Quote Originally Posted by KD Burke View Post
I preface this by saying that I do not speak from experience. However, I have read of a Japanese cultural phenomenon which may apply. I believe the term is gaijin meaning ""outside person."

I'm wondering if perhaps you are being ignored for being non-Japanese?

Not intentionally disrespectful, but perhaps a cultural issue?

I admit to ignorance on the subject, so....educate me!
Yes, that is definitely a big part of it. The word "gaijin" does indeed literally mean "outside person." Something that even many Japanese don't know and raise their eyebrows when I tell them, is that another Japanese person can also be a "gaijin." It used to be a term that was used in previous centuries to refer to anyone who was not in your "inside group" -- meaning your family, your company, your town or village, your community, etc.

The term for "foreigner" is "gaikokujin." It literally means "outside country person." (As an interesting aside, Japanese television, in much the same way as N. American TV *bleeps* out swear words, they*bleep* it out whenever someone says "gaijin" when they mean to refer to someone who is not Japanese)...

In any case, semantics aside, that is also a part of it -- people genuinely are afraid of talking to a non-Japanese. Much of this fear stems from their insecurity with either the prospect of having to talk English, or the foreigner not being able to understand Japanese. In terms of being the "outsider" at the college -- that may be. I'm not sure exactly how I'm viewed as far as that goes. I'd have to give it some thought! :-)


BTW, here's the Japanese breakdown of the symbols: