One week after returning from Japan, I started to think about how my perceptions changed after this exciting living experience. Before I came to Japan, I already learned that there were certain implicit rules in Japanese society such as no phone calls, eating or drinking in public. However, when I actually came to Japan, I realized that not all people follow the rules. Although most Japanese I saw were indeed highly responsible and disciplined, there were still people eating on the streets and teenagers shouting in public. In general, Japanese citizens were still highly self-disciplined and had good manners. I was glad that I was also able to be responsible for my own behaviors and keep myself from causing trouble to others. I formed a habit of taking my trash home because there weren’t many trash cans in public in Japan. I also learned to be polite, respectful, and friendly to strangers, such as waiters and cashiers.
My identity as a foreign exchange student offered me advantages as local students were willing to practice their English speaking skills so they were constantly chatting with me before and after class. Some were very interested in both American and Chinese cultures too. They also invited me to various kinds of activities to help me get engaged. However, since I was quite shy, I didn’t attend all the events and I stayed in my dorm more often. I thought that was disadvantageous because I would have experienced more Japanse culture if I was more engaged. Overall, I still learned a lot from the ones I did attend such as the takoyaki party we held in our dorm’s kitchen. The people I met abroad experienced the world differently from me as they were well aware of Japan’s current issues but at the same time, proud of their country. They tended to have good feelings about Western culture. I believed my time abroad had expanded my vision and made me a responsible and respectful person with more cultural awareness.