Cast and Crew - The Extras (Fellow Foreigners)

Fellow Foreigners - "The Extras"

*For more posts similar to this one, see The People in Japan

This post will introduce, in the most general way, the small uncredited portion of the cast known as extras.

As you would expect, there are scores of foreigners rolling and trolling around Japan. Fear and loathing. Most extras do not speak a LICK of Japanese (although some are delusional and think they can). Hence, these people are automatically sent to the trailer reserved for the background actors. Some of them will get a speaking part now and then, but it's usually a bit part in a night club or restaurant scene. The lines spoken by this lucky performer are always either poorly pronounced Japanese or oddly worded English that is only in the script for comedic purposes.

The extras just wander around nodding their head, pointing at things they like and mumbling only the most basic Japanese expressions. Many believe that they are an integral part of the production. Ha ha haaa....silly gaijin.

One thing that I always found interesting about my fellow foreigners was that if you took a random sample of them and compared them to an equivalent cross-section of people from their home country, you would notice a striking difference in personality. Obviously, demographics play a large role in this. In general, English teachers in Japan tend to be young and very liberal. For many, this is their first 'real job.' Anyway.....

Regardless of their background, all foreigners who spend any length of time in Japan will change in some way or another. Of course, changes don't occur overnight. However, this morphing process can be quite drastic for some people and rather negligible for others.

For some, a morph takes as little as a month or so for noticeable signs to manifest; while for others the signs of a morph won't become apparent for years. Sometimes a change is so drastic that a fellow foreigner might actually appear Japanese (gone native). Some gaijin will lose their sense of reality and quite literally appear insane (wait for my White Suit Sully post). Most people will just change their eating habits or perhaps bow too often -no big deal.

Let's take a quick look at some of the changes that foreigners commonly experience while living in Japan (for too long):

• Ability to use native language diminishes (full frontal lobotomy).
• Prefer to use chopsticks.
• Think that the use of the word chopsticks is somehow a racial slur.
• It's not ping-pong anymore, it's table tennis.
• Naturally introduce themselves to foreigners using Japanese pronunciation: "My name is Gu-ren" 
• Scoff at the silly "foreigners" putting soy sauce on plain white rice.
• Men: Have come to believe that all women in Japan (and Asia) want them sexually.
• Women: Have developed an eating disorder (keep your curves foreign ladies)  
• Even though they're in their own apartment and NO ONE is around, they still religiously take off their shoes before entering. Even if just for a minute or two to grab their keys.
• They mutter using Japanese fillers and exclamations..."Yatta! Yokatta! Yosh...! Eh-toe-neh! 
• Wear a yukata and old-school Japanese shoes out in public for no apparent reason.
• Use Japanese hand gestures incessantly when they return to their home countries.
• Can and do bow properly at any opportunity, and they have researched, studied and practiced this skill.

That's just a taste of the basic things. I'll be getting back to this list throughout the life of this blog, so stay tuned - if you are reading this and have an idea of something to add, please leave a comment at the bottom of the page.

Remember, not all foreign residents of Japan teach English. So, without any further adieu, stay tuned to meet the people that make up your fellow foreigners.......

Do you have a question about Japan or a topic that you are interested in that you haven't found on this blog? If so, please tell me about it in a comment. I will get a post up about it as soon as possible. Thanks for reading!!