Culture Shock in Japan
Konnichiwaaa!!!!! Hello friends! I'm sure you've already seen my spam of Youtube vlogs and Instagram photos so you can probably guess butttt.... I am currently an English Teacher in Mito, Japan!! I will be writing in this blog maybe once a week or so, just to update you on my life in Japan and all of the interesting/shocking/different/amazing/strange encounters I go through every day.
It's impossible to begin or put into words how surreal this experience is. It has been almost three weeks and every single DAY seriously feels extremely different and new. I could seriously write a full novel about my past three weeks here on the cultural differences between America and Japan and the incredible experiences and friends I've made, but I'll try to keep it (somewhat) brief and interesting. However, I HONESTLY do not think that even the best writer in the world could put this experience into words. If you've ever moved to a foreign country for work, you know exactly what I mean.
I'll start with the reason I decided to come to Japan to work. I have wanted to study abroad while at UCR, but I just never took the opportunity to do so due to complacency and comfort at home. Last year, I made the decision to take a "gap" year from school to travel, but with my career in mind. I want to become a Speech-Language Pathologist and work with children. I've also really wanted to learn a new language, and to challenge myself by leaving my comfort zone completely. I truly wanted to open up my mind to a foreign culture in hopes that I would come back a changed person with an open heart and a humbling, surreal experience to keep with me forever.
Let's just skip the (excruciatingly but exciting??) visa/document/tax/process and fast forward to my first week here in Mito. I have been to Japan in 2015 on vacation, visiting sites and temples and eating all the delicious ramen I could find. I THOUGHT I knew what to expect, but I was soooo wrong. I live in the countryside in Ibaraki-ken (prefecture), about a 2-hr drive from Tokyo. Mito is an absolutely beautiful and somewhat quiet city. I arrived in the last semester of the academic school as a replacement AET (Assistant English Teacher) for someone who had to leave early. Most AETs start at the beginning of the school year with 10 or so other new AETs, but because I am a replacement, I came here alone with two days of training (apart from the usual one week of training in work, Japanese culture, bills, living, transportation, ATM). A HUGE thank you to my designated buddies/sempais ~ Mommy Dom, Kyle Hogan, Cody "Cool Papa", and Marc for reeeally helping me out the first two weeks.
I don't speak a hint of Japanese. Well, that's a lie...I listened to audiotapes for about one month prior to coming here, and learned hiragana and katakana as well. Let's just say that the ONE MONTH of audiotapes have SAVED MY LIFE. Mito is unlike any city I've been to in Japan. It feels like my very first time in this country. There are zerooooo English signs and very few English speakers here unlike the big cities of Tokyo or Osaka.
In the past few weeks, I have learned about a million cultural differences between Japan and America. I thought these were a few interesting ones:
1) Garbage system- Trash system in Japan is extremely organized. A specific bag used for burnables, another for non-burnables, another for combustibles, and another for recyclables. Caps must be removed from bottles and thrown away, and all paper and cardboard must be folded flat and tied with string less than 1m in size. In my first youtube video, you'll see me super confused about it, but I've grown used to it and actually truly appreciate the system.
2) Car Parking- All cars back up into parking spaces!!! LOL I'm sorry but that is still strange to me. It is said to allow for more space in the front, which kinda makes sense......
3) School Lunches- OMG! My favorite part of my workdays. Lunch hour is a period in which students (even the little ones) serve everyone food and clean up after. The teachers sit with the students at lunch, and I absolutely love connecting with them. Some days, it is very difficult because they speak ONLY Japanese and I speak only English, but through charades and poor vocabulary I can still connect to them. The food is amazing. The usual lunch includes milk, rice, homemade soup/stew, a side of veggies, fish, curry, or noodles. Before every meal, some lead students make a speech about the meal, and everyone says "itadakimasu", and at the end, everyone says in unison "gochisousamadeshita, oishikkata desu", or "thank you for the meal, it was delicious" in English. You could say that lunchtime is an actual "class".
4) Aerobics Class- when you think aerobics, you probably picture sweatbands, leotards, funky music, and big sweeping movements of the arms and legs. Japanese aerobics are extremely interesting. They are a mix of DDR dance steps, ballet, tango, maybe hiphop, and some other dance I have never seen before. It seems to be super common, and was very unexpected when I arrived.
5) Cleaning Time- after recess, the students and teachers clean together. There are no janitors. And by CLEAN, I mean they vacuum, mop, wipe windows..I think it's a very nice aspect of Japanese culture that I think America would benefit from.
GAH There are so many other cultural differences I could share but it would take forever. Anyways, the first night, my buddies took me to Daikichi~ aka the most deeeelicious yakitori ever. It was my first time seeing melted cheese on onigiri (rice ball). That same first few days, I walked through the streets of Mito's red light district, sang karaoke with other new friends, experienced a Nomihodai/Tabehodai (all you can drink/all you can eat) for the first time. Turns out there is a 24 hour nomihodai held in February, but I think I would pass out after the first hour. We also went to Birdland, an amazing tiny bar with maybe 9 seats, with each drink and food costing 300 yen each (~3 US dollars)!! It was amazing!! I cannot explain my first few nights. They felt like I was in a dream, but maybe because I was EXTREMELY jetlagged but drank anyways..
My first week consisted of observation in other AETs' schools, setting up my bank account, utilities, shopping for household/living items, and learning the bus routes and other FUN STUFF. I think if anyone is to consider moving abroad, it's vital to not romanticize it. Because I don't speak or read any Japanese, these first few weeks have been quite stressful. Simple things like using my microwave and heater are a real chore- add the extreme weather conditions here (heavy snow), short orientation, and the communication wall between me and the locals, and you could easily get overwhelmed by culture shock living in Mito.
With that said, I would not change this experience for the world. As difficult as it is, I feel as though I can take on anything back in the states after being here. Because I have been focused solely on adjusting to life here, I have not seen the beautiful sites that Mito has. In addition, I absolutely LOVE my school. I never thought I would say that I love working. The students love English class. They call me Deanna Sensei, and always say "HALLLOOOO! SEE YOU!!! THANK YOU!!" in the hallway to me. They seriously bring life to me on my tougher days. English classes are fun and exciting. I teach Kindergarten through 6th grade, and I construct my lessons like this:
1) Greeting- Hello Class! How are you? ("I'm fine/hungry/sleepy") How's the weather? What month is it? What day is it? (3 min)
2) Sing a song- super simple songs about family and ABCs/Hokey Pokey/London Bridge (2 min)
3) Vocab Repetition- anything from fruits, places, animals, family, shapes, colors with pictures (10 min)
4) Phrase practice (Ex: Who is this?/ This is my family) (5 min)
4) Game!!! (15 min)
5) Goodbye- song/reflection/comments and stickers! (5 min)
As you can see, teaching is very simple but quite tiring. As teachers we actually play with the students during recess as well~ so the job can get very exhausting but is easily WAY more rewarding.
I just want to make a note of many things that people have said to me back home. Things like, "I bet it's so much fun all the time!!" and "you're living the dream!!!" While those things are true, the first month has been very rough. If you are planning to work abroad in a foreign country without knowing any of the language, I salute you, because it is a difficult transition. I think your purpose for coming has to be greater than just a "gap year" or "adventure". I really came for an entirely new experience and to get out of my comfort zone, and these past few weeks have been a test of patience and learning.
Each day gets better and better. I'm learning Japanese at an EXPONENTIAL rate, which is so exciting (and absolutely necessary for survival here). I got to visit Tokyo in a day and I plan to venture out to other cities and explore my own as soon as I am settled down. But that's the thing with living abroad, you never really settle~ and that is why I came here.
Every single day I discover something new. It's so exciting and I could share endless stories about everyday life here and even the tiny things. Even now, I'm thinking of how even produce at the grocery stores are different and the toilets and indoor shoes and GAHHH I COULD GO ON!!!! But I shall spare you.
The food is amazing as well. I love konbini food (convenience store). They have an assortment of oden (winter soup with fishcake), onigiri, curry and rice, salads, gyudon, noodles...you could probably live off just convenient store food and still be healthier than living in America. I've also tried multiple ramen shops (freaking amazing), fresh taiyaki, and yakiniku near our train station. However, because this isn't simple a vacation, I am budgeting and trying to cook as much as possible. So stay tuned for some Japanese recipes I will be cooking throughout the year!
At the moment, my week goes like this (but is really never the same)
Sunday: Mito Church(soon), gym, hang out with friends, visit local Mito spots
Monday-Friday: Teach English, cook at home, study Japanese, video chats
Saturday: Attend Japanese Class at Mito International Center, where I've met other foreigners living here as well! Go out and explore/vlog~ Try new local foods
I am slowly but surely adapting. The way we Americans visit Japan (TOKYO! ANIME! FASHION!) versus the way Japanese actually live (or maybe just in the countryside) here are very different. Life is slow, casual, and all about connecting with each other. I find that I am more active and multi-task less than I did in the states.
Next weekend, I'll be visiting Sendai by bus, so expect a new vlog soon. Don't worry~ DEEPARTURES is just getting started :)
It's impossible to begin or put into words how surreal this experience is. It has been almost three weeks and every single DAY seriously feels extremely different and new. I could seriously write a full novel about my past three weeks here on the cultural differences between America and Japan and the incredible experiences and friends I've made, but I'll try to keep it (somewhat) brief and interesting. However, I HONESTLY do not think that even the best writer in the world could put this experience into words. If you've ever moved to a foreign country for work, you know exactly what I mean.
I'll start with the reason I decided to come to Japan to work. I have wanted to study abroad while at UCR, but I just never took the opportunity to do so due to complacency and comfort at home. Last year, I made the decision to take a "gap" year from school to travel, but with my career in mind. I want to become a Speech-Language Pathologist and work with children. I've also really wanted to learn a new language, and to challenge myself by leaving my comfort zone completely. I truly wanted to open up my mind to a foreign culture in hopes that I would come back a changed person with an open heart and a humbling, surreal experience to keep with me forever.
Let's just skip the (excruciatingly but exciting??) visa/document/tax/process and fast forward to my first week here in Mito. I have been to Japan in 2015 on vacation, visiting sites and temples and eating all the delicious ramen I could find. I THOUGHT I knew what to expect, but I was soooo wrong. I live in the countryside in Ibaraki-ken (prefecture), about a 2-hr drive from Tokyo. Mito is an absolutely beautiful and somewhat quiet city. I arrived in the last semester of the academic school as a replacement AET (Assistant English Teacher) for someone who had to leave early. Most AETs start at the beginning of the school year with 10 or so other new AETs, but because I am a replacement, I came here alone with two days of training (apart from the usual one week of training in work, Japanese culture, bills, living, transportation, ATM). A HUGE thank you to my designated buddies/sempais ~ Mommy Dom, Kyle Hogan, Cody "Cool Papa", and Marc for reeeally helping me out the first two weeks.
I don't speak a hint of Japanese. Well, that's a lie...I listened to audiotapes for about one month prior to coming here, and learned hiragana and katakana as well. Let's just say that the ONE MONTH of audiotapes have SAVED MY LIFE. Mito is unlike any city I've been to in Japan. It feels like my very first time in this country. There are zerooooo English signs and very few English speakers here unlike the big cities of Tokyo or Osaka.
In the past few weeks, I have learned about a million cultural differences between Japan and America. I thought these were a few interesting ones:
1) Garbage system- Trash system in Japan is extremely organized. A specific bag used for burnables, another for non-burnables, another for combustibles, and another for recyclables. Caps must be removed from bottles and thrown away, and all paper and cardboard must be folded flat and tied with string less than 1m in size. In my first youtube video, you'll see me super confused about it, but I've grown used to it and actually truly appreciate the system.
2) Car Parking- All cars back up into parking spaces!!! LOL I'm sorry but that is still strange to me. It is said to allow for more space in the front, which kinda makes sense......
3) School Lunches- OMG! My favorite part of my workdays. Lunch hour is a period in which students (even the little ones) serve everyone food and clean up after. The teachers sit with the students at lunch, and I absolutely love connecting with them. Some days, it is very difficult because they speak ONLY Japanese and I speak only English, but through charades and poor vocabulary I can still connect to them. The food is amazing. The usual lunch includes milk, rice, homemade soup/stew, a side of veggies, fish, curry, or noodles. Before every meal, some lead students make a speech about the meal, and everyone says "itadakimasu", and at the end, everyone says in unison "gochisousamadeshita, oishikkata desu", or "thank you for the meal, it was delicious" in English. You could say that lunchtime is an actual "class".
4) Aerobics Class- when you think aerobics, you probably picture sweatbands, leotards, funky music, and big sweeping movements of the arms and legs. Japanese aerobics are extremely interesting. They are a mix of DDR dance steps, ballet, tango, maybe hiphop, and some other dance I have never seen before. It seems to be super common, and was very unexpected when I arrived.
5) Cleaning Time- after recess, the students and teachers clean together. There are no janitors. And by CLEAN, I mean they vacuum, mop, wipe windows..I think it's a very nice aspect of Japanese culture that I think America would benefit from.
GAH There are so many other cultural differences I could share but it would take forever. Anyways, the first night, my buddies took me to Daikichi~ aka the most deeeelicious yakitori ever. It was my first time seeing melted cheese on onigiri (rice ball). That same first few days, I walked through the streets of Mito's red light district, sang karaoke with other new friends, experienced a Nomihodai/Tabehodai (all you can drink/all you can eat) for the first time. Turns out there is a 24 hour nomihodai held in February, but I think I would pass out after the first hour. We also went to Birdland, an amazing tiny bar with maybe 9 seats, with each drink and food costing 300 yen each (~3 US dollars)!! It was amazing!! I cannot explain my first few nights. They felt like I was in a dream, but maybe because I was EXTREMELY jetlagged but drank anyways..
My first week consisted of observation in other AETs' schools, setting up my bank account, utilities, shopping for household/living items, and learning the bus routes and other FUN STUFF. I think if anyone is to consider moving abroad, it's vital to not romanticize it. Because I don't speak or read any Japanese, these first few weeks have been quite stressful. Simple things like using my microwave and heater are a real chore- add the extreme weather conditions here (heavy snow), short orientation, and the communication wall between me and the locals, and you could easily get overwhelmed by culture shock living in Mito.
With that said, I would not change this experience for the world. As difficult as it is, I feel as though I can take on anything back in the states after being here. Because I have been focused solely on adjusting to life here, I have not seen the beautiful sites that Mito has. In addition, I absolutely LOVE my school. I never thought I would say that I love working. The students love English class. They call me Deanna Sensei, and always say "HALLLOOOO! SEE YOU!!! THANK YOU!!" in the hallway to me. They seriously bring life to me on my tougher days. English classes are fun and exciting. I teach Kindergarten through 6th grade, and I construct my lessons like this:
1) Greeting- Hello Class! How are you? ("I'm fine/hungry/sleepy") How's the weather? What month is it? What day is it? (3 min)
2) Sing a song- super simple songs about family and ABCs/Hokey Pokey/London Bridge (2 min)
3) Vocab Repetition- anything from fruits, places, animals, family, shapes, colors with pictures (10 min)
4) Phrase practice (Ex: Who is this?/ This is my family) (5 min)
4) Game!!! (15 min)
5) Goodbye- song/reflection/comments and stickers! (5 min)
As you can see, teaching is very simple but quite tiring. As teachers we actually play with the students during recess as well~ so the job can get very exhausting but is easily WAY more rewarding.
I just want to make a note of many things that people have said to me back home. Things like, "I bet it's so much fun all the time!!" and "you're living the dream!!!" While those things are true, the first month has been very rough. If you are planning to work abroad in a foreign country without knowing any of the language, I salute you, because it is a difficult transition. I think your purpose for coming has to be greater than just a "gap year" or "adventure". I really came for an entirely new experience and to get out of my comfort zone, and these past few weeks have been a test of patience and learning.
Each day gets better and better. I'm learning Japanese at an EXPONENTIAL rate, which is so exciting (and absolutely necessary for survival here). I got to visit Tokyo in a day and I plan to venture out to other cities and explore my own as soon as I am settled down. But that's the thing with living abroad, you never really settle~ and that is why I came here.
Every single day I discover something new. It's so exciting and I could share endless stories about everyday life here and even the tiny things. Even now, I'm thinking of how even produce at the grocery stores are different and the toilets and indoor shoes and GAHHH I COULD GO ON!!!! But I shall spare you.
The food is amazing as well. I love konbini food (convenience store). They have an assortment of oden (winter soup with fishcake), onigiri, curry and rice, salads, gyudon, noodles...you could probably live off just convenient store food and still be healthier than living in America. I've also tried multiple ramen shops (freaking amazing), fresh taiyaki, and yakiniku near our train station. However, because this isn't simple a vacation, I am budgeting and trying to cook as much as possible. So stay tuned for some Japanese recipes I will be cooking throughout the year!
At the moment, my week goes like this (but is really never the same)
Sunday: Mito Church(soon), gym, hang out with friends, visit local Mito spots
Monday-Friday: Teach English, cook at home, study Japanese, video chats
Saturday: Attend Japanese Class at Mito International Center, where I've met other foreigners living here as well! Go out and explore/vlog~ Try new local foods
I am slowly but surely adapting. The way we Americans visit Japan (TOKYO! ANIME! FASHION!) versus the way Japanese actually live (or maybe just in the countryside) here are very different. Life is slow, casual, and all about connecting with each other. I find that I am more active and multi-task less than I did in the states.
Next weekend, I'll be visiting Sendai by bus, so expect a new vlog soon. Don't worry~ DEEPARTURES is just getting started :)
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