American Navy Guys

So today was one of those rainy days, I learned its easier not to fight it, I went to the Internet cafe to let it pass. Problem though, there was a storm in the Internet cafe as well...

I didn't realize it until later but 350 seamen from the American Navy had landed in the small town of Hakodate. Some American dudes were cussing up a storm and being real asses. Effing this and f-bomb that... Loud enough for the entire cafe to hear. Repeatedly. I have been to this cafe several times, I know the people that work there. They know I am American and that I don't speak Japanese well. Today, I got the wide-eyed, wrinkled-nose, head nod that translates internationally to: I don't like those guys, I wish they would leave. I assumed they were disgruntled NOVA employees and apologized to the staff and went on my way.

Then walking home I saw three gaijin asking a native for directions. She was trying to be polite but I was clear she didn't know and was done trying. Turned out they were some creeps from the same ship... They were looking for lingerie and dildos for their wives. I have only known you guys for 10 seconds and I already feel uncomfortable.

This is the first since arriving in Japan that I have felt unsafe.

Story isn't over though. I met the captain and the commanding officer that night in the local bar... Told you it was a small town. So I got to chatting with them and my opinion is that they are both class acts. Speaking zero Japanese but very polite. Gentlemen. Then a dozen of their seamen walk in. Complete jackasses. Bragging about the size of their wankers and muscles and tattoos. More f-bombing the effing f-bombs. Several, with wives and children, talking about getting a piece of ass before leaving town... Taking their shirts off challenging Japanese people to arm wrestling.

One dude bragging to me about understanding 80% of whats being said. Not likely. He didn't seem to catch the parts about his friends being drunks, being fat, I don't like them, or lets leave if they are staying. In fact, none of the Navy guys seemed to realize they had scared every local person out. Don't need to speak Japanese to see that.

I was so embarrassed. These are Americans. Brothers from my country... Such arrogance. Drunks. Ambassadors. No wonder the whole world hates Americans. Stupid. Disrespectful. This is the image we are portraying abroad... Loud. Ostentatious. Rude.

So then I started thinking about the captain and xo. Here they are doing joint operations with the Japanese military for the next three years and the two highest ranking big cheeses on the boat don't even know the words for please or thank you in the bar? They are observing all this obnoxious behavior without an eye roll. No doubt they have seen worse. This is what its like in every port town when the American Navy comes through?? This needs to change.

So we went to a different bar. Much quieter. I started talking to a couple Russian guys who spoke English very well. They confided they wanted to meet some women but were having trouble cause they didn't speak Japanese. Found out later they were married too. At this point I was fed up with drunken sailors, so I told them to go to the bar we had just left. Lots of beautiful women there. I even gave directions. My only hope is that they found it.