I usually just write about my own drama, internal conflicts and nonsense. But let’s get serious. Let’s talk about the people I’ve spent so much time with these past 9 months. The only people who have the capacity to understand what these past 9 months have been and the true significance.
Being so caught up in the fact that I was going to Japan and would get to speak Japanese and meet Japanese people, I forgot to think about the other people in my same exact situation. It slipped my mind that I could make quality discoveries about other places and people while in my destination. And the diversity has been nothing short of amazing.
Unexpectedly enough, I was able to meet Penn Staters who I hadn’t met on campus. We were able to share in the PSU culture, but also learn a lot about each other’s. Chinese, Taiwanese, Russian, American; it’s all melting together with Japan. I’ve learned plenty of Japanese, but also a lot of fun phrases from other lands. Perhaps “That’s not milk,” and “My stomach” will come in handy sometime?
The people I’ve met from other English speaking countries—particularly Australia—have proven to me that despite our shared English language and colonial take over history, our differences are quite apparent. They are much more laid back, take it easy and stroll through the streets as opposed to charging like I do (it doesn’t feel aggressive, but it apparently is).
And although we share English, there is a lot of slang that’s different and the accent often trips my ears up. Precisely because of these differences, though, our friendship was that much more interesting. We could easily compare and contrast, ask questions and get an outsider’s perspective much faster (and probably franker) than in Japanese. I will miss the so-called Dingo Babies.
It is only natural that you spend more time with the other foreign students than the natives.
The language barrier is high and there’s no denying that sometimes you’ll be tired and just want to relax with the familiar while you’re in an unfamiliar place. There is the type that will find this disappointing and think it’s the “easy way out,” or that they came all this way for nothing, but that’s not how I’m going to look at it. Though through English, I’ve been able to meet people from all over the planet, from places that I didn’t even think about much until now. Forget looking outside the box, they’ve inspired me to burn the box and leave my options totally open. There are so many things I want to see now.
And as a self-proclaimed introvert, I would be missing the biggest point of all if I said I didn’t learn even more about myself and where I come from. I learned so much about my own culture and country by meeting people from all over America in this setting. When you have such a concentrated group within this rigid culture that you’re trying to assimilate into, you really see people. I’ve taken advantage of how large America is up until now and falsely assumed that we were generally uniform due to the whole one nation thing. I’ve come imagine, however, that if I ever left the East Coast, I might suffer culture shock in my own country! And for that, I can’t say enough how great it was to have so many Penn Staters here. That familiar energy kept me grounded. WE ARE!
Finally, all the differences and and similarities have transformed me. I feel more confident, daring, and at home within myself. Whether I clicked or clashed, I have learned a lot about the kind of person I am and the kind of person I want to be. Though there are cultural standards and generalizations, as an individual you are always allowed to put a spin on it. It’s just knowing what the spin will express to others that’s the tricky part. I think I’m starting to understand it now, though, and I have nothing less than the whole world to thank for it.
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Just had a really good day and felt like writing about it in crazy detail. But long story short, I went on the town all by my lonesome, managed to have a grand old time with myself, and got an insurance refund to the tune of 8,400 yen. Bam!
Also, solar eclipse May 21st, the day before I leave. I’m feelin’ lucky *0*
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Japan does this thing where they let kids get away with anything. Not to say the typical U.S management of children is a prison cell, but somethings are different. I’m not saying it’s everyone, there are exceptions, blah blah blah disclaimer, but on the general whole who runs Japan? Kids. Can’t blame ‘em, kids have everything going for them. They are cute, are the best consumers, and if you have one you aren’t a slacker holding the population back.
It’s been changing lately, but I still believe being a salary man is the limit for many. The long hours and chance of death are still in the danger zone and with a future like that ahead of them, how can you not let them have the best childhood possible? Though the high school and college entrance exams are two tough moments on the childhood block, before and after that you are golden.
Knowing all this didn’t stop me from being confused and then enraged as I was awoken from my [accidental] nap by a roaring, echoing, steady chant by one of the students in my host family’s cram school. I don’t even know what he saying or if it even meant anything. I stomped down the stairs in my Stitch slippers and shuffled past the cram school doors to the kitchen for a drink. I see Okaasan sitting there, flipping through the newspaper. She doesn’t even look up until I ask “What is the meaning of this?” (literally). I get this aha-moment look from her and she’s like “Yeah that’s pretty noisy, huh?” LIKE YEAH?! So she goes out and gives him a “firm speaking to” which he talks back and doesn’t cease, much to everyone’s amusement. She shrugs and I head back upstairs with my Pooh Bear tumbler, locking eyes with one of the merry hooligans because my Japanese is still not good enough to verbally assault anyone.
It also got me thinking. Someday I’m going to teach in this country and I haven’t even begun to think about classroom management, only lesson planning and presentation. I’ve never had my presentation interrupted and never taught anyone who didn’t want to learn. I’ve been in a class where a teacher went into the closet and cried. I’ve had teachers who yelled or give chilling speeches of disappointment. And my host mother was just reading the newspaper. I wonder if I’ll be able to sit and take it? I can only hope to be the kind that inspires the will to learn and to be flexible enough to turn a ruckus into relevance.
Unexpectedly enough, I was able to meet Penn Staters who I hadn’t met on campus. We were able to share in the PSU culture, but also learn a lot about each other’s. Chinese, Taiwanese, Russian, American; it’s all melting together with Japan. I’ve learned plenty of Japanese, but also a lot of fun phrases from other lands. Perhaps “That’s not milk,” and “My stomach” will come in handy sometime?
Finally, all the differences and and similarities have transformed me. I feel more confident, daring, and at home within myself. Whether I clicked or clashed, I have learned a lot about the kind of person I am and the kind of person I want to be. Though there are cultural standards and generalizations, as an individual you are always allowed to put a spin on it. It’s just knowing what the spin will express to others that’s the tricky part. I think I’m starting to understand it now, though, and I have nothing less than the whole world to thank for it. 
