The faraway gaze

I have moved to Tokyo exactly one month ago for a 4-month internship in a Japanese environmental consultancy company.

There were many ups and downs of course and the past few days were particularly dark for me, and like I have said to friends, one of the darkest days of my entire stay in Japan. I am still trying to survive it, to make sense of it.

On my way home from work to JR Shibuya station, I saw some people gathering around this group of 5 japanese guys and girls, holding placards that say “Free Hugs”.

Feeling like a dump and having nothing to lose, I walked towards the Japanese youngsters enthusiastically holding “Free hugs” signs. I really needed one at that time but to my utter disappointment, all I got were half-assed hugs designed to keep you at a safe distance, and eyes that linger more at the crowd gathering around them, than on me, the supposed object of affection for the moment. I guess these people are more concerned with how other people perceive their “open-mindedness” and their passion. Well, people should step forward, try them and judge for themselves the novelty of their actions. I was left cold, and I am sure I will find people who think the same.

I have wasted 5 hugs on self-absorbed people who haven’t gone past the pedestal that they put themselves onto. Good luck to these people.

I have found the Japanese website for this “Free Hugs” campaign and I would like to file an official complaint. Anyone wanna help? I think they need to improvise.

http://www.freehugs-jp.com/