I was thinking about how my friend Lacey in America was so proud that she told me what Dixie Cups were. I didn't know the plastic red cup I was holding in my hand was indeed called a Dixie Cup, I just thought it was a red cup. I was glad we could take a moment and have that cultural exchange, and I received infinite wisdom on the name of this party favorite.
But let us ponder.
What's American? Does that just mean you have citizenship there? Cus' I do. But I don't think you could call me a true American. Inside I'm more Japanese.
I was thinking about this as I was riding the train from Narita airport to Tokyo, looking at all the dog-walkers and wishing I was walking a dog of my own.It's so amazing. Just meandering through those great bodies of water called rice fields. They sure are pretty. It brought back great memories.
But I was listening to Cold War Kids. Don't get me wrong, it was an awesome song called We Used To Vacation, and I love the Cold War Kids. Still, it clashed with what I was looking at. I didn't know whether to be American Dave, looking at Japan from an American standpoint, or Japanese Dave, listening to some foreign music as he looked at his homeland. The weird thing is, I felt like I had to choose.
Why?
I'm not sure.
I think it's because everyone tries to label themselves. It's an easy way of saying: This is who I am, and this is what I'm all about!!
I act differently in each country. In Japan, I act pretty Japanese for the most part. In America, I act American. But now that these two worlds are becoming closer and closer, I'm being forced to act like "me". It's a weird feeling. But a necessary one.
I think it's time everyone started getting rid of these labels and just being a person. I don't feel completely Japanese or American, so by default, I become an alien from Neptune. Right? It's just logical.
No, I think it's better to say we're all people.
Who cares if you're Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, white, black, green, blue(like me), or brown? People, people, people, people, people, people(maybe alien if blue), and people, right?
Does anyone get this feeling? I know everyone acts differently in front of their parents and in front of their friends, right? So what if your parents started hanging out with your friends? Would you know how to act? I just realized that what I just wrote may be a very Japanese thought. Do people in America act differently in front of their parents? I know some do.
You probably see my dilemma now.
I just don't know where my ideas come from. So in conclusion, they come from "me". What am "I"?
Just a person. (even if I'm blue and from Neptune)
2 comments:
Neptune....
You are a philosophical one. It's amazing how going somewhere different really makes you wonder where you were. Just so you know I think of you as a person with two different cultural upbringings. Who you are as person is not based on where you are from. You just get the sweet side effects of being chopstick savvy as well as estoy comiendo frijoles. You can own whatever you learn in any place without abandoning your upbringing. Say hi to totorro!
I really feel the same way. I know my case is a little bit different from yours but I grew up in Japan and moved here two years ago, right? I already feel gap between me and my Japanese friends. I am Japanese. Nothing can change that. I love my country and I'm proud of it... BUT, everytime I go back to my country, or talk to my friend from Japan, I can see I am not the person who I used to be. I dont think Im becoming American but more to non-Japanese. Im never gonna be able to be American. I wasn't born here, I don't know American culture much, and I don't speak "American". Still, I feel I'm taking the way which doesn't belong either Japanese nor American. Cuz I am forgetting Japanese "Kanji" writting, "Snkei", "Kenjo", "Teinei" words, and not spending time in Japanese society now. I was scared to be "Chutohanpa".
More time I spend here, I get confused more.
But, like you said, there are millions, billions of personalities. "Junin-toiro"
Friends around you dont be with you because you are American or Japanese. We are here because you are Neptune.
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