On my final night I wrote a short note to them, that I asked my friend to translate for me, so I could give it to them stating how I felt inside and that I wished that there was some way I could repay them for their kindness. All they asked was for me to look after their son while he was in the UK and to make sure that he worked hard at his studies. He had a tendency to be lazy and had failed his courses numerous times. However at their request I did my best to help Daisuke with his studies and this year he graduated and has returned to Japan for good. I feel sad at the loss of my friend of seven years as he was like a brother to me regardless of the fact that we were not blood related, but at the same time I am gratified to know that I have repaid back his parents, even in the smallest possible way.  It brings tears to my eyes even now as I remember back those days, probably the happiest of my life so far. (Related article:  An exchange student recounts the scenes of Japan)

When I had first told my Western friends of my intentions to go to Japan the remarks I heard were not positive. "Japanese people don't like foreigners". "They're all racist over there". I did not let these deter me from my goal and I'm glad I did not. It is true that I was stared at quite a lot but as I stayed in a small town away from the city (Gifu) I soon realized it was not hostility but simply curiosity at seeing someone who was different. I also visited Yokohama, Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka and everyone was more then friendly towards me. I think it is sad that so many of us (people from the West) have these pre-conceptions of life in Japan. I clearly remember a family friend saying to me that she did not like Japanese people because she viewed them as "mean and disgusting people". Of course I took great exception to this remark as I have a very large network of friends who are Japanese and I find them to be a very kind, polite and gentle people (once again, looking at what you yourself are doing with your web page shows this to me). She then went on to say she felt this way because of Japan's actions during the war. I then asked did she hold what happened all those years ago against the younger generation of today who had no control over events and indeed who she had no right to blame for an event that clearly had fault on both sides. And she couldn't answer that.

Being a black person myself, I know how it feels to be discriminated against and I know my culture's history. I then asked her how she would feel as a white person if I told her I hated her because of the years of slavery that her ancestors had enforced upon mine, and she became extremely flustered. I find it very depressing that in this day and age there are still views like this. It's true that maybe I am a bit of an idealist but I do believe that people should look to the future instead of concentrating on the past. I myself have friends from all over the world, and although I have to admit that I have more Japanese ones than from any other country I do not feel this makes me prejudiced against others. Many of my Japanese friends are here to study English and I have been told many times that they find it very easy to converse with me. Apparently I speak my words very clearly and my English is very easy to understand which then leads them to introduce me to their other friends who would like to make an English friend. I think the fact that I'm not just looking to jump into bed with a cute Japanese girl, as so many of my Western friends are, makes them feel more comfortable with me and I view that as a blessing. I would like to live in Japan one day and perhaps even meet a Japanese woman to become my wife, but until I learn what love is I guess this will just stay as a dream, a ghost of a whisper carried on the wind.  

Recommended links: How to make the best of your travel to Japan      How to fight discrimination in Japan?   Japanese television

Japanese motorbikes    What to expect on your trip to Japan?   Story of making friends in Japan   Japanese language friends

Rocky relationship with a Japanese woman    Visit to Japanese castles    Osaka castles and shrines