This happened a few weeks ago and I meant to post then, but it slipped my mind. Anywhoooo...
I was in London, on the banks of the Thames, in between HMS Belfast and Tower Bridge (so, a tourist hotspot), waiting to meet a friend. I had my wife and 2-year-old daughter with me. We were wandering about aimlessly while our nipper played about in the grass nearby, when a young Japanese girl (late teens, perhaps) approached our daughter. The girl crouched down very close to our daughter and just watched her. Naturally, we observed all this very closely. Soon, another Japanese girl, and another and then a fourth and fifth joined the first, all sitting down right next to our daughter and studying her really closely. It was all very friendly but rather odd - they ignored us entirely, almost excluding us, and even started copying her actions in a playful way. This went on for about ten minutes and then we had to say goodbye (which they said perfectly in unison!).
As a parent, you quickly get used to people you've never met (usually women and the 60+) coming up to you and talking to your child in a friendly way, but this was a bit weird to say the least.
So, what's your take on it fellows of GD? Is this just and example of the cultural differences between our nations? Whereas us Brits are naturally reserved, are the Japanese far more 'intimate' with strangers? Our daughter was dressed up and she is rather cute (obviously!), plus some people have said that she has quite interesting, almost oriental eyes (I'm 1/4 Chinese), so maybe that explains the fascination.
I was in London, on the banks of the Thames, in between HMS Belfast and Tower Bridge (so, a tourist hotspot), waiting to meet a friend. I had my wife and 2-year-old daughter with me. We were wandering about aimlessly while our nipper played about in the grass nearby, when a young Japanese girl (late teens, perhaps) approached our daughter. The girl crouched down very close to our daughter and just watched her. Naturally, we observed all this very closely. Soon, another Japanese girl, and another and then a fourth and fifth joined the first, all sitting down right next to our daughter and studying her really closely. It was all very friendly but rather odd - they ignored us entirely, almost excluding us, and even started copying her actions in a playful way. This went on for about ten minutes and then we had to say goodbye (which they said perfectly in unison!).
As a parent, you quickly get used to people you've never met (usually women and the 60+) coming up to you and talking to your child in a friendly way, but this was a bit weird to say the least.
So, what's your take on it fellows of GD? Is this just and example of the cultural differences between our nations? Whereas us Brits are naturally reserved, are the Japanese far more 'intimate' with strangers? Our daughter was dressed up and she is rather cute (obviously!), plus some people have said that she has quite interesting, almost oriental eyes (I'm 1/4 Chinese), so maybe that explains the fascination.
![[FnG]magnolia](/styles/overclockers/avatars/9.png){kind=avatar}
