The end of an era

It was weird once the month of May had begun, as it was easier to tell how many days away until I went home. Part of me wishes I had a few more weeks here, even if I'm alone, to just enjoy more of Kansai. With that in mind, I also wish I had enough money to be able to live here after the semester ends, which is why I'm leaving at the last possible date. In a way, I'm not too sad to leave Japan because I'm making the effort to work here in the future, if not visit. I think the only thing that really makes me sad is knowing that I won't see many of my friends ever again and that I will never have an experience of studying abroad at this time and age ever again.

There are many things that I experienced in these past four months. It's true when you study abroad that you know who your true friends are by who keeps in contact with you while you are away. I had been a commuter while I was in school back at home so not only studying abroad but living on my own was a big change as well. I suddenly experienced everything that my friends at home had experienced during their first year at college. But  being away had also put a strain on some relationships that I had, with friends and family. Being away for so long in the beginning, you forget about many things back at home that it almost seems like another planet away. As the days get closer to my departure, I am slowly retaining all those memories, sights, and sounds from home. As much as I want to stay, right now I just can't wait to go home.

I'm still amazed by Japan's traditional culture in a modern society. For some Americans, we don't have a very exciting history to begin with and the traditional roots that we stand by are not as much cultural but more on ideas of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In Japan, the culture focuses on the tradition and history of the country.

Shinto and Buddhist shrines play a big role in this as well, as golden week brings many Japanese to visit temples and shrines.

With Japan having the 3rd largest economy in the world, it may seem like a surprise that most Japanese people use a bike as their main mode of transportation. There isn't one Japanese person that I could assume that has never used the train to commute to work or school. I'm even amazed that there are students in Kansai Gaidai that commute two hours on a train alone.

I think the thing I will miss most about Japan is the people. Their kindness and way of life have really influenced and inspired me during my stay here and it's my intention to hopefully keep what I have learned when I return home. I will definitely miss the food especially, it's doing wonders losing some weight and gaining some muscle from walking and biking everywhere. I will especially miss talking in Japanese everyday. While I could do that at home, I'm afriad I might seem a bit odd without anyone else talking back. This trip was really life changing for me and probably the best place to be at 20 years old. I hope that when I do return, all this nostalgia will come back to me but for now, 日本，またね！

Shoes

At first, I had no clue on what to write for my open subject blog. It wasn't until I was shopping at Shimamura when I realized what I would write about. Shoes, and more specifically the Japanese and their shoes.

Since being in Japan, I've bought 7 pairs of shoes, five of which I wear regularly. Back in America, I'm usually not into shoes that much. Usually when I saw a pair I would like, I would buy them but due to the lack of cute styles in my taste, it is very rare. I expected to be more into Japanese fashion, as I've always been into fashion that was in style but not the trend that most Americans take. I've done the complete opposite and while I have purchased some Japanese styled clothing, I tend to keep and eye out more for shoes.

I began to notice the different styles from Japanese girls on the street. The main thing I noticed is that almost always, women wear heels the most out of any style shoe that I've seen. Being a short person, I too like the feeling of being a little taller and the click of the heels feels like I have somewhere to be. I normally don't wear heels often though, because I usually cannot stand wearing heels for a long period of time and it's hard finding a pair without it looking too disco or platform like back in America. Japanese shoes are built for my feet and stature, so this is the most that I've ever worn heels for a long period of time.
As for the style, it's very different than what I would find in American shoe stores. For one, they are affordable and stylish, something that has been a rare find for me. Nowadays, stores in America focus on fancy shoes such as high heels meant for the prom. Even the everyday shoes are only advertised based on their brand name. Most of my shoes have been purchased at Shimamura, a retail store near the east gate of Kansai.  It's nice having a retail store nearby without having to search too far for something trendy from Japan. Overall, I've grown to love Japanese shoes and I think they will be the most in quantity and the heaviest items that I will be bringing back home. It's safe to say that I can donate all my shoes at home and replace them with my Japan trendy shoes.

What do they do?

It's like asking, give us an example of your daily life. Obviously it varies from person to person, culture to culture. But what Japanese people do is different, strange to some and comforting to others.
The Japanese are reserved, usually keeping to themselves on the streets and on public transportation. It's rare to see people making short conversations or even smiling and saying hello to each other. It's nothing bad but probably out of manner. However, it isn't abnormal for the first train on the weekend to be packed full of people from clubbing the night before.

I've especially noticed a difference with Japanese in retail versus America. When walking into an American retail store, you hear the usual greeting and being asked if you need help. In Japanese retail, you always hear the welcome and leave you alone. In some places, usually high end stores, the sales people talk about how well their product is or how great it would look on you. With my lack of knowledge in the Japanese language, I tend to just smile and nod and occasionally say あそですか！ But their body language and way of saying things makes me interested in the product and I become more intrigued to buy it because I could go back home and have someone translate or help me with it's use if needed.
I've heard from Japanese students "Oh, so and so is like that because they are from Osaka, Osaka people are like that." Just as Americans have something like southern hospitality, people from different prefectures and regions have their own characteristics apart from everyone else. There are the characteristics that Japanese share among themselves and there are the characteristics that people in a town, city, or prefecture share as well.

Something that I had mentioned in a previous post is how friendly the Japanese are towards foreigners. Some Americans are indifferent to foreigners, many are frustrated when they cannot understand their english or cannot speak it at all. I also get frustrated because while we are in Japan, I notice that some foreigners also don't make the effort to speak Japanese, or at least communicate with some compassion. Perhaps it's just the culture of people to be confident within their own language without trying to make a fool of themselves by making the effort of speaking a different language other than their own.

Portrait of a Japanese Person

わたしの日本語の戦士がいます。おなまえのせんしわたかやしきです。

Just trying out my Japanese here. This is my Japanese language professor, Takayashiki sensei.
My Japanese is still at a beginner level so I was not confident in taking a picture of the Japanese people that I see everyday near the seminar house. So it was nice to have him for my blog portrait. Unlike most of the Japanese here in the area, Takayashiki is from Sapporo, Hokkaido. So usually, he always brings up festivals, food, and references of his hometown during class and he really wants us to visit Hokkaido if we can. I have been very intrigued in visiting since then but I honestly don't think I'll have the chance, with the lack of  money and time for it.

While he is our teacher, his personality in the classroom emanates that he's like many Japanese people that I've met. With the culture of Japan, Japanese people have a different lifestyle compared to the rest of the world and have their own unique characteristics that only those who have experienced the Japanese culture can relate to. Most Japanese commute to work or school in a number of ways. For Takayashiki sensei, and what I would assume most working Japanese people would do, is take a bus or bike to the train station, reach their station, and take a bus to their final stop. Public transportation, especially trains, play a big role in Japanese life because without the trains, people would either take great lengths to reach their destination or not bother leaving. For lunch, many places such as Lawsons or  7/11 have bento, or premade meals ready to eat after heating up. Sometimes, they may have had time to make food from home and bring it in their own bento.

After work or class, it's normal for friends to go out and relax after a long day of work or school. Karaoke or drinking at an izakaya, a Japanese style bar, would be normal on a weeknight and much more populated on the weekends.
While there is the lifestyle that the Japanese share, the Japanese people themselves are very different comparing to Americans. The most endearing thing is their response to foreigners. I've experienced some Japanese people who are frustrated when foreigners cannot understand them, even to the point where they don't want to deal with "gaijin". But for the most part, if foreigners can make an effort to communicate in Japanese, they seem to respond positively and kindly towards them. It may be broken Japanese and it probably could be incorrect but their response is more positive than when foreigners try to speak english in America. I'm not saying that all Americans respond negatively, but it is a stereotype that Americans don't like people who cannot speak english as fluently as them.
The Japanese person is the same as any other person in the world. They are influenced by other cultures but still identify with being Japanese.

My neighborhood:Hirakata

This is the view from my room in Seminar House 1. My neighborhood is in Hirakata city, and after looking on Google maps, the houses are in Katahoto Higashimachi. I like that our seminar houses are enclosed in a neighborhood, instead of being isolated somewhere or being close to the uni and away from Japan. I've heard while working in the international office at home that international student housing abroad tends to be trashy, where students end up isolated and away from the culture that they are trying to immerse themselves in. However, Kansai Gaidai is a different place. There are different neighborhoods and relationships that I've made that reflect on my personality as well as the area where I live. There is the neighborhood of the seminar houses, and the friends I have in that house. While the house is the oldest and smallest among the four, I chose it mainly because I wanted to not only make friends outside my house but to also have a place where I can be friends with everyone in one place without feeling obligated to know everyone, if that made any sense. The friends that I've made in the seminar house are family-like, not necessarily that I trust them more or feel closer to them compared to everyone else. I feel like they are a family in the sense that we can eat together, talk about our highs and lows, and overall have a good time with each other without the pressures of family obligations. I still learn more and more each day about the people in my house and our okasan and otosan of the house are so helpful and friendly, even as we struggle with the language. My house is also the perfect place to learn my Japanese, from my RA's and other students who have been here longer.

The actual neighborhood is pretty peaceful and a typical neighborhood that one could imagine. Many many houses with winding streets and alleyways. "Beer Park" where kids play, parents talk, and people walk their small small dogs. Ten minutes out of the neighborhood and you're already starting to see the city life.

Another "neighborhood" that I just want to mention is the one at CIE. The neighborhood changes every class period, as chairs are constantly moving and people are moving all over to different groups. Here, I have my other group of friends with whom I spend more time with, in class, in the lounge, and on weekends. And only after leaving the main gate of the university is where I truly feel like I've entered into the city of Hirakata.

The best way one can see a neighborhood is to get lost in it. My first day being in Japan, me and my roommate got lost trying to find the university but ended up finding everything else that we needed while we were here. Once after a day in Osaka, me and my friend got lost using the buses and had to walk all the way back to the seminar houses. Later on, I realized that the places that we passed at night were the Kappa Sushi place that I ended up going to last week. In the times that I was lost, I was a bit scared due to how late it was and therefore couldn't appreciate what was around me. Once I went to the same place again, even if it was at night, it was a completely different perspective. I have yet to explore the rest of Hirakata and my neighborhood, but from everything that I've seen and heard, it is very similar to what neighborhoods are like. Families and pets, the bustling city sounds nearby, the store clerks persuading potential customers nearby. Children running in the park as students on bikes ride home. The neighborhood life is no different than the neighborhoods back at home. But I still need time to get to know my neighborhood and the people in it.

First Impressions of Japan

My first impressions of Japan were somewhat what I had imagined. However, this is my first study abroad so this was also my first time living alone without knowing anyone besides a selected few. I commute from home to my university have a good group of friends, so my main concern was being totally independent of myself without my family physically being here, as well as the usual making friends. Japan had met my expectations but also surprised me as the days went by. I had experienced a bit of Japan back in America, by trying Japanese food, taking Japanese history classes and learning the culture through media and friends. I could call my early interest in Japan my preparation for when I actually visited Japan, but I would underestimate myself. Even with my open mind for food and respect for the traditions of different cultures, I am still in awe about living in such an amazing country. One impression that struck me came up when I was coming home from Tokyo via Shinkansen. I had spent the weekend there, mainly to attend an academic lunch meeting but also to sightsee and spend time with my friend who recently graduated from my school. As the bullet train sped through the country side, I noticed this strange balance of old and new. The people have a history that’s centuries old and hold on to their traditions of their ancestors. The people can live in modern day Tokyo, where shopping and electronics reign on the streets and where a bullet train can take them to historical Kyoto in only a few hours. The trains pass through the country, where even with a future driven outlook, are still on a cash based society. This balance of tradition and modern, a look to the future and a hold on the past, really defines a part of the Japanese society. As an American born Filipino, I hold on  to the customs that my mom passed onto me as well as the current traditions of American society. I was always fascinated by what the founding fathers had believed in freedom but also grimace at our slavery past. We learn from our mistakes and we must remember them in order to move forward. But I think there’s a difference in holding on to the past and staying in the mindset of the past. So my first true impression of Japan is that holding on to customs of the past as well as looking forward to the future helps shape the society as a whole.