One of the most interesting things about touring through Japan was being a minority for the first time in my life. People point and stare, especially children. It’s kind of like being on display in a zoo. There’s no animosity behind all the attention, everyone seems to think that it’s pretty cool that you are there, but you definitely stand out. It’s the funniest thing—you walk down the street, and a group of school children are all pointing and staring at you. So you wave, and they get all excited and start giggling. It’s like they didn’t think that you could see them or something.
Another interesting thing I noticed from talking to Japanese high school students was their approach to relationships. One of the first things they always asked me is if I had a boyfriend. When I said no they always seemed surprised, as if it was odd that someone wouldn’t be in a relationship if they had a choice. Then they’d ask if I thought any of the boys in their class were cute. This makes for an interesting situation, because you know if you point anyone out they’ll call him over… But don’t get me wrong, Japan is an awesome place, and the people there all seem really cool; they just have their quirks like any other society. The trip was incredibly fun and interesting; I hope to go back before too long.