I have been teaching this Japanese woman (65) for a year and a half. Today we had the class in the morning because I took the day off. She lives alone and the neighbours know, maybe that is why they worried.
My clothes were dark and I havent shaved in 2 weeks, so yeah I might look dangerous for Japanese standards I guess (but I was watching my expensive iphone while wearing my expensive headphones and walking very slowly and distracted).
Luckily the police didnt find me on time, as it only takes five minutes from her house to the station.
Because of this she wants to cancel the lessons for a while. I dont blame her but…
I am confused, angry and sad.
Any comments or advice apreciated.
27 comments
This sucks and sorry it happened to you but don’t take it personally.
That sucks, but shit happens. Nothing you can really do tbh
Don’t get it. Why can’t you teach her in a cafe? No need to go to her place.
Perhaps they saw the recent news about that Japanese man who murdered that family in Saitama on Christmas day, and thought it best to call the cops, just in case.
Probably best not to take it personally.
Still, it’s got to be pretty embarrassing for your customer 🙁
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Dress neatly and shave
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She might just have been making it up and strongly hinting that you shouldn’t rock up to her house unshaved.
I havent shaved because Im on holidays. Thats just a private lesson, no need to shave because we wear masks (guess the neighbour saw me without the mask). No need to dress smart (she takes the lesson in her pj hahahaha). But I do wear a suit every time (I teach her after my full time job, today I didnt go to the office).
And no, there is no bedroom action after the class lol, she is 65 but looks and behaves older
Try not to look like a horse thief and nothing distasteful will happen.
If the police “missed you”, how do you even know the police were called on you? Did I miss something?
Your skin color may play a role there
What comment or advice are you looking for? You described everything in detail. It’s happened. Make of it what you will. I recommend not letting it get to you. Many many neurotic busybodys with meaningless lives looking to cause issues in this country.
Can’t you switch to Zoom classes?
So, the lady you’re teaching wants to cancel the lessons because her neighbors were worried about who you were?
The real question is – since we assume that the lady explained to the police that you are just her English teacher – why did she decide to quit from the lessons?
Be thankful. Clearly that old lady was going to murder you and the neighbors saved your skin the only way they could think to
I had a similar experience. One of my neighbors called the police on me while I was walking back from the grocery store because I was a “suspicious foreigner” who they “hadn’t seen in the neighborhood before”. Their investigation of me ended up spanning multiple days, and included finding my friends and squeezing them for information about me. Like, they were literally showing my friends security cam footage of me at 11am on a Sunday with a Trader Joe’s bag full of carrots, onions, and chicken, asking them if they knew what I was up to. Eventually the police came to my house, made me recount my whole day, made me dress up in the clothes I was wearing so they could take pictures of me, before finally telling me that I didn’t do anything wrong and no crime was committed. Absolutely ridiculous. When bored police meet bored old people (with a healthy dose of racism), the results are never good. Ultimately though, there isn’t really anything you can do. You likely aren’t going to be winning any lawsuits or anything. It’s probably best to forget it, and just take it as another reason why you shouldn’t interact with police if possible.
Edit: just want to say, after reading this thread, some of the cock gobbling for the Japanese police I’ve seen is absurd. OP shouldn’t need to wax his face or rent a three piece tuxedo to avoid being racially profiled. It’s never ok. If this were a thread about minorities in America, y’all would be rightly getting shit on.
Were you wearing red?
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You made her lose face to her neighbors, which she has to live near for the rest of her life. Sounds like an unsalvageable situation, and the ‘while’ is actually forever. Don’t dress like a hobo next time.
“but I was watching my expensive iphone while wearing my expensive headphones and walking very slowly and distracted”
Wait, criminals can’t have expensive stuff?
Edit: Meet at a cafe or some BS.
Well maybe dress better. Nobody likes a shady looking guy wandering around their neighborhood. They sell Costumes at Don Quixote if that helps.
Something definitely not adding up.
Truly sorry this happened to you but to be honest, this is Japan and not your home country. There is a level of professionalism you should maintain if you want to earn, and that includes your appearance/grooming.
That’s profiling
U live in Japan?!?