Those Cold, Emotionless Japanese

There is a common misconception that the Japanese (and probably other East Asians) are cold, stoic and, basically, void of all emotions. It doesn't help that this stereotype is maintained by  period movies that portray the Japanese as either samurai warriors or geisha. 

And Avril Lavigne...

I was told prior to my arrival that no matter how well I spoke Japanese, I would be excluded from the "in crowd" because I am foreign. Therefore, to my benefit or detriment, I could never truly be part of Japanese society. 

I hadn't really given this concept a second thought until recently. 

I returned from my winter trip on a Wednesday, which meant that I worked at my Thursday/Friday school the following day. As I walked into the school's kitchen to serve myself some water, I was cornered by the librarian, the copy room/tea lady, and an assistant teacher, who were all excited to hear about my trip. I told them I saw the most beautiful places, but I also described what had transpired over the trip. I only remember that my eyes watered and my voice cracked when I said, 「本当にとても大変だったさー」or "Honestly, it was very difficult." The moment this happened, the librarian literally ran to grab some tissues and chocolates while my other coworkers cried with me. 

Later in the day, the 5th grade homeroom teacher called me into a spare room to talk to me about what happened. He told me of his experience and how he focused on himself, passed the teaching examination, and met his current wife. He advised me to focus on myself and said, "You're smart and beautiful; you'll be just fine." 

I was surprised and deeply touched by their support. Where are these cold, emotionless Japanese people I was warned about? Answer: Not here.