obviously i was born African american, so i bet most people would assume i hang out with ghetto girls and love rap music while living in the most poverty stricken part of town, and being the most disruptive during school. but funny enough ever since i was little and i found out who made my first Pokemon game, ive been so interested in japan. you might be thinking 'oh, you maybe just like their games', but ive been so interested in their culture! ever since i was little, kids in school looked at me like i was stupid because i hated rap, and i wasn't into american music. ive been learning Japanese language, customs, and i really love their music and even want to go there one day(its my biggest dream). i know good academics arent just for the japanese, but im a freakin wiz at math. some of my family members even joke that ill marry a Japanese man one day (i don't really mind this), and i was adopted(i know this was a joke) . sometimes when my family members say stuff like that, in my head i go 'at least he'll most likely have a job', but you cant blame me for that, cuz it seems like ive had bad experiences with men through my family(why are women attracted to deadbeats?). so what do you think? can anyone relate to this?
I think you can fall in love with another culture, and I guess that's what happened to you. I don't see anything wrong with it.
I think T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) might be thought of as someone like yourself, or vice versa. He LOVED the Arab culture. Even as a teen he traveled the 1,800 miles on foot much of the way, to visit all of the Crusader castles in Syria, IIRC. He was fluent in Arabic but his accent wasn't very good. When he was laboring alongside Arab workers at archaeology excavations, for example, they admired his physical endurance and his ability to work as long and as hard as a native. He may have even committed treason against his own country, England, when in his travels with Prince Faisal he revealled to him the existence of a duplicitous Sykes-Picot agreement and the fact that it promised that part of the M.E. to both the Arabs and to the French as well as the English keeping some for themslves. Anyway, yes. I believe some people are born in the wrong nation or culture and when they find their rightful place it can be a beautiful thing for all involved.
This. Saying you're another race by heart doesn't really make sense to me as race has nothing to do with what you like or don't like doing. That is more of a culture thing.
That's a big problem in this country, people prejudge by the way a person looks. I say you are whoever/whatever you want to be.
Now that I think about it, there were two times I was emotionally drawn to want to know more about the Japanese history and culture. When I watched Daniel-san in The Karate Kid II doing the beautiful and sensual Tea Ceremony with the Japanese girl. And when I saw The Last Samurai with Tom Cruise. Stirring. Moving.
The Japanese culture as related to us here in the US is pretty filtered. Personally I find myself attracted to it also, but also the jewish culture and in my relationships I have felt simpatico with middle eastern culture and my German heritage. But these feelings are all distanced from reality. If you end up living in Japan or marrying someone from a completely different culture you will soon feel the alienation that comes from being an outsider. A better choice is to find someone from your own culture who has similar leanings. By all means though, in life take your own path.
If you want to go to Japan,you should go. You can find work teaching English (though, honestly, you need to improve your grammar and English usage. They are not good at spoken English but your students would see you are not proficient...!!!). But seriously, look up what the situation is for teaching English there. As for how you would like Japan, keep in mind that they tend to see themselves as The race, and to look down on others. Japan is a difficult, nearly impossible place for any foreigner to really fit in, and you might be very disillusioned with how things actually are there. You should be prepared for that. As for Japanese men...I am sure there are exceptions to be found, but they are famous as the least romantic men on earth. I was in Japan for a few weeks, and I asked a number of women how they felt about their role in society. I'd heard that women are not in a good situation there. The reaction to my question was like they'd been waiting all their lives to let it out, the pent up anger and resentment. Dont go into this with eyes wide shut! ...ps.... I grew up hating Japanese, for reasons anyone whose family was in HK when the war started could understand. In University, there was a Japanese girl in the class, and I forced myself to go sit next to her, and try to make friends. She is still my dear friend, and I am so glad i did that. It changed so much for me. Japan, though, is a difficult country to like.
Agreed to all the above. Even though i'd lived in the USA for a dozen years and knew the guy since middle school, the cultural conflict was a real factor in why the marriage didnt last. This despite that anyone can come to the US and become an American. It is not like that in Asia. It is simply impossible for an American to go to Japan or China and become Japanese or Chinese.
Unfortunately many of us here think we understand Japanese culture by watching old samurai movies, Japanese animation, and reading manga. Its not entirely bad as it sparks a friendly faux connection in peoples minds, but it just can't substitute for understanding that comes from real interaction. I am sorry your relationship did not work out. I hope your relationship with your family was not damaged. peace
