Update on Annoying Menace...
I've been reflecting on the latest post. When I wrote 'racism,' I was actually unsure whether to actually call it that in Japan. Would xenophobia be a better description?
Anyway, something interesting happened yesterday as I was leaving from school. I walked by the first year class room on the way out and as I did, I waved at all my students and they did the silly student things, like waving frantically and giving high fives. I lingered for a bit to talk with them when one of the boys from the baseball club came through the door. All the girls started calling him "black, black, black boy." I was kinda confused. Sure, he got really, really tan during the summer, but it's no reason to shout at him. Anyway, I told him,
"It's nothing to be ashamed of, I too have dark skin and its beautiful."
He stopped listening. I was going to try talking with him again when one of the girls said,
"No sensei, you're white."
I wasn't quite sure how to react and I gave her a confuzzled look and quickly said goodbye.
Umm, yeh. I'm still confused. I know my students and I are coming from two different outlooks on race and skin color and just everything, but huh? I really wonder what its like through their eyes....
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