in mini games and in our avatars, but the regions will remain separated.
LBE – So basically the regions will still be gaijin or strangers to one another?
Tomo – It is Sony’s will, but the people [also] have a will, and thus will continue to reach each other.
LBE – Straight up, and thank you for your time.
Tomo – I know that slang meaning, and you are welcome.
It was an absolute pleasure to interview Tomo, and I was fascinated by his viewpoint of American behavior and our version of Home. The cross-cultural communication — the differences in social mores and behavior patterns — is fascinating. And, just as we often think the grass is greener on the other side, it’s worth noting that people in other Home regions think the same of us.
May 2nd, 2011 by LiLBlueEyes | 12 comments
LilBlueEyes is a Home citizen and high-school student in the United States.
“You mean to tell me you’re Japanese and you didn’t have a PS3?” I find the tone of this question to be rather presumptuous. I am American and I do not drink Coca-Cola.
It’s hard to say with certainty, since we don’t have vocal tone to go by, but when I read that question it sounded like a bit of good-natured tongue-in-cheek humor to me.
(I usually don’t drink Coke that much, either. Mountain Dew, on the other hand…oh baby.)
Wouldn’t it be fun to see brief bios on everyone we know in Home! A former Physics professor …. in Home…. yes, that works for me. I shall hope to find Tomo. The discussion would probably be very interesting.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/
” I may never come [to] understand why so many in USA Home will like to argue. I find it to be crude; I sometimes will become embarrassed for the people involved.”
——-
This. I don’t even have to be from another country to feel this way about such a scenario.
Well,occasionally some ppl get wronged in such a profound way that their reaction is to become quite pissed off,hence an arguement ensues.
Interesting article Lil Blue, and well written. I am not surprised that he found us to be fascinating, I find the Japanese to be that as well. I agree with his assessment of our tendency to cause drama in Home. I have lost friends to that unfortunately, I believe many of us have by now. I just recently lost a good friend who left Home because of that fact. He deleted me but we have agreed to keep in touch through messages as I had nothing to do with it, in case he comes back sometime. He got tired of the drama and the lack of respect that many people show each other in Home, even though he had put a great deal of money into it, he left.
Seeing us through Tomos eyes gives us a perspective rarely seen here. Their culture is polite to the extreme, but yet very conformist compared to ours, so like any society it has its good and bad. Glad he took the time to let us see ourselves from the outside.
That was a straight up interesting enjoyable educational interview.
this article was helpful really I always wonder what our foreign friends think when we visit there Home.
“You mean to tell me you’re Japanese and you didn’t have a PS3?” lmao!
LilBlueEyes, this was another fantastic effort on your part. I love your direct and succinct writing style.
Everything Tomo said rang true to me, either from my own personal experience, or from conversations with my own Japanese friends. But I think you did an excellent job of explaining some of the differences and contrasts for those who don’t visit the other Homes.
I was happily surprised to hear Tomo say that he feels American visitors are now behaving more politely in the Japan Home. I know that I and many others have been trying our best to get foreign visitors to the Japan Home to better understand how important it is to be on one’s best behavior there, and I hope that Tomo’s perception is one that’s shared by many other Japanese as well.
Great work LilblueEyes he was nice it’s good to hear from people who don’t live here that love here I visit Japan every weekend and I find it as he says traditional and confined but the people are sweet Tomo likes the freedom and wildness here in the US it’s okay it’s home the place were we escape the bounds of the world? so Konnichiwa to Mr. Tomo thanks for liking the US:)