I just came back from a trip to Toronto and New York by Air Canada, which doesn’t have very good reviews. I was apprehensive about taking that airline because a quick Google search shows the average rating is only about 2.5 stars out of 5. That’s pretty horrible for an airline, especially since I come from Singapore, whose airline is always in the top 3. Even before going on the flight, Air Canada changed the schedule 2-3 times, but my lack of expectations for the airline actually made the flight a surprisingly pleasant one. The flight was more comfortable than I had expected with food that tasted pretty good. The lack of formality of the flight attendants also made the entire experience less stressful, even though I was hoping they could try to ram the carts against seats a few times less.
As I was boarding the aircraft with souvenirs on my left hand and passport on my right, it was natural for me to hold my boarding pass in my open passport facing the left, where a (presumably) Canadian female flight attendant stood. To the right, though, was a (presumably) Japanese female flight attendant. As my passport opened to the left and the Canadian lady was available, I naturally moved to show my boarding pass to her. But for some reason, the Japanese lady interjected and got me to twist my right wrist in an awkward position to show her my boarding pass and she directed me to the path where my seat is, in Japanese language.
My passport was obviously orange—starkly different from the Japanese crimson-colored ones. She obviously didn’t care to see that I’m not Japanese and decided to communicate with me based on my Asian face. On the plane during meal time, another Canadian lady asked me in English what I would like to have. Before I could answer, the Japanese lady cut in and repeated the entire question in Japanese. I replied in English, and she served me my meal while continuing to communicate with me in Japanese. The same thing happened during snack time when I asked for a drink in English and she responded in Japanese. I don’t understand her insistence on speaking Japanese with me. Does her world of Asian faces only include Japanese people. That’s very unlikely given that she flies on Air Canada, where Canadian-Asians are aplenty.
When I first arrived at Japan, as a form of practice, I try as much as possible to use the language wherever I go and whatever I do. I installed the Japanese OS for the laptop I bought in Singapore. I set the language to Japanese for the phones I bought in Japan. I use Facebook in Japanese and read Japanese novels. I search for things with Japanese text and place orders at restaurants and cafes in Japanese. I wanted to blend in, and wanted people to think I’m Japanese and speak with me in Japanese. But 7 years later, I’m over that. I don’t enjoy reading text in Japanese anymore. I prefer to speak in English if my interlocutor speaks the language fluently. I skip all the skippable texts in the 3DS games I play because they’re all in Japanese. My phone language is set to English and the next PC I buy, I intend to get one with a US keyboard and English OS.
In Japan, speaking to me in Japanese or assuming I’m Japanese is perfectly fine because I would assume another Asian face here is Japanese as well. But outside, I’d prefer people do not assume I’m Japanese. If there’s a way to look non-Japanese, I would do it (not plastic surgery).
I’m fine with speaking Japanese, but like I’ve said before, if I start a conversation with you in one language and you can speak it fine, please don’t insist on changing the language if there is no compelling reason to do so.
It’s quite interesting that while I’m actually Japanese, I lived my whole life abroad and just recently came back to work in Tokyo.
Even with a typical asian face, when people speak to me in different occasions, most Japanese prefer to speak to me in English.
I did feel left out at first but after several months, I think I’m totally fine with this perception. Maybe I’m unconsciously avoiding the disadvantages of actually being a Japanese in Japan. LOL
I can see what you mean. There does seem to be disadvantages of being Japanese in Japan. As a gaijin, at least I can choose to ignore social rules by pretending I don’t know them.
I once watched a video on this topic. It’s was funny how Japanese react to such situation. The video was, this group of friends, 1 ABC and a few Africans, a few Caucasian, when to this Japanese restaurant. The Japanese waitress was looking at the ABC waiting to take their orders. But she cannot speak Japanese so she spoke in English to place her orders. The waitress couldn’t understand her and so all her friends who can speak fluent Japanese helped. But the waitress still looked at the ABC for help. Giving that I totally don’t understand what they are saying look while they were speaking in Japanese.
I have also experienced a few times on flight when the stewardess speak to me in Japanese. But with my lousy level of Japanese I only reply in English and continue to communicate in Japanese. I’m confused…
I think I saw the same video. I wonder if they sneer at us behind our back thinking we are Japanese people trying to show-off our English skills.
I think it has a lot to do with the homogeneous environment for the Japanese society.
Just to share an encounter that I had in Seoul- I was queueing for the bus-ticket to go downtown when a young man approached me. Then, he started speaking in Japanese, and while he was speaking, I just waited quietly (rude to interrupt even though I don’t understand what he was talking about). When he did eventually, I replied in English that I have no idea what he was talking about and (pointing to the info counter) that he should go over there if he needs help.
Over the years, I have been thought to be from China (since I’m technically a chinese), Taiwanese, Malaysian (closest) and yes, even a Thai ( sawadee ka).
People only noticed that I’m perhaps none of the above when I start speaking (I have been told that I have a strong accent, not quite sure what to make of it though…).
Oh well, I guess it’s the same when we see a white person and assume they speak English.