An experience that I believe shifted my perspective on Japanese culture and society was when I was in need of a haircut. To begin, it was already difficult being a foreigner in a completely new environment, without the proper skills of the Japanese language and their communication nuances. It was a challenge to know what…
Category: Japan: Kansai Gaidai
Minding the (Cultural) Gap: Transit Culture in Japan
This past week, I traveled down to New York City to visit a friend. A good majority of this trip was spent riding on trains—from the Amtrak Empire Line that I rode into the city to the L train I took to grab noodles for lunch. Ask any United States American and they’ll tell you…
Final Blog Post for Japan Study Abroad
1.) While In Japan, I learned about a wide array of things that are different from the way we do things in America. Aside from the obvious, that being the public transportation system, the different cuisines and cultural norms, there was one thing that stood out to me the most. The sense of community, for…
Letters to America: Japan, Final Post
Having the privilege to experience another country and culture for four months has given me much perspective and opportunity to grow as an individual. Our semester started earlier than that of the Japanese students, so we had an easeful transition into our new daily routines. Once the Japanese students began their semester on campus, I…
Final vlog post
As an objective observer not knowing what I know today I could view the Japanese as a little unapproachable or cliquey to an outsider. I found out from my Japanese friends that they join or are part of a circle, like a club. These clubs are a tight knit group and can be restricted with time consuming …
Blog Post #3
In Japan there are many social rules that should be followed and as a study abroad student, I would not have known unless I researched or Japanese people told me. Most of these rules are made to not bother other people around such as staying quiet in public areas and even sometimes in private…
Vlog Post 2
Since this was my first time abroad I was having trouble navigating where to sightsee. Not being familiar with the written language or the area I had an extreme time navigating. I landed in Tokyo first and thank goodness I had another student with me to help navigate the transit system. However, trying to do…
Blog Post #2
When I first stepped onto the streets of Osaka, I felt like I’d been handed a kaleidoscope. Every twist brought a new pattern, a fresh perspective. As an American student, I’ve been spoon-fed tales of Japan’s technological marvels and economic might. But living here is like watching a live orchestra instead of hearing a recording….
Letters to America: Japan, 46 days in
Interactions in Japan have deemed themselves to be quite interesting, in my opinion, the longer I have experienced life here. From customer service to the various methods of interactions with different social groups, the Japanese customs of formality and respect run deep. In Japan, there exists the concepts of honne and tatemae, which essentially describe…
Blog Prompt #2
Within the one month that I have spent in Japan so far, I have learned quite a bit about the cultural beliefs and values of Japanese people. For this post, I will be focusing on public transit as it is one of the main ways of transportation and includes a wide range of people from…