I'm an Incomplete Package: Being a Japanese-American in Japan

This article is all about me, people like me, people, and er, culture.

Yup.

If you've read any of my previous articles, I probably mentioned I live in Japan. I also probably mentioned that my Mom's American and my Dad's Japanese. Maybe I haven't but now I have.

While I have lived in Japan since I was two-and-a-half years old, I'm not completely utterly Japanese...as you can tell. I write in English, perfectly and I speak English, obviously. Well, if you've seen Galligator's vids er, my vids, er, well, anyway.

I'm also not completely utterly Japanese because I was exposed to a lot of American culture through videos taped by my grandmother (who I call Nana). So I've watched Arthur, Magic School Bus, Pink Panther, Cartoon Network, Hamtaro (in English),

movies in English, Disney, Pixar, Teletubbies,

Yup, that weird as ish show with the baby sun thing.

Lizzie McGuire Show,

oh my gosh, the memories...
The TV show that had a very
intimate kissing scene.
oh my gosh.

Hannah Montana, Tom and Jerry, Bugs Bunny, etc., etc., etc.

I knew what the American culture was like. I knew that. BUT, I also didn't know it. Let me explain.

So I've only experienced school life in Japan. No we don't have lockers in elementary school. No we don't have a janitor, we clean our own classrooms. No we don't bring our own lunches to school. Not until we are in junior high. No we don't go to the classrooms, the teachers come to us. No we don't experience cliques or that popular girl or that popular guy or just basic American school drama with cafeterias because we don't have cafeterias until we go to college/university.

Sometimes I don't understand how high school was like hell for some people. It was relatively okay for me. It's probably a culture thing. I find cliques in cafeterias rather fascinating and wonder what its like and stuff. Even if it does suck in reality.

Is that weird? :/

Like, things that happen in "Mean Girls" for example. Like sitting wherever you like in class (in Japan we are assigned seats) or belonging in a certain type of group...I almost wish I could have experienced those things.

Even if it sucks.

Yeah I'm probably weird :/

That shows I'm not completely cultured as American.

Another thing is this hugging and calling-teacher-by-first-name ish. Hugging and calling a teacher by their first name makes me feel sooooo awkward. Especially calling a teacher by their first name. I just can't do it. I've been conditioned to say, "Good morning, Professor Smith!" not "Good morning, Henry!" The second one sounds waaaayyy tooooo disrespectful EVEN IF the Prof told me to call him by his first name.

To make this article even more weird, let me confess that I'm not completely cultured as a Japanese either.

Mainly because I don't watch TV.

You see, my parents don't watch TV because my Mom doesn't watch Japanese TV...for obvious reasons; she doesn't understand, and she thinks it's stupid. My Dad only reads the newspaper so he doesn't need to watch the news.

So I grew up watching only videos and movies and occasionally Japanese anime at my Japanese grandma's house.

But, a lot of Japanese culture is also outside anime. You know, celebs and stuff?

I know some famous Japanese celebs now but for the most part...yeah, I don't know and I don't care.

Sometimes I wish I knew though. Sometimes I wish maybe I could be completely cultured as Japanese and American.

I can't keep up with either culture, guys! I don't blame my parents or anything but I do often feel incomplete as I try to keep up (not with the Kardashians, no way).

There's just so much "culture that you should have experienced as a child" that I didn't experience because it was kind of inaccessible to me because of how my household was. No TV. Only child. A cat as a sister. Never really interested in games until I was introduced to educational games on the computer by my Mom. I guess I was a really accepting kid. I never questioned ANYTHING about my life.

Childhood Me:
-My cousin plays video games? Ok.
-I'm an only child? Sure.
-Some famous singer my friend likes? That's interesting.
-Commercial on video from the US about a certain snack or toy? It would be nice to have it but I can't so, oh well.

Normal Person:
-My cousin plays video games? I WANT ONE, TOO!
-I'm an only child? WHY???
-Some famous singer my friend likes? WHO IS HE?? Recommend a song, let me borrow that CD, take me to his concert!!
-Commercial on video from the US about a certain snack or toy? I WANT IT!!! GET IT FOR ME NOW!!!

Guess I'm not the jealous type. Maybe that's why I can accept this situation that I'm in. I'm not American or Japanese. I'm incomplete. Sure. Ok.

Is it good to be so accepting?

Well Dr. Phil, sometimes I wish I was more culturally American. Sometimes I wish I had a locker to decorate or a clique to sit with at the cafeteria or a sleep-over at my BFF's house.

Agh. Incomplete Me (Despicable Me reference).

Putting this here just for laughs.
Pwa hahaha! Cough, cough!
I wasn't laughing. Just clearing my throat.

See ya later, alligators.