793 : Reflection

[strawberry_snow]

     I should really, really, really be working on writing my reports right now. But I feel a really strong compulsion to write. I still haven't caught up on my travel blog, which is ridiculous, seeing as how I'm leaving next Tuesday to return to the U.S. But in the travel blog, I don't reflect. It's factual. I might rant a little, sure, but it's

Comments

[sanee_ftw]

Wow. Where do I even begin to comment on this xD;?

What exactly is Visual Anthropology?
And your "otousan"...OH.MY.GOD. I would've gone more crazy, more quickly than you did. D:

I'm really...touched (for lack of better words) that you get along so well with your good friends. I never really have had that sort of relationship yet since I'd never think I was good enough for anyone or that we didn't connect on the same maturity or intellectual level and that I never want to spend time with anyone outside of class due to issues I'm trying to work out right now.
Basically, it gives me hope if you can get relationships like that, even with the fact that we share a similar mindset about ourse;ves- as our own worst enemies.

Also, I'm curious about something. I heard that if you have a white/black background or it's obvious you have that skintone and Japanese can tell you're a foreigner, that you get deferntial service and treatment. Such as waiting around to make a purchase or not being able to form certain relationships with them since they think you won't understand their language. Is this true?
I mean, I know it may be different since you have a Korean background as thus look "Asian". Would that make you less susceptible to prejudice in Japan? Or am I just going on unfounded fears?

To end on a happy note: I really want yummy Japanese food now~

[strawberry_snow]

Visual anthropology is anthropology through visual means. XD;;;; It's how you can look at an artifact and glean something about the culture from that artifact, whether it's a photo, a piece of writing, a piece of clothing, a big ceremony-- anything you can see goes. It's also about how to record vanishing cultures using visual means such as photos, text, videos, tape, music, etc.

I'm so happy to be rid of my otousan now. T_T;

XD I'm sure you can get a relationship like that. Honestly, I don't know how I do... O_o; I just... click, and if I click with someone, then we tend to be ongoing good friends. If I don't click from the getgo, chances are, that person and I will never be good friends no matter how we try. And that's regularly an issue that comes up with certain friends of mine-- they think that I'm something special and unique, and I think they're going to open their eyes any day now and leave me. XD

To some degree, it is true. Being treated differently as a customer would depend largely on the area you're in as well, since some areas are more used to foreigners than others. Also, as an exchange student, it's generally pretty easy to hook up with a native Japanese (or I would think so, since it seemed to happen ALL over the place while I was in Japan). The language barrier is a big problem, but it's more of a cultural barrier-- that foreigners won't, and often don't, understand the way they think and feel about things. A big one is differences in ways of communicating.

But... being Korean doesn't make a difference. Some people can immediately tell that I'm not Japanese anyway, and for those who can't tell, all I have to do is open my mouth and they know I'm a foreigner. XD