(November 23, 2022 at 2:40 pm)Macoleco Wrote: I’ve been living in Japan for around 5 months already for my postgraduate studies.
The experience has been amazing so far. But unfortunately there are some xenophobic classmates in the laboratory.
This has been stressing me lately, although it is partially my fault, as I have been dedicating too much unnecessary thought to it. It is just that it is the first time in my life that I experience something like this.
I have met some very friendly Japanese, and they are what makes it worth it living here. But of course, the laboratory is where I research and spend a a lot of time there.
I decided to post this in Philosophy in case anyone wants to share some writings about a philosopher or philosophy.
Any advice is welcomed. Thank you.
Can I ask how the xenophobia shows itself? Is it rude remarks, or jokes about your country? Or is it more active sort of sabotage?
In my experience Japanese people can think in a very us-vs.-them kind of way, which doesn't seem as rude to them as it does to me. Especially if they're not used to foreigners, they can sort of band together in discomfort, in a way which reads as exclusive.
There can also be a kind of quiet exclusion, as when they just assume that you wouldn't want to join them for lunch, or something, so they don't invite you.
Also, I'm curious about where you're from originally. Sad to say, white Americans face less prejudice than darker-skinned people from less popular countries. I've been discriminated against even as a white American, but not nearly as much.
Without knowing any more, I'd just say to wait and keep your antenna out for how people treat you. There's all kinds of people in Japan, as anywhere, and some will surely be glad to know you. I hope you can find someone like that at your research place.
