Another varied array of topics today!
First, I am excited to report that I think I am going to be able to spend a month this winter in Okinawa, the southern-most island in Japan known for it's especially unique culture and beautiful beaches (not to mention warm weather!). For my Japan Study program, I am required to attend what is called a Cultural Practicum for four weeks during the two-month spring break that Waseda allows its students. Thus, for four weeks starting in the beginning of February, the Japan Study students will be split up and sent off to various parts of Japan, living with new host families and working a wide array of jobs. The program offers to place us with pre-set programs, but they also encourage us to create our own. I am fortunate that my high school had a connection with a high school in Okinawa, and thus I have been in contact with the Okinawa representative and it looks like I will be able to do my practicum there. I am so so excited about this- I have been really wanting to visit Okinawa to see my friends who still live there and also learn about the its unique culture, but it seemed it might be a bit too expensive. If this opportunity works out, I will be able to travel at no charge to and from Okinawa and really get to know the people that live there. So excited about this!
Also, Halloween weekend happened here in Japan. Obviously in the US Halloween is very much a celebrated holiday and most people get are involved in it in some way, be it passing out candy or attending parties, etc. In Japan, halloween is more a demarcation of the changing seasons than an actual holiday, meaning that people don't really dress up or celebrate with the fervor of most Americans. Children don't trick-or-treat and you don't even really find that many college parties commencing in honor of the holiday. Being a "gaijin" (foreign person), though, offers a window of opportunity in the halloween-celebration department. Many of my japan study friends attended different halloween parties in some of the glitzier parts of Tokyo, "Blood On The Dance Floor" seeming to have been the most epic. Unfortunately I wasn't there to witness the excitement. Instead, I went with my friend to meet up for dinner with Waseda students that had been exchange students at his university in the US. I was surprised to see all four of the Japanese students were dressed in costume, and they received much attention from passers-by in the street. The restaurant we went to was a superb fit for the holiday- the tables were sectioned off into small rooms that looked like jail cells, and the decor was very reminiscent of a haunted house, complete with dark lighting and even staff that try to scare you by banging on the door of your "cell". The dishes were delicious but grotesque attempts to nauseate the guests by their names and presentations, and the drinks were all served in beakers and test tubes. A very fitting ambiance for the evening.
I also was able to experience another part of Tokyo life. In Tokyo, the subway trains are obviously the most efficient way to travel- they are by far the cheapest way to go and usually the fastest way as well. The trains though, do not run through the night, rather stop around twelve-thirty or one am. Thus, the city-dweller must make important decisions when it comes to planning their evening- leave with enough time to catch the last train, which can sometimes mean a pretty early return home, or stick it out and stay out until the trains start running again at five am. Last night I made the latter decision, and it was a very interesting experience. Many restaurants were open 24/7, so there was a wide array of people sharing the cafe my friends and I decided to stop in. Everyone from tired and drunk businessmen to college student to homeless people sit and chat and eat and sometimes even sleep. At two am, my friends and I decided to go to a movie. I wasn't really very interested in the film itself (it was an "anime", a cartoon style action film), but I took the opportunity to snag an hour or so of sleep and left the movie theatre feeling very refreshed. It was very fun walking the streets of Shinjuku, a very trendy and young part of Tokyo with a bustling night life. There were lots of foreigners out, I would expect partly because Halloween is really only a holiday celebrated by North Americans and (maybe) Europeans.
All in all a fun experience, but getting only two hours of sleep is tough and I don't think I will be making it a regular habit. But, again, it's another part of Japanese youth culture and I was happy to be able to experience it first-hand.
Not to much else happening here now that I can think of with my weary brain. I am planning to visit a high school currently living in Hong Kong over Christmas break, so I've been price-searching and found some cheap tickets thanks to some help from my host mom. I have also started tutoring English to private students. An interesting experience I will write more at length about soon. This post is getting too long.
10/31/10
10/25/10
Lots to say
I'll start from the more coherent parts of this post--
This weekend the Japan Study crew was able to enjoy a two days in the beautiful mountains of Karuizawa, a rural area about three hours outside of Tokyo. The weather was so beautiful- much like that of Minnesota fall, very crisp and cool, but the leaves had really only slightly begun changing. It was so great to be in fresh air and to have lots of time to run around outside and play. We arrived, immediately had a few hours of free time to play basketball, tennis, and to explore the area. I of course put my basketball skillz to the test- haven't done that in a while! Then some of us decided to take advantage of the onsen the hotel provided. An onsen is a public bath which, when I first heard of it, sounded kind of disgusting as everyone is sitting in the same water, but it was so so so so wonderful! The water is so hot, and everyone washes before getting in the water so the water stays clean. Afterwards we had supper, then a meeting reflecting on our time in Japan thus far, and then afterwards were able to spend time together and have fun.
The next day was similar- free time, lunch, meeting about our cultural practicum in February, and then headed home. Here starts the second part of my post.
My host mom and dad had been talking about perhaps meeting up with my host dad's parents sometime this week. The date was undecided before I left for Karuizawa, so I didn't think much of it. I texted my host mom as we left the hotel letting her know I would be home for dinner. I didn't hear back from her until about four hours later when I was already back in Tokyo and on the subway, halfway home. She told me to let her know when we got to Tokyo, so, to keep things "simple", I decided instead of explaining where I was I would tell her I had just arrived. After that she told me to let her know when I reached Kichijoji, a town about six stops before mine on my subway line. By the time I received this text I was already walking home so, thinking that we were meeting with my "host grandparents" in Kichijoji I turned around and hopped back on the subway. I received another message from my host mom saying to call her when I got off the train, that they would be in the car so we could go to dinner together. So I did and I asked which exit to meet them at. At this my host mom got very confused- she said it didn't matter, which in return puzzled me as in Kichijoji there are multiple exits and it does matter which you leave through. Finally it came out that she was waiting in the car at Koganei, my home town, not Kichijoji! There were many exasperated sighs on both ends of the telephone- I felt horrible! I tried to hurry back to Koganei but in my flustered state took the wrong train and delayed my progress even more (By this time they had long been at dinner). It was a disastrous evening and I felt really bad about it. I had to walk home in the rain with no umbrella, which in itself kind of sad. I got home and decided I should grab dinner, so I started out for the convenience store nearby to pick something up. As I was walking, I saw a white car that resembled my host family's car drive down the street. It was my host mom and my host dad's grandparents! I whipped around and ran after the car, reaching home a few moments after they did, and was able to meet Kenichi-san's parents! They were so so nice about Machico-san and my communication issues and even brought me a sushi dinner! I was very happy I was able to meet them and the evening turned from that of disaster to one of good memories. But a stressful hour or so to be sure--
The last thing I wanted to write about really isn't relevant to what I've been saying, but I'll put it here anyway. The other night I was sitting in the living room on my computer when my host dad came home from work. It was maybe 9:45 or so, a pretty typical return time for him, and I was actually thinking about getting up and heading to my room to study and then go to bed. He was really tired though, so I stuck around to chat a bit. He started asking me about how I like my life in Japan and if I was having trouble with anything. Then he asked me about what I thought about Japanese life in general, specifically the life of the "salary-man", or the average working man. I told him it seemed hard- lots of long days away from your family. I was surprised he was asking me these things as we've talked about them before, but I realized that he was very torn up about his role as a Japanese man, as the primary bread-winner. He is really sad about having to be away from his son so often, and it's hard for him sometimes to accept that reality. I forget that my host parent's child is only two years old, and thus life in the last few years has changed for them really drastically and they are still probably getting used to it. I could really feel my host dad's sadness and frustration at missing out on a part of his child's life.
This weekend the Japan Study crew was able to enjoy a two days in the beautiful mountains of Karuizawa, a rural area about three hours outside of Tokyo. The weather was so beautiful- much like that of Minnesota fall, very crisp and cool, but the leaves had really only slightly begun changing. It was so great to be in fresh air and to have lots of time to run around outside and play. We arrived, immediately had a few hours of free time to play basketball, tennis, and to explore the area. I of course put my basketball skillz to the test- haven't done that in a while! Then some of us decided to take advantage of the onsen the hotel provided. An onsen is a public bath which, when I first heard of it, sounded kind of disgusting as everyone is sitting in the same water, but it was so so so so wonderful! The water is so hot, and everyone washes before getting in the water so the water stays clean. Afterwards we had supper, then a meeting reflecting on our time in Japan thus far, and then afterwards were able to spend time together and have fun.
The next day was similar- free time, lunch, meeting about our cultural practicum in February, and then headed home. Here starts the second part of my post.
My host mom and dad had been talking about perhaps meeting up with my host dad's parents sometime this week. The date was undecided before I left for Karuizawa, so I didn't think much of it. I texted my host mom as we left the hotel letting her know I would be home for dinner. I didn't hear back from her until about four hours later when I was already back in Tokyo and on the subway, halfway home. She told me to let her know when we got to Tokyo, so, to keep things "simple", I decided instead of explaining where I was I would tell her I had just arrived. After that she told me to let her know when I reached Kichijoji, a town about six stops before mine on my subway line. By the time I received this text I was already walking home so, thinking that we were meeting with my "host grandparents" in Kichijoji I turned around and hopped back on the subway. I received another message from my host mom saying to call her when I got off the train, that they would be in the car so we could go to dinner together. So I did and I asked which exit to meet them at. At this my host mom got very confused- she said it didn't matter, which in return puzzled me as in Kichijoji there are multiple exits and it does matter which you leave through. Finally it came out that she was waiting in the car at Koganei, my home town, not Kichijoji! There were many exasperated sighs on both ends of the telephone- I felt horrible! I tried to hurry back to Koganei but in my flustered state took the wrong train and delayed my progress even more (By this time they had long been at dinner). It was a disastrous evening and I felt really bad about it. I had to walk home in the rain with no umbrella, which in itself kind of sad. I got home and decided I should grab dinner, so I started out for the convenience store nearby to pick something up. As I was walking, I saw a white car that resembled my host family's car drive down the street. It was my host mom and my host dad's grandparents! I whipped around and ran after the car, reaching home a few moments after they did, and was able to meet Kenichi-san's parents! They were so so nice about Machico-san and my communication issues and even brought me a sushi dinner! I was very happy I was able to meet them and the evening turned from that of disaster to one of good memories. But a stressful hour or so to be sure--
The last thing I wanted to write about really isn't relevant to what I've been saying, but I'll put it here anyway. The other night I was sitting in the living room on my computer when my host dad came home from work. It was maybe 9:45 or so, a pretty typical return time for him, and I was actually thinking about getting up and heading to my room to study and then go to bed. He was really tired though, so I stuck around to chat a bit. He started asking me about how I like my life in Japan and if I was having trouble with anything. Then he asked me about what I thought about Japanese life in general, specifically the life of the "salary-man", or the average working man. I told him it seemed hard- lots of long days away from your family. I was surprised he was asking me these things as we've talked about them before, but I realized that he was very torn up about his role as a Japanese man, as the primary bread-winner. He is really sad about having to be away from his son so often, and it's hard for him sometimes to accept that reality. I forget that my host parent's child is only two years old, and thus life in the last few years has changed for them really drastically and they are still probably getting used to it. I could really feel my host dad's sadness and frustration at missing out on a part of his child's life.
10/22/10
New developments
A few random achievements that took place this week, both of which regard the bathroom (I like the Japanese for this phrase better- お手洗いの使い方- Literally the usage of the bathroom, how to use the bathroom). There are probably more important or interesting things to write about, but this is what I choose for tonight.
This week I learned:
How to turn on the hot water when I take a shower! Without fail, if I am able to shower after my host mom and brother, I have hot water. If I shower after my host dad, I don't. For almost six weeks I experienced this phenomenon but didn't want to say anything for fear of seeming too utility-greedy, but, by some act of God, my host dad showed me the other night that there is a button for turning the hot water on and off. My host mom usually left it on after showering, but he always turns it off and wants me to as well. I was so happy, I can't even explain! Hot water! The bathroom is cold enough as it is because the windows are always open and it lets in cold air, so I am happy happy happy about this development.
Also, I learned that I have been mistakenly draining the bath water when I am the last to hop in (yes, the Japanese bath water is shared by all. Not as gross as it seems-- You wash before you get in..). Instead, my host mom asked I keep the water in the bath after I get out so that she can use it for laundry the next morning. Talk about economical! I felt bad for having been draining the bath water for so long, but that was more than made up for when, as I was being told the error of my ways, I recognized the word for "leave things as they are", a new vocab word on a quiz I had last week!
A rather trivial post, but it amazes me I am still figuring out how the bathroom works! Tomorrow I leave for the weekend with the other Japan Study students for a weekend in the mountains-- Much fun should be had by all!
This week I learned:
How to turn on the hot water when I take a shower! Without fail, if I am able to shower after my host mom and brother, I have hot water. If I shower after my host dad, I don't. For almost six weeks I experienced this phenomenon but didn't want to say anything for fear of seeming too utility-greedy, but, by some act of God, my host dad showed me the other night that there is a button for turning the hot water on and off. My host mom usually left it on after showering, but he always turns it off and wants me to as well. I was so happy, I can't even explain! Hot water! The bathroom is cold enough as it is because the windows are always open and it lets in cold air, so I am happy happy happy about this development.
Also, I learned that I have been mistakenly draining the bath water when I am the last to hop in (yes, the Japanese bath water is shared by all. Not as gross as it seems-- You wash before you get in..). Instead, my host mom asked I keep the water in the bath after I get out so that she can use it for laundry the next morning. Talk about economical! I felt bad for having been draining the bath water for so long, but that was more than made up for when, as I was being told the error of my ways, I recognized the word for "leave things as they are", a new vocab word on a quiz I had last week!
A rather trivial post, but it amazes me I am still figuring out how the bathroom works! Tomorrow I leave for the weekend with the other Japan Study students for a weekend in the mountains-- Much fun should be had by all!
10/18/10
Matusri and Circles!
Another eventful week has slipped through my fingers- lots to share!
One really great part of being in Japan in the fall is being able to enjoy all of the "matsuri", or festivals, going on around at various parks. My own park in Koganei has had a matsuri of one sort or another two weeks of the last month, and every weekend I keep hearing about other matsuris in other areas of Tokyo. This weekend, I attended two- the first in a town just a bit outside Tokyo called Kawagoe. This town is known for its traditional buildings and for the Matsuri they host every year. Upon arrival it reminded me of my experiences at the MN State Fair- lots and lots of people, food, sounds, and interesting sites to see! We were first greeted by a Japanese Waseda Student's great aunt and uncle who graciously took us on a tour of the town and showed us the old buildings that were still in use today. I have seen these buildings in other parks and areas of Tokyo before, but they were usually for display only. The Kawagoe buildings were still being used on a daily basis, and it was neat to see a part of the old Japan still active today.
Next on the list was food- Lots of delicious and not-nutritious dishes for me to try! I was short on time so only sampled some yaki-soba (noodles with veggies and meat), but it was yum yum yum. Also, we were able to see various types of "dashi", or basically traditional parade floats. These floats were very ornately decorated and carried on them people playing and singing to traditional Japanese instruments. Very cool!
I had to return home to go to a picnic with my brother Kojiro's preschool, but before I left my Japanese friend's great Aunt and Uncle gave me a souvenir- A beautiful wall hanging!
Next day was the Koganei matsuri, and it was, in my opinion, even better than the Kawagoe matsuri. For starters, less people so one doesn't feel as bogged down and weary from fighting through crowds. More food! I had a baked potato with lots of butter, a chocolate-dipped banana, and a type of pancake with red-bean paste inside. Yum yum! Also, there was a stage that had lots of performers, mostly individuals doing traditional Japanese dances or playing instruments. My favorite was a group that played various types of drums and flutes that also had performers wearing elaborate masks dancing and then jumping into the crowd. The music was really engaging, and the performers, mostly children, were really charismatic and kept the crowd's attention.
Phew. Also big this week have been Waseda Circles (clubs). Last wednesday I attended a Shamisen and Takauta circle, literally a traditional Japanese guitar-type instrument paired with long pieces of poetry performed in song. It was really interesting- I got to listen in on the rehearsal and meet the teacher- a seventy-five year old Shamisen expert. He was very friendly to me and encouraged me to sit and listen, but I could tell the students respected him very much as they used very polite speech and bowed deeply before and after playing and leaving and entering the room. The other students were very nice as well. One thing I learned is that the way one sits when playing the shamisen or singing along with it, kneeling on one's knees in the traditional Japanese way, is very very painful! After about twenty minutes my feet and legs were completely numb and I couldn't walk for a few minutes after. I thought maybe simply because I grew up in America not kneeling for extended periods of time that it was only painful for me, but apparently it also is for the Japanese students. I guess it gets better as time goes on!
Then on Saturday I got an email from the head of a ballet circle at Waseda. I went to the rehearsal tonight and had such a wonderful time- I am not very good at ballet but really really enjoy it, and this group was great because, while most of the students were far better than I am, it was very informal and everyone was helpful and encouraging. There was only one other international student, so I will be able to speak lots of Japanese. I was surprised because the studio wasn't really a studio, rather a room where they pushed back tables and chairs to make space to dance. There were mirrors on the back wall, but no barre, so instead we used tables that folded upwards to hold onto. It was really fun though, and the group meets three times per week for two hours each week. I think I will attend the ballet session on Mondays and Wednesdays only, but then not do the shamisen circle. Life would be too busy for both!
Good days good days!
One really great part of being in Japan in the fall is being able to enjoy all of the "matsuri", or festivals, going on around at various parks. My own park in Koganei has had a matsuri of one sort or another two weeks of the last month, and every weekend I keep hearing about other matsuris in other areas of Tokyo. This weekend, I attended two- the first in a town just a bit outside Tokyo called Kawagoe. This town is known for its traditional buildings and for the Matsuri they host every year. Upon arrival it reminded me of my experiences at the MN State Fair- lots and lots of people, food, sounds, and interesting sites to see! We were first greeted by a Japanese Waseda Student's great aunt and uncle who graciously took us on a tour of the town and showed us the old buildings that were still in use today. I have seen these buildings in other parks and areas of Tokyo before, but they were usually for display only. The Kawagoe buildings were still being used on a daily basis, and it was neat to see a part of the old Japan still active today.
Next on the list was food- Lots of delicious and not-nutritious dishes for me to try! I was short on time so only sampled some yaki-soba (noodles with veggies and meat), but it was yum yum yum. Also, we were able to see various types of "dashi", or basically traditional parade floats. These floats were very ornately decorated and carried on them people playing and singing to traditional Japanese instruments. Very cool!
I had to return home to go to a picnic with my brother Kojiro's preschool, but before I left my Japanese friend's great Aunt and Uncle gave me a souvenir- A beautiful wall hanging!
Next day was the Koganei matsuri, and it was, in my opinion, even better than the Kawagoe matsuri. For starters, less people so one doesn't feel as bogged down and weary from fighting through crowds. More food! I had a baked potato with lots of butter, a chocolate-dipped banana, and a type of pancake with red-bean paste inside. Yum yum! Also, there was a stage that had lots of performers, mostly individuals doing traditional Japanese dances or playing instruments. My favorite was a group that played various types of drums and flutes that also had performers wearing elaborate masks dancing and then jumping into the crowd. The music was really engaging, and the performers, mostly children, were really charismatic and kept the crowd's attention.
Phew. Also big this week have been Waseda Circles (clubs). Last wednesday I attended a Shamisen and Takauta circle, literally a traditional Japanese guitar-type instrument paired with long pieces of poetry performed in song. It was really interesting- I got to listen in on the rehearsal and meet the teacher- a seventy-five year old Shamisen expert. He was very friendly to me and encouraged me to sit and listen, but I could tell the students respected him very much as they used very polite speech and bowed deeply before and after playing and leaving and entering the room. The other students were very nice as well. One thing I learned is that the way one sits when playing the shamisen or singing along with it, kneeling on one's knees in the traditional Japanese way, is very very painful! After about twenty minutes my feet and legs were completely numb and I couldn't walk for a few minutes after. I thought maybe simply because I grew up in America not kneeling for extended periods of time that it was only painful for me, but apparently it also is for the Japanese students. I guess it gets better as time goes on!
Then on Saturday I got an email from the head of a ballet circle at Waseda. I went to the rehearsal tonight and had such a wonderful time- I am not very good at ballet but really really enjoy it, and this group was great because, while most of the students were far better than I am, it was very informal and everyone was helpful and encouraging. There was only one other international student, so I will be able to speak lots of Japanese. I was surprised because the studio wasn't really a studio, rather a room where they pushed back tables and chairs to make space to dance. There were mirrors on the back wall, but no barre, so instead we used tables that folded upwards to hold onto. It was really fun though, and the group meets three times per week for two hours each week. I think I will attend the ballet session on Mondays and Wednesdays only, but then not do the shamisen circle. Life would be too busy for both!
Good days good days!
10/10/10
Getting Connected
It's been a bit since my last post, probably a good thing as my last few were definitely written in the pressure of the moment (needing 15 posts to complete my orientation), but now I am a free agent! Good news for all!
As have been all of my weeks in Japan thus far, this week has been really really great. I feel I'm really beginning to "get connected", in lots of ways. First, I think I'm going to be able to join a circle (club) at Waseda! I'd emailed maybe five or six different clubs seeing if I might be able to join or at least visit, but hadn't been having any luck getting a response. Then on Tuesday, I heard back from a club that practices and performs traditional Japanese music, specifically using singing paired with a shamisen, a guitar-like instrument with a very reedy sound. I am excited about this because I really enjoy singing, and I would love to really learn more about something very specific to Japan while I am here. Also, there have been some foreigners in the group in the past, which is good because that means they are open and receptive to people who don't speak Japanese fluently, but foreigners are not the staple of the group, meaning I will be able to really get to know the Japanese students, see what life is like for them, and practice my Japanese. I am going Wednesday to their rehearsal and am excited to see how things work out!
Last Monday, I was able to meet up with a friend from high school, Narumi. Narumi was at my school during my junior year, and while I did hang out with her a few times, I was not as close to her as some of her other classmates from Japan. We kept in touch though, these years, and I found out once I arrived in Tokyo that she goes to a school that is a fifteen minute bike ride from my house! I was telling her, when I knew her in high school, I never would have thought I would EVER be in Japan, speaking Japanese, but here I am today! Pretty amazing the way life works out! Also, today (I have every Monday off) I was able to actually go to her school and take some classes with her. ICU (International Christian University) reminds me a lot of my school in the States- about 3000 students, liberal arts, open and green campus. It was wonderful to be there. And the classes were so much more interesting than my Waseda courses have been thus far! Needless to say, Narumi has been so so kind to me since I met up with her and I feel so lucky to have a friend like her in this new place.
In other "connecting" news, I was able to skype with my dear dear sista last night! Not only was it wonderful to talk with her, but she got up really really early on a weekend so that she could meet my host family! They were so happy to talk with her, and afterwards kept throwing compliments my way about my familial gene pool! It was a really neat experience to see these two worlds collide- to show my sister this new family I am living with, to translate between the two groups, and to show my host family a bit more about my life.
Earlier in the week, I felt maybe my first bout of loneliness, but it wasn't really loneliness for my family or my old life, rather an acknowledgment that life here is different from my life at this time last year. I was struggling with the feeling that I wasn't able to spend time with friends the same way that I am able to in the states. It's pretty much class, see a few people for about an hour after, come home, eat dinner, and then pass a quiet night before going to bed early. I really love my family, but it's tough adjusting to living with a family again after two years of having complete control over my own schedule and being surrounded with people my same age. However, I think I'm adjusting to this quickly- I was able to spend most of Friday, Saturday and part of Sunday with friends, so that made me feel reassured that I will have a fulfilling social life, just one that is different from what I have grown accustomed to. My family and I have had a really great couple of days together, so I am now just as happy as ever!
I think I had more examples of how I am connecting various aspects of my life here, but this post is getting long and I can't remember them all right now. Another fantastic week in Tokyo!
As have been all of my weeks in Japan thus far, this week has been really really great. I feel I'm really beginning to "get connected", in lots of ways. First, I think I'm going to be able to join a circle (club) at Waseda! I'd emailed maybe five or six different clubs seeing if I might be able to join or at least visit, but hadn't been having any luck getting a response. Then on Tuesday, I heard back from a club that practices and performs traditional Japanese music, specifically using singing paired with a shamisen, a guitar-like instrument with a very reedy sound. I am excited about this because I really enjoy singing, and I would love to really learn more about something very specific to Japan while I am here. Also, there have been some foreigners in the group in the past, which is good because that means they are open and receptive to people who don't speak Japanese fluently, but foreigners are not the staple of the group, meaning I will be able to really get to know the Japanese students, see what life is like for them, and practice my Japanese. I am going Wednesday to their rehearsal and am excited to see how things work out!
Last Monday, I was able to meet up with a friend from high school, Narumi. Narumi was at my school during my junior year, and while I did hang out with her a few times, I was not as close to her as some of her other classmates from Japan. We kept in touch though, these years, and I found out once I arrived in Tokyo that she goes to a school that is a fifteen minute bike ride from my house! I was telling her, when I knew her in high school, I never would have thought I would EVER be in Japan, speaking Japanese, but here I am today! Pretty amazing the way life works out! Also, today (I have every Monday off) I was able to actually go to her school and take some classes with her. ICU (International Christian University) reminds me a lot of my school in the States- about 3000 students, liberal arts, open and green campus. It was wonderful to be there. And the classes were so much more interesting than my Waseda courses have been thus far! Needless to say, Narumi has been so so kind to me since I met up with her and I feel so lucky to have a friend like her in this new place.
In other "connecting" news, I was able to skype with my dear dear sista last night! Not only was it wonderful to talk with her, but she got up really really early on a weekend so that she could meet my host family! They were so happy to talk with her, and afterwards kept throwing compliments my way about my familial gene pool! It was a really neat experience to see these two worlds collide- to show my sister this new family I am living with, to translate between the two groups, and to show my host family a bit more about my life.
Earlier in the week, I felt maybe my first bout of loneliness, but it wasn't really loneliness for my family or my old life, rather an acknowledgment that life here is different from my life at this time last year. I was struggling with the feeling that I wasn't able to spend time with friends the same way that I am able to in the states. It's pretty much class, see a few people for about an hour after, come home, eat dinner, and then pass a quiet night before going to bed early. I really love my family, but it's tough adjusting to living with a family again after two years of having complete control over my own schedule and being surrounded with people my same age. However, I think I'm adjusting to this quickly- I was able to spend most of Friday, Saturday and part of Sunday with friends, so that made me feel reassured that I will have a fulfilling social life, just one that is different from what I have grown accustomed to. My family and I have had a really great couple of days together, so I am now just as happy as ever!
I think I had more examples of how I am connecting various aspects of my life here, but this post is getting long and I can't remember them all right now. Another fantastic week in Tokyo!
10/3/10
First Sunday of October: 3
As this fifteenth post marks the official end of Japan Study orientation (15 posts in three weeks! Phew!), I thought it might be appropriate to reflect a bit on the orientation process and how I have changed since coming to Japan. I won’t go in depth, mostly seeing as I just wrote an essay on this very topic, but I did come to one realization.
Before coming to Japan, I had absolutely no idea what to expect from Japan itself, but I did have clear expectations on how I would conduct my time here. While I wanted to get to know the other Japan Study students, before arrival I decided I didn’t want to spend all of my time with them, rather separate myself and cultivate relationships with other Japanese students and sink into “ordinary” Japanese university life. Post arrival, however, I feel much differently. Certainly I still feel that relying too much on the Japan Study students would be a mistake and really limit the growing experiences I could have here. However, I have expanded my idea of what being here really will mean to me. I realized that I have such a wonderful opportunity to not only learn about the Japanese way of life and improve my language skills, but to also get to know other students from all around America and the world and learn about their world views. Each of the Japan Study students is so varied in terms of their life experiences, nations of origin, languages spoken, and reasons for coming to Japan that I have really appreciated getting to spend time with them, and feel that we have all helped each other push ourselves and achieve the goals we set. Some of these students are becoming really great friends, and I love spending time with them.
Also, getting to meet the other international students has been fantastic and also really humbling- most can speak at least three languages and have traveled extensively. Lots of opportunities to learn a lot about the world we all live in!
El fin of orientation
First Sunday of October: 2
In my second Sunday installment, I will talk about being an international student.
Since the time I was in high school, I always really enjoyed talking to international students and learning about their lives in their home countries. In college, I work with a large mulit-cultural consortium where I am able to meet with many international students. So now that I finally am an international student, it is interesting to see things from the other side of the glass.
Walking around campus, there is always a lingering feeling that I am missing something, that there is something that I am not understanding or not a part of. It is so easy to take for granted the fact that one’s “home” culture is one that is completely natural to them, but not to others from other parts of the world. Experiencing this makes me think back to the interactions I had with international students at home and forces me to view them differently. Maybe now in retrospect I can see with more depth the complexity of my relationship with the student and the relationship the student had with me and my “way of life”.
Being a foreigner at Waseda, and in Japan in general, has made me also very self-conscious of myself, of my ethnicity, of the way I do things, the way I take up space. I try to tell myself that this intense awareness of self is coming entirely from me, and for the most part it is- Japanese people encountering a foreign person isn’t a big deal to them, just like it probably wouldn’t be a big deal to me at home. It’s not like people stare at me when I walk into a room or point at me as I ride past on my bike. Yet this feeling of self awareness persists, and I find it interesting. Perhaps because I have in America I am always in the majority ethnicity I feel very aware of the differences between myself and others. But I also feel aware of the way in which my body has been accustomed to moving and to taking up space. I feel aware of the way I eat food, or the way I get dressed in the morning. Again, I find this heightened self-awareness interesting, and am trying to work it out academically but as of now don’t really have anything….Just the anthropologist in me screaming to come out. I’ll work on it!
El fin of part deux
First Sunday of October: 1
Three posts left for my orientation class, so I am going to write them all right now on Sunday afternoon, sitting in the Higashi Koganei park, eating chocolate and drinking milk tea.
Well, in this post I will write about my time at Mass this morning. First of all, I made it there on time which was really great considering last time I didn’t find it until I randomly ran into a Catholic nun who informed me that mass had just ended. So I was already head and tails ahead of where I was last week! The church itself is simple- pretty small, no decoration, but it was full! I was there maybe five minutes early and I had to sit in the back, which was fine as I still feel pretty self conscious being a foreigner in a very homogeneous country. I was able to sing some of the songs and follow along with what was going on. Nothing really too spectacular to note, but it was a pleasant experience. On thing I did like was the fact that all of the Scripture readings are written out on a pamphlet everyone is able to receive before Mass. This is really great for me as, first of all, the readings are read very slowly, so I can practice listening, and secondly, I am able to listen and follow along in my pamphlet, so I can practice reading and identifying kanji (Chinese characters).
While Catholic mass is “universal”, meaning it is presided over the same way everywhere, there were some differences to mass in America. No kneeling, for one, but more standing. As I saw when in Korea, more women continue to veil their heads, and some of the religious nuns dress in habit, though not the really antiquated black and white habit. There are probably more subtle differences I wasn’t really able to pick up on yet, but in time maybe I will.
After mass I was approached by a nice woman who apparently works at the hospital next door. She was very friendly and encouraged me to come again. I wasn’t really surprised that I was approached by a stranger as that was also my experience in Korea. Being a foreigner, especially living in my part of Tokyo (Higashi-Koganei), means that one will probably attract people who are sincerely eager to get to know you better. I’ve had a couple of other encounters already. Last Monday I was at Waseda walking to the book store when two women came up to me and started chatting with me. I was confused and didn’t really know what they wanted as they were just asking me general questions about why I was there and what I was studying. They even asked for my contact information, which surprised me as I had only known them for five minutes! But I think one woman works with a dance club on campus- maybe she’s recruiting tall girls?
Then on Thursday, my friend and I were in the subway station when a woman came up to me and started talking. Apparently she had seen me at Waseda before and wanted to introduce herself. That was it! A funny encounter, but very friendly!
El fin of part one.
10/2/10
Tying up loose ends--
A warning to the reader-- For my Japan Study orientation I was supposed to produce fifteen journal entries by this coming Monday. I am currently four behind, so I need to catch up. Thus lots of writing. Sorry sorry sorry!!
I don't really have an interesting topic to discuss at the moment, but I will take the time to give an overview of my day- a very good one if I do say so.
Started out with early 9:00 am class. I was actually a few minutes late because I made a silly mistake and got on the correct train going the wrong direction at a transfer station, but all was well. For each of the three days of Japanese class I have per week, there seems to be a different instructor each time. The professor we had today was by far my favorite- the class was much more lively than it usually is, so the time went by a bit quicker. Afterwards I helped a friend on an errand she needed to make in order to open a bank account. Then sat outside one of the main campus buildings (The SILS building) and had coffee with friends and a random American "gai-jin" (Literally, foreign person). He was a little nutz, whipping out his own iPod port and iPod and beginning to dance this crazy dance, but it made for an interesting morning!
Went to lunch with some Japanese students, a girl from Russia, and a few other Japan Studies friends, and then headed to Ikebukuro (the location where our hotel was) with a friend to open my Japanese bank account. We actually went to do this together on Thursday, but yesterday I got a phone call from the bank (my first ever all-Japanese phone call!) saying I needed to come back because they needed another copy of my passport. It would have been a very inconvenient trip, but for one amazing coincidence!---
My host-dad, Kenichi-san, is a PR assistant director at a big food distribution company called "Co-Op". He has been working tirelessly for a big exhibition being held in Ikebukuro at Sunshine City, a shopping mall I actually visited a few weeks ago. It was an all-day event, so after I got my money matters all straightened out my friend and I were able to experience the joys of Japanese product placement! There were lots of delicious free-samples as well as musical entertainment and crazy mascots running around keeping the kids happy. I even got to see Kenichi-san in action, first being talking with him in a lobby area, and later seeing him giving directions around the stage area. Very fun!
My friend and I left the City of Sunshine to go to a second hand music and book shop. This was actually very fun, as he knows a lot about music (Japanese and English) and is helping me pick out an easy Japanese comic book to read. After that we headed back to SILS to meet up with another Japan Study friend and chatted for a bit, and then all headed our separate ways relatively early. One of my favorite things to do at Waseda has simply been sitting enjoying the company of another, chatting and getting to know each other better. Good days good days!
Sorry, more posts en masse coming soon.
I don't really have an interesting topic to discuss at the moment, but I will take the time to give an overview of my day- a very good one if I do say so.
Started out with early 9:00 am class. I was actually a few minutes late because I made a silly mistake and got on the correct train going the wrong direction at a transfer station, but all was well. For each of the three days of Japanese class I have per week, there seems to be a different instructor each time. The professor we had today was by far my favorite- the class was much more lively than it usually is, so the time went by a bit quicker. Afterwards I helped a friend on an errand she needed to make in order to open a bank account. Then sat outside one of the main campus buildings (The SILS building) and had coffee with friends and a random American "gai-jin" (Literally, foreign person). He was a little nutz, whipping out his own iPod port and iPod and beginning to dance this crazy dance, but it made for an interesting morning!
Went to lunch with some Japanese students, a girl from Russia, and a few other Japan Studies friends, and then headed to Ikebukuro (the location where our hotel was) with a friend to open my Japanese bank account. We actually went to do this together on Thursday, but yesterday I got a phone call from the bank (my first ever all-Japanese phone call!) saying I needed to come back because they needed another copy of my passport. It would have been a very inconvenient trip, but for one amazing coincidence!---
My host-dad, Kenichi-san, is a PR assistant director at a big food distribution company called "Co-Op". He has been working tirelessly for a big exhibition being held in Ikebukuro at Sunshine City, a shopping mall I actually visited a few weeks ago. It was an all-day event, so after I got my money matters all straightened out my friend and I were able to experience the joys of Japanese product placement! There were lots of delicious free-samples as well as musical entertainment and crazy mascots running around keeping the kids happy. I even got to see Kenichi-san in action, first being talking with him in a lobby area, and later seeing him giving directions around the stage area. Very fun!
My friend and I left the City of Sunshine to go to a second hand music and book shop. This was actually very fun, as he knows a lot about music (Japanese and English) and is helping me pick out an easy Japanese comic book to read. After that we headed back to SILS to meet up with another Japan Study friend and chatted for a bit, and then all headed our separate ways relatively early. One of my favorite things to do at Waseda has simply been sitting enjoying the company of another, chatting and getting to know each other better. Good days good days!
Sorry, more posts en masse coming soon.
10/1/10
Life as a sardine
Every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday I am able to experience a phenomena that probably most will not in their lifetimes. On these days I must be at class by 9:00 am, meaning I need to leave my house around 7:30, peek time for commuters. I am so lucky to be able to, three times per week, be literally shoved into a car full of people, my body up against some random stranger's, no room to move or even hold onto a railing for balance. The first time I experienced this, this last Tuesday, as I saw my train pull up full to the brim with people, I got scared and didn't even get on! Instead I took the next train, coming about three minutes later, and just as filled with people as the last. It was really awful the first few times- the cars are very hot and you are mere centimeters from your new neighbor's face.
However, a few things did also impress me. In order to keep the peace and to keep everyone sane on the potential train ride from hell, everyone is completely silent. It amazed me the fact that I was standing in the center of a train car filled with anywhere from 100-150 people, and it was so quiet I could probably hear a pin drop. This is very intentional, as if people were engaging in conversation or talking on their phones, it might be too much to handle. Also, everyone gets a free-card when it comes to physical contact. Whether you need to shove your way on or off the train, or if you simply fall into your neighbor due to a sudden jolt by the train, no one gets angry for being run into. Also, when the train does lurch in a dramatic way, there is no outcry amongst the passengers, rather everyone keeps very calm and adjusts as best they can.
The subway during rush-hour is to me a really phenomenal display of human self-control at its finest. In this way, a very very uncomfortable and potentially uncivil experience is turned into just another part of one's day to day routine, complete with its own unique etiquette and set of rules. Who would have thought that life as a sardine could be so honorable?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0A9-oUoMug
This link is more extreme than what I have experienced thus far, but it wouldn't surprise me to perhaps someday see this for myself.
However, a few things did also impress me. In order to keep the peace and to keep everyone sane on the potential train ride from hell, everyone is completely silent. It amazed me the fact that I was standing in the center of a train car filled with anywhere from 100-150 people, and it was so quiet I could probably hear a pin drop. This is very intentional, as if people were engaging in conversation or talking on their phones, it might be too much to handle. Also, everyone gets a free-card when it comes to physical contact. Whether you need to shove your way on or off the train, or if you simply fall into your neighbor due to a sudden jolt by the train, no one gets angry for being run into. Also, when the train does lurch in a dramatic way, there is no outcry amongst the passengers, rather everyone keeps very calm and adjusts as best they can.
The subway during rush-hour is to me a really phenomenal display of human self-control at its finest. In this way, a very very uncomfortable and potentially uncivil experience is turned into just another part of one's day to day routine, complete with its own unique etiquette and set of rules. Who would have thought that life as a sardine could be so honorable?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0A9-oUoMug
This link is more extreme than what I have experienced thus far, but it wouldn't surprise me to perhaps someday see this for myself.
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