To say hello or not to say hello

[irishpacker]

A fellow gaijin sits opposite me on a train in Tokyo, or passes by me in the street... Part of me thinks "yay, someone that speaks english and understands my woes!", but, another more accurate part of me thinks "I bet he's lookings at me and thinking... bloody newbie!"

Having just arrived into Tokyo yesterday I'd like to know the gaijin ethiquette in such a situation. I don't know anyone here and everything is shiny, new and bleedin' massive! And I come from a place where there's cows and a castle behind my house, and the tallest building has 3floors, so I wouldn't mind an oul chat with a fellow minded Westener about how I have no idea what's going on!

Anyway, just wondering for future reference! Randomly chatting to gaijin in public, yay or nay?:confused:

[Cyka UchuuJin]

if it's in a gaijin bar or your fellow english teachers, sure.

chatting people up on the street just because they look like you is creepy.

[GomiGirl]

Welcome to town though!!

Personally, I tend not to notice anybody on the street or on the trains. I usually have my head inside my keitai, minding my own business. Could be that I don't wear my glasses outside the office too... hhhmm

But like what Cyka says, if somebody just randomly talks to me on the street cos of how I look, be they foreign or Japanese, it is really just creepy.

Smile first and if you get a smile back or another form of welcome to start a conversation, then go for it. (Same rules apply for picking up chicks in bars too, but that is another thread altogether.)

To be honest, I don't notice anybody staring or assume they think anything one way or the other on seeing me anymore. I guess I have lived in this big city for a while now and don't feel like an alien so I don't assume others see me like that either. This bewilderment too shall pass. Just enjoy.

[wuchan]

Out here in the sitcks....um..... dust fields or what ever you would call a dry rice paddy, a simple nod is all you may expect. Back home, bothering people would end up in you getting the shit kicked out of you or maybe worse. I go by the same rules I always have: if you don't know the person, don't fuck with them in any way.

We are all F*cked gaijin but that does not mean that I like you.

Gaijin on gaijin crime is allowed.

[Kuang_Grade]

If you wouldn't interact with strangers on the street in major city in your home country, don't do it in Tokyo...the only time I break this rule is when I see a westerner in a train station/subway station that is clearly lost. But don't worry, its only a matter of time before someone comes up to you and trying to convert you to their religion or some J teen comes up to you to practice English on you by doing a lecture on Franklin Roosevelt's supposed failure when the National Recovery Act was declaredunconstitutional (although as I pointed out to him, the act was already set to expire in a few weeks when this happened, so it really wasn't much of a failure).

[kino]

I think mutually ignoring your fellow human beings is an unspoken rule of modern cities, particuarly Tokyo. Just like the "no talking in the elevator rule"

I'm optimistic though. I imagine most fellow foreigners you spot would be interested in conversation, although some may turn out to be insufferable twats, you'll never know unless you approach them. I would be careful about assuming they speak English though.

If you want to meet people, a bar/pub in a busy part of Tokyo is almost a surefire method. Eh, anyways, welcome to JP!

[dimwit]

My experiences in Tokyo have taught me the that the only forgeiners likely to talk to me are in Roppongi and they very enthusiastic about introducing me to some fine Japanese women.

Out here, you are likely to get at least an acknowledgment of your existence but little else.

[Mulboyne]

If I'm in a certain kind of mood, I might make an effort to engage another foreigner in a bar or at a party if I think they are trying to ignore me and pretend they are the only gaijin there. Not really to make any kind of point, although sometimes that might have been the motive, more because the fact we haven't acknowledged each other can make other people in a small place feel uncomfortable. However, on another night, in another mood, I might be that foreigner myself so I can't get too holier-than-thou on the topic.

[Greji]

If I'm in a certain kind of mood, I might make an effort to engage another foreigner in a bar or at a party if I think they are trying to ignore me and pretend they are the only gaijin there. Not really to make any kind of point, although sometimes that might have been the motive, more because the fact we haven't acknowledged each other can make other people in a small place feel uncomfortable. However, on another night, in another mood, I might be that foreigner myself so I can't get too holier-than-thou on the topic.

Agreed. It doesn't hurt to say Hi to a fellow gaijin out here in the middle of the tundra. It doesn't mean you are wanting to start a major conversation, or a budding romance. If you should catch eye contact, a simple "Hi" is not a bad thing, nor capable of give you any STD.

[CrankyBastard]

Be very careful.
The gaijin you say,"Hi" to might well be me.

[BO-SENSEI]

I agree with wuchan, outside of the major cities, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto, its acceptable to converse with random foreigners in the inaka. While some might not be chatty, more often than not they would be interested in chatting with you too. Sometimes I go weeks without seeing another foreigner, so when I come across a friendly foreigner in my area, it can be nice to talk to someone new.

[canman]

Because we have Misawa Airbase so close, when I see a lot of US military people they always say hello, thinking I must be a fellow serviceman. So I in turn do the same thing. It just seems to be a friendly thing to do, but then again, we are up in the sticks, and a "simple hello" won't get you knifed or anything like that.

[nottu]

[FG Lurker]

Striking up conversations with other random gaijin seems to be considered quite a n00b thing to do. I do it all the time though, and the results are quite varied. I don't accost people walking down the street or anything, but if we're standing around in the same platform/train/shop I'll certainly say hello and start a conversation. Most just turn into short chats about nothing but I've made a few very good friends this way too. YMMV.

[Taro Toporific]

Striking up conversations with other random gaijin seems to be considered quite a n00b thing to do... [SIZE="2"] YMMV.[/SIZE]

As I have said many times before on the FG, every gaijin here in gets my [SIZE="4"]"HOWDY" [/SIZE]whether they want it or not.

Like Greji, I have been here so long I feel saying "Howdy" is only the "right" thing to do both from a good sempai perspective and my Code-of-the-Cowboy perspective.

[Mock Cockpit]

Out here in the sticks, it's no use pretending you don't see other gaijins, you know it, they know it, pretending not to see them just makes you look like a cunt. The ones that ignore you are almost universally JETS.

[wuchan]

[Taro Toporific]

Yikes! Now that's scary.

[ketchupkatsu]

I don't mind the random gaijin saying "Hi" to me on the streets or train, but almost always when they approach me the first words they say to me are:

"Do you speak English?"

Does this happen to anyone else?

[BigInJapan]

I've encountered all kinds of FG's living in both inaka, and in suburban Yokohama.
In the sticks it's common to greet an FG you don't know, although as someone mentioned, JET's do tend to just cruise on by like you're invisible.
Here on the outskirts of Yokohama I am invariably greeted by every male FG as Yokosuka is not far away, and I'm sure they assume I am in the forces too (wonder if my crew-cut has anything to do with it...).
My oddest encounter was probably with a guy who appeared to be from India. Spotting me over the heads of the local populace crammed onto a rush hour train, he struck up a loud conversation about what kind of work I did and was trying to get my biz card, but his stop came along so I was spared from further interrogation.

[Ketou]

I don't mind the random gaijin saying "Hi" to me on the streets or train, but almost always when they approach me the first words they say to me are:

"Do you speak English?"

Does this happen to anyone else?

That would be if the wanted to ask you something no?

[GomiGirl]

Just recently I had a horrid experience from a random FG.

I was walking along the street toward the subway near Kamiyacho and a chap - probably from South Asia by the looks of him - asked if I knew of anywhere around where he could eat. It was around lunchtime so I didn't really think much of it at first. As I didn't know the area that well I just suggested he look around as they were usually a bunch of places on the main street with plastic food in the window where he could get served.

Then I kept walking and he fell into step with me asking all sorts of questions and it was obvious that he was trying to sell me something or was after something and the restaurant question was just a ruse. He asked for a business card which I declined to give him. Then I just walked on.

I was a bit peeved at the whole thing. He was more than a little creepy. But I thought it was a bit rude.

[Greji]

Then I kept walking and he fell into step with me asking all sorts of questions and it was obvious that he was trying to sell me something or was after something and the restaurant question was just a ruse. He asked for a business card which I declined to give him. Then I just walked on.

I was a bit peeved at the whole thing. He was more than a little creepy. But I thought it was a bit rude.

You got it all wrong. Creepy, rude, you should have guessed. It was Iraira wearing his Malayan thong. He works right around the corner from the eki there and spends his lunch hours trying to bag some strange. They ran him off front my end of the street with the "no-homeless allowed" policy although he slips back occasionally to hair drag an OL or two into the bushes. Nothing real serious though...

[ketchupkatsu]

That would be if the wanted to ask you something no?

This is what I meant.

It seems the only time another gaijin ever acknowledges me is when they want to ask me for a question.

The second thing, I've had several Gaijin say when I answer the question is: "Your English is excellent." or "You speak English very well/good."

[omae mona]

The second thing, I've had several Gaijin say when I answer the question is: "Your English is excellent." or "You speak English very well/good."

The natural question is: do you think they are mistaking you for being Japanese? Are you of asian ethnicity by any chance?

[kusai Jijii]

Out here in the sticks, it's no use pretending you don't see other gaijins, you know it, they know it, pretending not to see them just makes you look like a cunt. The ones that ignore you are almost universally JETS.

EXACTLY. That is a scientific fact.

[Behan]

In the country or suburban areas, if I make eye contact with another FG, I nod or say 'hi'. Maybe they don't want me to, but it's so silly pretending not to see someone.

[ketchupkatsu]

The natural question is: do you think they are mistaking you for being Japanese? Are you of asian ethnicity by any chance?

I'm what some call halfu (mother is Japanese). But if you would see me on the streets you couldn't mistake me for someone pure Japanese.

[Ketou]

I'm what some call halfu (mother is Japanese). But if you would see me on the streets you couldn't mistake me for someone pure Japanese.

For most of us FGs you are probably correct. But people asking you if you speak English are more than likely going to be tourists, who may not be as good at making a distinction. Also one cannot always assume all halfu can speak English. Some do not, others speak a European or other language.

I am caucasian but had two girls come up to me and rattle off in French.....no parlez vous.

[omae mona]

I'm what some call halfu (mother is Japanese). But if you would see me on the streets you couldn't mistake me for someone pure Japanese.

I couldn't. But it sounds like some dumb tourists can!