Yes, I'm a Foreigner

When you live in a place with only dark-eyed, dark haired, petite people, blond hair, blue eyes, and an American build are bound to get stares. I can understand little kids staring...kids in America stare and they see different people all the time. And I can understand the glances when I get on the train. I glance at foreigners when I see them get on the train, too. And I can understand getting stares when I show up in places where foreigners don't usually appear. Like at the hair salon. They don't see blond hair too often, much less cut it, so I can understand the commotion I cause. But every once in a while, I will get gawks. Straight-up, no holding back, mouth-open, "Yes, I'm staring and I don't care" gawks. I get them alot if I do something stupid like trip going up stairs or getting my heel caught in a manhole. But I also get them even if I am doing everything exactly like the Japanese. I can be picking out a tomato at the grocery store and a lady will be gawking. I can be riding the train by myself off in my own little world and then realize that the man across the way is gawking at me. At first, I thought I was doing something wrong when I got gawks, but now I'm not really sure why I make people gawk. One theory Liz and I have is that they are trying to figure out if I'm a foreigner or not. So, Chi-chan made me a t-shirt that says in Japanese "Yes, I'm a foreigner" on the front and back. We're hoping this will eliminate some of the gawks by just getting it out in the open that yes, I am, in fact, a foreigner.