How's it going?

進展如何？

My name is Micaela

我叫Micaela

And today I'm here to do one of these talky-video bloggy-type things regarding Naturalisation

今天我在這裡做這些談話視頻博客類型的事情之一 關於歸化

or becoming a Japanese Citizen

或成為日本公民

This video is inspired by a comment on my last video where i was talking about how I

這段視頻的靈感來自於對我上一段視頻的評論，在那裡我在談論我是如何的。

have been in Japan for ten years and a comment asked me if I was considering naturalisation

在日本呆了十年，有評論問我是否考慮入籍。

and quite frankly, I'm not.

坦率地說，我不是。

So before I start I kinda want to remind you to not take my word as “Everybody's Opinion”

所以在開始之前，我有點想提醒大家，不要把我的話當成 "大家的意見"。

because I think that Japanese people and foreigners alike, everyone has different feelings about

因為我覺得日本人和外國人一樣，每個人都有不同的感受。

this subject so what I am about to say is entirely my opinion and you can take it with

所以，我要說的完全是我的觀點，你可以把它與

a grain of salt if it doesn't suit you!

鹹淡相宜

I think a lot of foreigners who first come to japan, come here with the dream that they

我想很多外國人第一次來日本的時候，都是帶著夢想來的。

are going to work hard and successfully integrate into the culture they have chosen to adopt,

要努力工作，成功融入他們選擇的文化。

and thats not a bad thing, its just a very very hard thing to do, especially in a country

這並不是一件壞事，它只是一件非常非常困難的事情，尤其是在一個國家。

like Japan

像日本

The reason why we have these ideals in the first place is because we come from countries

我們之所以會有這些理想，首先是因為我們來自於這樣的國家

with international backgrounds.

具有國際背景的。

For example, I was born in Richmond, British Columbia, and if any of you live in Vancouver

例如，我出生在不列顛哥倫比亞省的列治文，如果你們有誰住在溫哥華

or even in B.C, you will know Richmond is..

甚至在不列顛哥倫比亞省，你會知道列治文是... ...

Over 50% of the population identifies as Chinese, it's actually the most international city

超過50%的人口認同中國人，這裡其實是最國際化的城市。

in all of Canada with over 60% of residents being immigrants.

在全加拿大，60%以上的居民是移民。

I grew up in an ethnically diverse country and for me, as a child growing up the only

我生長在一個民族多元化的國家，對我來說，作為一個成長中的孩子，只有

way I could properly distinguish visitors from actual Canadian residents, was their

我可以正確區分遊客和真正的加拿大居民的方法，是他們的。

accent and the way that they spoke english.

口音和他們說英語的方式。

If they had an accent, “oh they must be from outside of Canada”, if they spoke English

如果他們有口音，"哦，他們一定是來自加拿大以外的地方"，如果他們說的是英語。

just like me, “oh they were probably born here, they're Canadian”

就像我一樣，"哦，他們可能出生在這裡，他們是加拿大人"

It wasn't really that difficult, you know?

這其實並不難，你知道嗎？

And because of that it's not too crazy to assume that, you know, "if they can blend

正因為如此，它不是太瘋狂的假設，你知道，"如果他們能混合，

in in Canada, why can't I blend in in Japan?"

在加拿大，我為什麼不能混進日本？"

However, Japan doesn't exactly have the same history with immigrants and internationalisation.

然而，日本在移民和國際化方面的歷史並不完全相同。

Japan itself was a closed off and isolated country until the mid 1850s, which is really,

在19世紀50年代中期之前，日本本身就是一個閉關鎖國的國家，這真是。

in terms of Japanese History, is actually quite recent.

在日本歷史上，其實是很近的。

And although an ethnically non-Japanese can apply for citizenship here in Japan, the general

雖然非日本人也可以在日本申請入籍，但一般情況下，日本人都是可以申請入籍的。

perception of what defines a Japanese person is not what passport you hold, it's all

日本人的定義不在於持有什麼護照，而在於

about your blood and lineage and where you come from, your heritage, pretty much.

關於你的血緣和血統，你來自哪裡，你的遺產，差不多。

This is why Japanese citizens who were born to foreign parents, otherwise known as ha-fu,

這就是為什麼父母是外國人的日本公民，又被稱為哈福。

or “half Japanese citizens” have a hard time being considered fully Japanese as well,

或 "半個日本公民 "也很難被認為是完全的日本人。

even if they've lived their whole life in Japan, even if they have a Japanese passport

即使他們在日本生活了一輩子，即使他們有日本護照。

and are considered a Japanese citizen, even if the only language they know is Japanese,

並被視為日本公民，即使他們只懂日語。

if they have that foreign lineage they end up being considered in a separate category

僑批

from pure Japanese people…

來自純正的日本人...

And of course not everyone thinks this way, but there is this general consensus that pure

當然也不是每個人都這麼想，但有這樣一個普遍的共識，那就是純粹的

Japanese are like 100% Japanese, and then there's the ha-fu and then there's the

日本人就像百分之百的日本人，然後是哈弗，然後是。

gaijin, and it's like..

老外，它就像... ...

That consciousness is always there.

這種意識一直存在。

Basically having a Japanese passport, having all the paperwork that says you're Japanese

基本上有日本護照，有所有的文件，說明你是日本人。

isn't what makes you Japanese.

並不是讓你成為日本人的原因。

What makes you Japanese is your heritage, ultimately.

你之所以是日本人，歸根結底是你的傳統。

So having said that, I think naturalising or choosing to apply to become a Japanese

所以說，我認為入籍或選擇申請成為日本人

citizen is totally a personal choice, and there are people who in spite of all this,

公民完全是個人的選擇，儘管如此，還是有人。

still think that.. you know maybe they have good reason to do so, but for me.. this is

我還是覺得... 也許他們有充分的理由這麼做 但對我來說...

the thing.

的東西。

I look Canadian, there's nothing about this could that could even indicate that I could

我看起來像加拿大人，沒有任何關於這個可能 甚至可以表明，我可以

be Japanese.

是日本人。

You look at me and you can tell I was born somewhere else, to parents who were also born

你看著我，就知道我出生在別的地方，父母也出生在別的地方

somewhere else, and that is just a fact that I can not change.

其他地方，這只是我無法改變的事實。

No matter how long I live here, what kind of job I do, what credentials I have, or how

不管我在這裡住了多久，做什麼工作，有什麼資歷，或者有多高的學歷。

much I can speak Japanese, I will always be judged, first and foremost by my appearance,

雖然我的日語水準很高，但我的外表永遠是最重要的。

and that i just a fact.

而我只是一個事實。

That is..

那是...

After ten years you just, ah there's just nothing you can do about it.

十年後，你只是，啊，你只是無能為力。

It's weird, it does feel strange because, consider it this way:

很奇怪，確實感覺很奇怪，因為，這樣考慮。

I don't look at myself every day, like when I'm outside, when I'm going places, when

我不是每天都看自己，比如我在外面的時候，當我要去的地方，當...

I'm at the bank, when I'm at the restaurant, or I'm on the train, or I'm going somewhere..

我在銀行，當我在餐廳， 或者我在火車上， 或者我去的地方... ...

I don't have this consciousness of what I look like to other people.

我沒有這種意識，我在別人眼裡是什麼樣子的。

You know how like dolphins, they communicate with echo-location, they have these sonar

你知道像海豚一樣，它們用回聲定位來交流，它們有這些聲納。

waves and they're like pew and then the things come back and then they're like “oh

波，他們就像擢，然後的東西回來，然後他們就像 "哦"。

now I see.”

現在我明白了。"

..I feel like in a way, I'm a dolphin?

...我覺得在某種程度上，我是一隻海豚？

Stay with me.

陪著我吧

I feel like I'm a dolphin in the way where it's like, I go out there and I do things.

我覺得自己就像一隻海豚，就像，我走出去，做一些事情。

I do things and then judging by the reaction that comes back at me,

我做事情，然後根據我的反應來判斷。

the things that I say and the things that are said back at me,

我說的話和被說的事都回敬我。

that's kind of how I have developed this consciousness of who I am in relation to everyone

這就是我如何發展這種意識 我是誰與大家的關係。

else.

其他。

My identity as a Canadian has been only made stronger by the way that people react when

我作為一個加拿大人的身份，只是因為人們對我的反應而變得更加強大。

I'm outside this house, basically.

我在這個房子外面，基本上。

The fact is that having a Japanese passport, or doing all the paperwork that “technically”

事實上，擁有一本日本護照，或做所有的手續，"技術上"。

makes you Japanese, will never change the perception of the people around you, they'll

讓你成為日本人，永遠不會改變你周圍人的看法，他們會。

never be like “oh well now that you're Japanese, I see you differently.”

千萬不要像 "哦，好了，現在你是日本人，我看你不同。"

It's never going to happen, so what's the point?

這是不可能的，那又有什麼意義呢？

It's taken me so long to understand this, but

我花了這麼長時間才明白這個道理，但是... ...

It's normal in CANADA to be multiculturally diverse, that's just you know, that's

這是很正常的在加拿大是多文化的多樣性， 這只是你知道，這是

just the way that we Westerners were raised.

只是我們西方人的成長方式。

But are we really entitled to walk into a different country and decide what's normal

但我們真的有資格走進一個不同的國家 決定什麼是正常的嗎？

and what isn't?

什麼不是？

Maybe there are people out there who want to naturalise because they think it's going

也許有人想入籍，因為他們認為這將是

to prove a point, like “hey, non-Japanese heritage people can become Japanese citizens

為了證明 "非日本血統的人也可以成為日本人 "的觀點。

too!”

也是！"

But is that really what's best for Japan?

但這真的是對日本最好的嗎？

I'm not saying Japan hates foreigners, nono, they love tourists, they love tourists and

我不是說日本討厭外國人，nono，他們喜歡遊客，他們喜歡遊客和

they love having people come and enjoy Japan as it is, but they don't need people coming

他們喜歡人們來享受日本，但他們不需要人們來。

here and changing Japan, and that's what they're afraid of.

這裡，改變日本，這才是他們所害怕的。

You know, Japan's dedication to preserving traditional ways, that's what makes it a

你知道，日本致力於保護傳統的方式，這就是它的原因。

unique and wonderful country, and that's what makes people come from all over the world

獨特而美好的國度，這也是人們從世界各地趕來的原因。

to visit it.

來參觀它。

It's not, you know, “oh, well they should make it easier for us to live because we're

這不是，你知道，"哦，好吧，他們應該讓它更容易為我們的生活，因為我們是。

different and we came in and this is how we want it.”

不同的，我們進來了，這就是我們想要的。"

we can't, I feel like, we can't just say that.

我們不能，我覺得像， 我們不能只是說。

I am Canadian, and I'm really really okay with that, because I think that rather than

我是加拿大人，我真的真的沒關係，因為我認為，而不是。

trying to get Japanese people to accept me as a Japanese person, I'd rather they learn

為了讓日本人接受我這個日本人，我寧願他們學習

to accept me as a Canadian.

接受我作為一個加拿大人。

For all that that is.

對於這一切。

You know, I grew up somewhere else, I have parents that were not born here, but I sure

你知道，我在別的地方長大，我的父母不是在這裡出生的，但我肯定... ...

as hell worked hard to learn, and study , and learn how to speak and communicate, and it

努力地學習，學習，學習如何說話和交流，它是地獄努力學習，學習，學習如何說話和交流，它是地獄努力學習，學習，學習如何說話和交流，它是地獄努力學習。

is what it is.

就是這樣的。

And it's worth noting that Japan doesn't allow dual citizenship, meaning that becoming

而值得注意的是，日本不允許雙重國籍，也就是說成為

a Japanese citizen would mean not being a Canadian citizen, and, for me, that doesn't

日本公民就意味著不是加拿大公民，對我來說，這並不是

make sense!

說得通

I love living overseas and I love being abroad, and being in Japan has granted me so many

我喜歡在海外生活，我喜歡在國外，在日本的生活讓我獲得了許多

amazing opportunities that I'm thankful for, but at the end of the day, if I can't

驚人的機會，我很感激， 但在一天結束時，如果我不能，

go home to the country that feels “normal”, that accepts me and treats me like everybody

回家的國家，感覺 "正常"，接受我，並把我像其他人一樣對待。

else, if I can't have that comfort, what else, what do I have?

否則，如果我不能得到這種安逸的生活，我還有什麼，我還有什麼？

Besides, in the mean time, for people who want to stay in Japan long-term, there are

此外，在這段時間裡，對於想在日本長期居住的人來說，有以下幾種方式

visa options for that!

的簽證選擇!

Visa options that allow you to live in Japan for a long time, pay taxes just like a regular

可以在日本長期居住，像普通人一樣納稅的簽證選擇。

Japanese citizen, and do all those things without having to relinquish your own identity

日本人，不需要放棄自己的身份就可以做這些事情。

or citizenship, and marry yourself to a new country.

或公民身份，並將自己嫁到一個新的國家。

I feel like the end-game isn't being accepted as one of them, it's having them accept

我覺得終局不是被接受為其中之一，而是讓他們接受了

you for who you are, and recognise that you're trying really hard.

你是誰，並承認你真的很努力。

That would be the happier ending in my opinion.

在我看來，這將是比較幸福的結局。

Sorry this is so boring but I kinda wanted to like, answer that, and get my feelings

對不起，這是很無聊的，但我有點想喜歡，回答，並得到我的感受。

out there and kinda start a conversation because I think that there are tons of different opinions,

在那裡，有點開始對話，因為我認為，有噸不同的意見。

and I am prepared to read them all in the comments so yeah go ahead and write below

我準備在評論中閱讀它們，所以是的，繼續寫在下面。

how you feel.

你的感覺。

Do you think it's worth giving up your citizenship to become a member of a different country

你認為放棄你的公民身份，成為不同國家的一員值得嗎？

even if it means that you're like, not really treated like a member of the different country?

即使這意味著，你喜歡，不 真正對待像不同國家的成員？

Hmmm.

哼哼

Thank you very much for listening.

非常感謝您的聆聽。

I also want to thank you for being really really nice to Tatsu because I like him a

我也想感謝你對辰真的很好，因為我很喜歡他。

lot, and it really means a lot to me that you guys also like him a lot.

很多，你們也很喜歡他，這對我來說真的很重要。

And I think that I'd also like to have him make a video and have him talk about his experiences

我想我也想讓他拍個視頻，讓他講講他的經歷。

because he was not born in Japan either, and um, although he is technically a Japanese

因為他也不是在日本出生的，嗯，雖然他在技術上是一個日本人。

citizen and he kind of has an interesting perspective on it as well, but that's of

公民，他也有一個有趣的觀點，但這是的。

course, when he's ready to talk about it, or if you even want him to talk about it.

當然，當他準備好談論它， 或者如果你甚至希望他談論它。

Yeah.

是啊。

I will talk to you soon!

我很快就會和你聯繫的!

Thank youuuu!

謝謝你！

Bye!

再見！