its all greek to me...

Today I was reminded, once again, why I love my job.

In the voice room, I was discussing with some of the students what it means to be a foreigner. Both my experience and their experience in travelling in other countries. I told them recently I have felt that when I see other foreigners like myself on the street or in a subway station, I feel as though I know them or I have seen them somewhere before. And I feel like I should acknowledge them with a smile or a nod. They spoke of similar experiences being in other countries, the feeling of familiarity with other Japanese. I told them, "I got to be honest guys, I have no idea how to tell the difference between Japanese, Koreans or the Chinese. In looks and in personality." One student promptly told me this difference:
When you walk on the street, and you pass by a Korean, they will smile back at you.
When you pass by the Chinese, they will give you a stern look.
When you plass by the Japanese, they will just look away as quickly as possible.

But, the students reminded me of another difference - the japanese are apparently more inclined to bow exponentially more than the Koreans and the Chinese. I will vouch for this - every where you go in this country, they bow and bow and bow. As you enter, as you exit, as you go to work, as you finish work. They said this is one of the most recognizable behavior patterns in Japan. And I just thought they all had back problems...

And of course, one student also mentioned the ever so recognizable "Japanese spirit." - you can just sense the person is Japanese. Their atmosphere is somehow different and more permeable. While standing in line at a public washroom once, this student claimed she had a Korean in front of her, and a Japanese behind her...the atmosphere was just "different" (apparently)

One student then told me that Koreans are in fact better dressers than the Japanese. More put together. "But...but" - he said,... perhaps the most identifiable difference between these groups: their smell. The Koreans apparently smell of kimchi and garlic. Its seeping from their pores. A doctor in my group mentioned that when a Korean patient walks into her clinic, she can immediately smell garlic in the air. So, of course, they must be Korean! Naturally.

I feel as though if I were to go back to Canada, and see a group of Asians, I might be able to scout out the differences...but, if someone bows to me, and has the faint smell of kimichi with a hint of garlic, and I'm concerned about their wardrobe choice...I may have no options, other than to consult my japanese spirit 6th sense - which I haven't tapped into yet...