With our love of photos, Samia and I are feeling a sense of kindred spirit with the Japanese. We're fitting right in, in that regard.
However, we sometimes forget that we don't totally blend into the crowd here; we just enjoyed a funny little reminder of our own oddity. I'm sort of used to blending in wherever I go, as I endlessly hear that I look "just like" someone's cousin/childhood friend/neighbor. I have generally come to terms with my generic looks, but I'm suddenly feeling a little exotic. And I like it. :)
Anyway...as Samia and I were exiting the keynote address, a Japanese woman came running toward us with her camera. With the characteristic huge smile, she excitedly said, "You take photo with us?" and pointed to a couple of other smiling Japanese dietitians behind her. Assuming that she wanted us to take the photo so she could be IN it, we happily agreed and I started to reach for the camera. But oh, no! They wanted to take a picture WITH our exotic American selves. :) They circled around us and said, "Oh, United States! United States!" as we all bowed to one another repeatedly then posed for multiple photos. :) We never even exchanged names! As we walked away, we both simultaneously blurted (for the millionth time in two days), "I LOVE this country!"
However, we sometimes forget that we don't totally blend into the crowd here; we just enjoyed a funny little reminder of our own oddity. I'm sort of used to blending in wherever I go, as I endlessly hear that I look "just like" someone's cousin/childhood friend/neighbor. I have generally come to terms with my generic looks, but I'm suddenly feeling a little exotic. And I like it. :)
Anyway...as Samia and I were exiting the keynote address, a Japanese woman came running toward us with her camera. With the characteristic huge smile, she excitedly said, "You take photo with us?" and pointed to a couple of other smiling Japanese dietitians behind her. Assuming that she wanted us to take the photo so she could be IN it, we happily agreed and I started to reach for the camera. But oh, no! They wanted to take a picture WITH our exotic American selves. :) They circled around us and said, "Oh, United States! United States!" as we all bowed to one another repeatedly then posed for multiple photos. :) We never even exchanged names! As we walked away, we both simultaneously blurted (for the millionth time in two days), "I LOVE this country!"
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