Hello, Reddit. I’d like some advice on this topic because I see so many mixed experiences online, and don’t know what to believe. I, 14f, am a Haitian-American black girl, who is seriously considering doing a year abroad in Japan.
I’m currently not the best at the language, and only know a few phrases, but that’s not the issue. I’m scared, to be honest, about the racism aspect. I’m sure with the program I’m going with they plan to send me to a regular public school, and I’m worried I won’t make any friends. I’m quite tall for my age (5’8), and I’ve heard most Asians are shorter, and the maximum height for a girl that age is 5’2. I could be wrong, though.
I can’t confidently say I’ll be able to deal with it well if I do experience blatant racism. I’m not petite, and have a bit more curves than the average girl you might see there. But I want to know. Should I be concerned, and mentally prepare myself? I want to make friends, and I often find myself getting jealous over lighter-skinned exchanged student, because they’re not too far from the norm. I don’t want to be some strange anomaly to them, even though I know I might be.
I’d like to get some perspective on this, as I don’t know who else to go to. 😓
by Tough-Fox-4658