After 4 years in Tokyo, I notice my Japanese coworkers no longer say "you speak Japanese well" — is that a compliment mi
# 内緒話 👁 856♥ 0💬 2
Engineer at fintech, intermediate JLPT N2-ish conversational.
First 2 years: every time I spoke Japanese in a meeting, someone would say 「日本語上手ですね」. I knew it was kind of a polite reflex but it felt warm.
Last 6 months: silence on this front. Nobody comments. We just... discuss the task.
Part of me celebrates - finally treated as a peer? Other part wonders - or am I just background now, not even worth the politeness?
Long-timers in Japan, when did this transition happen for you? Was it good or did you miss being seen as the foreigner?