Growing up in Japan, I was always treated differently because of how I looked: Curly hair, freckles and English conversations with my mom at the grocery store set me apart from the crowd. I tried to convince myself that the reason I felt othered was because I was too sensitive, and had nothing to do with how people treated me.

Recently, I hopped into a cab from Shibuya with my non-911±¬ÁÏÍø friend. While chatting in English with my friend in the backseat, I directed our driver in perfectly detailed 911±¬ÁÏÍø.

¡°Your 911±¬ÁÏÍø is really good,¡± the driver told me when we were paying. ¡°Better than a 911±¬ÁÏÍø person.¡±