「 もう日本以外には住めない！」日本人との幸せな結婚生活を夢見るグアテマラ人モデルに日本の印象や驚いたことを聞いてみた！！【外国人インタビュー】【海外の反応】

Overview

A Guatemalan model named Elisa (from Central America) discusses her life in Japan and why she feels she may want to build a long-term future there—possibly including marriage.

How she came to Japan / work and language

• Elisa has lived in Japan for about 5 years. She moved there as a university student on a study abroad program, then graduated and found a job.
• She works in tourism.
• She speaks Spanish and English, and Japanese “a little,” using common workplace phrases such as:
  • “ohayo gozaimasu”
  • “onegaishimasu”
• At work, she says it feels multinational/multicultural because many people around her are Japanese.
• She also does modeling part-time. She started when she had more free time as a student, and she first got the opportunity through someone in Roppongi who approached her at McDonald’s, gave her a business card (“meishi”), and confirmed the company seemed legitimate.
• She describes modeling as relatively free/low-rules, more like a hobby.

Why she chose to stay

Elisa’s reasons are mainly personal and social:

• Personality and social atmosphere
  • She feels her personality aligns with Japan, believing people often consider others before themselves.
  • She also describes Japanese society as quieter.
• Safety
  • She contrasts Japan with Guatemala, which she describes as having serious problems with gangs and street crime.
  • She mentions incidents like phone-snatching and not feeling safe walking alone—especially for women.
  • In Japan, she says she can live more peacefully.
• Established life
  • She has a job and friends in Japan, so there isn’t a strong reason to return besides family.
• Family support and timing
  • Her father visits Japan for business.
  • Her mother misses her but supports the arrangement as long as Elisa returns to Guatemala once a year, which she plans to do for Christmas.

Dating preferences and views on “Japanese-style” relationships

• Elisa says she is still young (23) and not married yet, but her family has asked whether she will marry a Japanese person—and she says yes.
• She reports her ex-boyfriends have been Japanese and connects this to what she finds appealing about their style and demeanor:
  • Japanese guys are described as more “soft,” cute, and stylish.
  • She believes they pay more attention to appearance, including skin and hair.
  • She contrasts this with a stereotype she associates with Guatemalan dating aesthetics (e.g., casual gym or soccer outfits), and emphasizes that she cares about fashion.
• She also discusses relationship dynamics and communication:
  • She wants partners to open up and communicate feelings.
  • She feels some Japanese men may be more reserved or less expressive than she prefers.
  • She notes strict gender-role expectations, including social stigma around grooming—for example, putting on cream or shaping brows being seen as “gay.”
• Even so, she believes she can find open-minded people and hopes future partners will be more emotionally communicative.

Culture shock when returning to Guatemala

• Elisa experiences reverse culture shock when she goes back.
• She finds Guatemalans louder and the streets messier/less clean than in Japan.
• She also identifies traits she wants to keep as part of herself—especially liking dancing, parties, and expressing feelings, which she associates with Latino social habits.

Takeaway

Overall, the interview focuses on Elisa’s view that Japan’s safety, social norms, and overall fit make it the most comfortable place for her. She also suggests that marrying a Japanese person—or someone who fits Japanese social communication norms—could make her life easier and more stable, though finding the right person remains key.

Presenters / contributors

• Elisa (Guatemalan model; interviewee)
• Interviewer (unnamed; asks questions and provides commentary)