the difference between what you are and who you are

Over the course of the past few posts, you may have noticed a common theme. I am coming to grips with the ever-evolving notion that many of the new people I meet, who may surprise and flatter me with unexpected, undeserved kindness - do not actually like ME. They like the idea, the stereotype of an American.
For example, crazy-kimono-store-guy (see two posts ago) didn't think that 'I' should try on a kimono for free, he decided that 'some American girl' should try on a kimono for free. Same scenario with the fun-drunk-party-crowd (from three posts ago). I was just walking from my group of friends to the toilet, nothing special, but they pulled me in front for all to openly gawk at. In these experiences, I am not fascinating or enjoyable because of any individual qualities I may posses, but rather because of an uncontrollable factor on my behalf - my ethnicity. This social priveledge is neither anything I asked for nor deserve.
The many new true friends that I have bonded with are the ones who I actually share more than five minutes with me. The true friends who I believe actually like me for me, are the ones who ask me about more than just superficial aspects of my ethnicity. Rather than saying 'wow, you use chopsticks really well!' or 'What is the food like in America?' Kanako, Megumi, Aki, Tomoko, My Conversation Partners Mami, so many girls in the dorms, oh I can't even list them all (though I would hate to omit anyone! Your in my thoughts!) are the people who I believe genuinely like who I am.
Now I have to ask myself, in my home country - who liked me for what I was, and who liked me for who I was? Did I ever take time to think about this and pay notice? Was there anyone who I only admired for uncontrollable superficial qualities? These are difficult questions to grapple with. It's not easy to consider your friendships built on poor ground, nor is it easy to admit that you may receive special treatment sometimes, not because of your individuality, but rather because of factors beyond your control. But I think these are good questions to ask no matter where you are at on the globe, or in your life.
I think that this experience in Japan has been a really effective gross exaggeration of the social situations I would usually encounter everyday. I am learning so much more than language and culture here - I feel like I'm learning about humanity, and myself. This is my journey.