How to Make American Friends

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As I mentioned a couple of days ago, I've made several trips to Japan in the past few years for vacations. In addition, my sister and her husband and two small kids (Adam & Nora) have made a six-week trip to Asia every year for the past three years -- to Taipei in 1997, to Singapore in 1998, and to Beijing in 1999. (They are able to do this because they work in junior high schools, and schoolteachers get 2-1/2-month summer vacations.)

As a result, I have some first-hand knowledge about the psychology of Americans who are visiting Asian countries. And this is what I have learned:

We would like to meet you! If you try to use us for English conversation practice, we will feel nothing but gratitude!

The highlights of our vacations are not the museums we visit or the historical sights we see (although my sister says the Great Wall was excellent), but rather the experiences we have when we meet new people.

In my case, when I'm in Tokyo, I like to spend two or three hours a day, three or four days a week, visiting one of the many Starbucks coffee shops there. I get a cup of latte and a pastry item, walk upstairs, get a small table, take out my English/Japanese phrasebook and my notebook and colored pens and start studying.

Even though I may occasionally look like I'm too busy to be bothered, the truth is that nothing would please me more than for someone at the next table to ask me where I'm from, or ask me to translate something for them, or simply say, "Hi -- how are you?"

Of course, sometimes I will take the initiative and ask someone sitting nearby for help translating a Japanese word, or for advice on where to go for lunch, or something. I'm somewhat shy, but I make a point to screw up the courage to ask someone a question at least every hour or so.

Since I know that Starbucks attracts customers who like some American things (i.e., American coffee shops), there is a reasonable chance that a simple inquiry may lead to a long, pleasant conversation... or possibly even more (e.g. lunch or dinner afterwards).