What I noticed most once I moved back to America was the lack of attention I was getting. I was no longer the always-watched outsider but just another person in line in the supermarket. This was both a relief and a let-down. I liked being free of constant public scrutiny, but even critical attention in Japan sort of subtly made me feel important. Back in the States, I wasn't important, and it took awhile to get used to my change of status.
Japan is a hierarchical society.
As such, ALL of my experiences in Japan were shaped by the fact that I was a woman, a foreigner, and a university professor, an extremely rare combination. All rights reserved.