Hello everyone!
I’m about to start a job at an eikaiwa in Oita. English is my only proficient language, (I know some Japanese and Chinese) but I worry that I’m going to be judged teaching English because of my ethnicity.
From my limited understanding, Japan’s relationships with other East Asian and SEA countries aren’t the best.
Does anyone here have any advice or experiences being a Westernized Asian person in Japan?
4 comments
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**I’m a Chinese American moving to Japan. Any advice?**
Hello everyone!
I’m about to start a job at an eikaiwa in Oita. English is my only proficient language, (I know some Japanese and Chinese) but I worry that I’m going to be judged teaching English because of my ethnicity.
From my limited understanding, Japan’s relationships with other East Asian and SEA countries aren’t the best.
Does anyone here have any advice or experiences being a Westernized Asian person in Japan?
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You’ll mostly be fine, Japan’s strenuous relations with its neighbors is very much a political “Old fuck(s) in charge at the top” thing that the average person does not care to engage in at all.
I’m sure that you might find a random ultranationalist old fart yelling at the clouds, but they’re just as likely to hate a white dude like me for not being pure Japanese blood.
Now I say mostly because non-Japanese Asian people here in general seems to have higher expectations when it comes to Japanese language abilities, so you might get approached more than someone clearly non-Japanese, and have them speak in full-blown rapid fire Japanese to you but if you tell them what’s up, they’re usually understanding.
I had three Chinese American friends teach English in Japan and they said they never faced any issues while they were there. When I lived in Japan, my colleagues told me that I look VERY Japanese (I’m not) and that it would throw people off if I didn’t follow some business protocol, like bowing at the elevator after a customer meeting, not accepting a business card properly, and making sure my business cards were clean.
You’ll be fine. It will just be the occasional confusion by the front desk ladies who won’t let you into the back of the office/employee space, assuming you’re a student and not a teacher until you say something in English.