The Potato People

The first thing that hits you coming back the UK after a year in Japan is the people. The people are so varied; big, small, tall, short, fat, thin, white, black, brown, etc etc.

One thing that really sticks out, literally, are the facial features. Japanese faces are very soft and understated. But compared to that, British features are much more extreme and my mind can't help compare this to the randomness of potatoes! Let me explain: my grandad grew potatoes and I was used to seeing so many ugly, disfigured potatoes of all shapes and sizes, with knobbly bits, lumps and curves. It feels like someone has been playing Mr. Potato Head with a whole population.

The second thing that sticks out is how big people are. Let me put it less delicately, how 'large' some people are! After Japan, its really shocking. The only obese people I really see in Japan are sumo wrestlers and when you see so many people, not just overweight, but morbidly obese, it really is shocking. But it's the same for tall people. I saw a guy walking towards me in town today and he looked about 6'6” and ripped with a tight shirt. Well he looked like some super human muscle man from some other planet it was that extreme to me. It was at this point I realised I gorping and this man was looking back at wondering why this guy was staring at him, mouth open. Awkward!

The third would be, and there is no way I can really say this without sounding racist, but if you are of some other ethnicity than white or asian in Japan, you are in a serious minority. And Britain, especially London, is a wonderful cultural and racial melting pot of united nations. Nuff said?