Born and Raised "Gaijin"

Erik Juhl was the head resident of Agnes Mellby Hall at St. Olaf College for the two years that I lived there. (One of those years, I was one of his RA staff.) He lived in Japan for a time after graduating from Olaf. When I got back in touch with him after I moved to Kagoshima, Erik commented that it was a rare thing when someone from Kumamoto (where he lived) could make fun of someone else for being more "inaka" (countryside) than them.

Now, Tottori is even more inaka than Kagoshima...

One of Erik's friends, Tom Dillon, writes a column for the Japan Times entitled "When East Marries West." Last week's column is an interesting essay on the concept of being "gaijin." In it's literal sense, it means outsider, not part of the group. It has taken on some other connotations, of course, but looking at it's root meaning...

"I was born a gaijin. I grew up a gaijin. I came to Japan a gaijin. It's always been as natural as gazing out a window and appreciating the landscape yet not being one with it. I fit in Japan because I matched the role. I was a gaijin from the get go. I suspect a lot of us were.

"More than this, I suspect there are many Japanese who feel like gaijin too, viewing themselves as enduring extras in their long-playing epics of life.

"But none of this is necessarily negative -- as all "true" gaijin will understand. For there is much to be said for being a gaijin."

Now, I've been gaijin all my life -- my brother and I were the only non-caucasian kids in the elementary school when we were there -- and I find much of what this column says to ring true, both good and bad. Give it a read. You might find it interesting.

Happy New Year's eve, people!