Hello all! Here’s another iteration of my columndetailing my experience in Japan.
At the time of writing, I have been here for just over three weeks, and have settled in quite nicely to the scenery,
people, food and overall atmosphere, save for the slight scare of a typhoon that, thankfully for us, brought nothing more than some rain and an excuse to stay inside. The language barrier was not nearly as much of an issue as I thought it would be, and not because of my own language skills. Many of the local students, and people in general are well-equipped with English-speaking expertise, and alongside new friends with more capabilities than myself, finding our way around has been a cinch. In the week before classes began, while everyone was preparing, lots of exploring had to be done. I mean, how else would we find the nicest cafes, restaurants, and other spots? One of the first stops to be made was the superstore Don Quixote, which can be summed up by a quote from a friend: “If you have seen it in an ad, you can find it at Donqui.”
Alongside the superstores are the plethora of vending machines dotted around the cities, in which are found some interesting drinks and soups, among other things. A personal favorite of mine is the melon soda.
These vending machines definitely come in handy providing water for a mere 100 yen, barely 70 American cents, which is crucial in the harsh sun and heavy humidity.
Walking is a big aspect of daily life here, much more so than my experience in the States. Much of the time, any places I have needed to go are a simple 20 or so minute walk rather than a 20-minute drive. Anything over that, I can rely on the public transport to deliver me where I need to be. For the foreign exchange students, classes started a week earlier than that of the Japanese students, leaving for a spacious campus and easy access to dining halls where there are an assortment of Japanese cuisines, like Katsucurry, a dish made
with rice, curry and a fried slice of pork; Udon, a noodle dish and a personal favorite Katsudon, a simple dish of white rice with said pork loin topped with egg and various sauces.
One thing about food here is that it is taken very seriously, as walking while eating and not finishing a whole meal is disrespectful towards not only the ones who prepared it, but the food itself.
While the experience so far has been as fun as fun can get, I am looking forward to the coming of the Japanese students, the upcoming clubs and the field trips to Osaka and Kyoto where I aim to make many new friends and delve deeper into the culture. With that, I bid farewell and will see you all in the next iteration.
Jyaa ne!
Collin Haberbosch can be contacted at
Collin.Haberbosch@keene.edu
