An interesting moment at the market this past weekend. Thoughts?
I was browsing the fresh produce section when I spotted some zucchini- green AND golden! [Zucchinis are uncommon in Japan] As I was looking through them I had the following conversation (all in Japanese) with a woman who was also examining them:
Woman: “Oh, these aren’t cucumbers.”
Me: “That’s true. They are zucchini. It’s often eaten in foreign countries. It’s similar to an eggplant.”
Woman: “Oh. It’s foreign. [puts zucchini back, gives me the once over] You’re foreign!” [turns her back and walks away in a huff]
Me: [stunned silence, and then in a Japanese accent] “Wow.”
Fun Fact: According to the ‘omniscient’ Wikipedia, the zucchini is “an immature fruit, being the swollen ovary of the female zucchini flower.”
There’s a certain train I take sometimes… while waiting for it, I will sit on the bench, and the woman sitting there will get up and move to the other bench as soon as I do. This has happened with the same woman at least three times. And according to one of my students, I’m “dark and scary”… I’m so over being a gaijin!
By: Britt on May 22, 2011
at 11:32 pm
I don’t know what to say. I guess xenophobia still runs deep and wide, even in the 21st Century. It stilll sucks though.
By: dad on May 24, 2011
at 12:21 am
Double “Ouch”!!!! Obviously someone who doesn’t get out of her village often. Does she realize there’s a whole other world out there beyond her nose?!!! Incredible!!
By: mum on May 24, 2011
at 1:16 am
O.o
I suppose in such an ethnically singular country as Japan foreign things and people aren’t regarded by everyone as interesting… loving the up and down look she gave you, though. How much more insulting can you get?! Poor zucchini.
On a more pleasant note, you found zucchini!!! Yay! Did you enjoy them?
By: Robyn on May 24, 2011
at 1:16 am
By: Jill on June 6, 2011
at 11:16 am