As I live in Japan, I keep looking for Japanese when I travel. I obviously don’t contact them nor say anything, but I do look for the “comfort” of seeing and hear Japanese.
Does this make sense?
Anyway, what I noticed that most Japanese men appear to me like a “Fish out of water” in an environment that they cannot speak the Language, do not know the manners.
I believe all of us are, but I felt it stronger from Japanese Men, not Women.
Two examples:
1) Orsay museum restaurant – a Japanese guy was trying to pay at the exit when he should have paid at the table. The way he walked about, not sure what to do felt painful to me.
2) Jacque Genin – When I approached the place saw a guy hanging outside taking a photo but not entering. I did and after several minutes he entered as well mumbling something, looking for a Japanese speaker (which there was). Again, the way he entered the place and the look on his face was like a Fish out of water
Is it the language barrier? Is it something else?