Foreign Frustration / 1 Month Mark

So tomorrow i will have completed my first two weeks of class at Hokusei Gakuen Daigaku.  My first day of class was ridiculously overwhelming. I found out I was in the 3rd level class (out of 1-5, 5 usually having no American students because its so advanced), even though i was sure I was going to be in the 2nd.  As I sat down in my seat, I was totally unprepared for the rush of papers being given to me by the teacher to put in a large binder (which I later found out contained a majority of my homework for the semester) and labeled - Reading, Listening, Kanji, Journal, and the other which escapes me currently. But our classes revolve around Speaking, Listening, Writing, and Kanji practice.  The teacher spoke continuously in Japanese and I only heard an English word whenever no one could understand the word in Japanese, which was fairly rare.  I have 4 different teachers, one for each day i'm in class, and i have Wednesdays off.  They gave us our entire schedule of class activities, assignments, due dates, and quiz/test dates the first day.  I have 2 quizzes almost every day, which is still a frightening thought to me. I have sort of gotten used to learning Japanese grammar in Japanese, but luckily the grammar items are things i've already learned. I hate the book we use though, Minna no Nihongo. I miss using Genki and its cute little illustrations. We use 5 different books, and on different days, which i was not aware of the first week. -______-


My host mom is still extremely nice, but i've hit a low tolerance level with the two boys, as they're constantly screaming in a high-pitched voice for no reason. I usually take to my room when it happens to try and escape it but i can't, since the noise permeates the thin, Japanese style walls. Dai also caught a cold this week and has been coughing everywhere and though Kumi gave him some medicine, she didn't seem to be worried at all. She looked shocked when i told her I had a sore throat today, particularly since I explained to her that while I want to enjoy the cultural aspect of S.A., its worth 3 Japanese classes in 1 (12 units) and if i don't do well, I can kiss my GPA goodbye. This was hard to convey, as the boys are in elementary school and don't have grades. I really cannot get sick, but every time I get on the bus or am at school, I hear someone who has a cold.  I'm trying really hard to try and stay patient, but the lack of experience with extremely rambunctious boys is causing their over-energetic voices to wear me down.


I've also had quite the experience by learning how to be a commuter.  It's really strange for me to have no independence on when I can go somewhere, as its all dictated by what time the bus comes and stops running. It seems so expensive to have to pay $4 to go back and forth on the bus and then another $4.60 to take the subway to and from school everyday. That's almost 4000 yen in transportation for 4 days. -________-


Last weekend, Tiena, Katie, Charlotte, Yumika, and I went shopping at Odori Station's "Pole Town." I'm still not sure why it's called pole town, but I wish i would have been able to stay for the entire day. I would've needed it to thoroughly explore the entirety of the shops.  I ended up buying a 40's style dress I've been wanting for a month from Spiral Girl, plastic sushi earrings, and leggings. Leggings are super popular in Japan and are worn with everything and anything and come in dozens of colors, styles, and patterns. 


This week, we had Monday and Thursday off in addition to Wednesday because of national holidays. Wednesday, I was able to go to Soka Kindergarten and played with the kids. The girls took to me pretty quickly and took my hands to walk me up and down the halls into their classrooms. The boys seemed afraid of me, which i was expecting.  I had so much fun, in spite of the language barrier even with 5 year olds.  I played in the kitchen with them and read to them and along with them. Books for 5 year olds are the easiest, since they don't have any kanji. The even had the Hungry Caterpillar (in Japanese, of course).  The teachers were extremely nice and helpful, though i'm sure they were wondering why exactly I went.  I was only there for 3 hours, as school ends early on Wednesdays for the Kindergarten, but i'm hoping I can go back every week. My hopes of being a kindergarten teacher have actually been strengthened by this experience, which I, too, was surprised about.  The kids were loud at times, but more than anything they seemed excited and willing to play the games, sing the songs, and say the numbers of the date.

Little bento boxes made out of clay.

Can I be a teacher here now, please??

Last night, a big group of the international students went to the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters baseball game at Sapporo Dome.  I was really hoping the game would be better than American baseball, but my hopes were crushed. The only interesting thing about the game was the crazy crowd participation. Almost every person there was singing the songs (they have a song for each player on the team) and hitting their plastic noisemakers together in a rhythmic fashion.  It was infectious for the first 5 innings, but after the Eagles were up 2 points (in a 3-1 game), I got tired of singing and clapping. We left at the beginning of the 9th, as there was little chance of the Fighters winning. I couldn't find the bus stop, so I had to walk with everyone else to Fukuzumi station to catch the bus home from there. It was freezing. I can't believe how quickly it became a Hokkaido Autumn. It has been overcast for the last week, but the clouds shift often enough to catch a quick view of the amazingly blue sky that reminds me of home.

I've been in Japan for 1 month. 1/4 down, 3/4 to go.

Matsuri and Takoyaki

Sat, Sept 11th


I met my host family this morning. I was so nervous I genuinely thought i might throw up. My host mothers name is Kumi and she has 2 boys Dai and Ren who are in elementary school.  They came in with tons of energy and it didnt die down until i went to bed.  We left with all 4 of my bags and all the crap ive accumulated thus far, which isnt really crap. lol  Kumis husband is a truck driver and is gone most of the time because of his job. We arrived at their house in about 20 minutes or so. Kumi is really sweet and funny.  Once there, the 2 boys gave me a tour of the house. My room is pretty plain but comfortable nevertheless. Kumi can speak a little english and is trying to learn more, but i try to speak as much Japanese as i can.  Our conversations would be funny to watch between the 2 of us using our dictionaries to continue speaking.  I was surprised to find out she is SGI, but she told me that she only hosts SUA students, even if they are not SGI. 


They took me to a matsuri (festival) later that night and we walked around all of the various food and game stalls. One booth had deep fried spaghetti that was dusted with flavored powders, such as chicken noodle soup.  It was very omoshiroi (interesting).  I was so tired already from speaking so much Japanese and the near panic attack i had this morning, but I didnt want to be rude by going to sleep early, so i tried to stick it out.  I talked to Kumi about the different countries I had been to and she taught me how to make onigiri (rice balls). Dinner was delicious, and she bought me umeshuu sawa, even though I told her that water was fine.  She insisted that it was my welcome party and thus an occasion to celebrate. After dinner, I attempted to explain to Kumi and her best friend, also named Kumi, about my family and why they left Cuba. Note to self: study more political tango (vocab).  I also, with the help of my trusty dictionary, told them about what my mom, brother, and dad all do. The boys wanted me to play with them upstairs so i went up and somehow ended up plaing the game of life in Japanese (jin sei ge-mu).  I barely understood anything but Dai and Ren tried to explain as well as they could what was happening.  I was so entirely exhausted and im pretty sure its from trying to think in japanese. I really want to visit Soka Kindergarten while im here and taking in this homestay experience as another way to make sure i want to be a teacher. As of now, my feelings about homestay have completely changed and I really dont think i could have asked for a better family.




Sun., Sept 12th


I woke up still extremely tired from yesterdays events. Dai and Ren had a school trip to the marine park, so i spent the day with Kumi. After dropping them off at the park to meet the rest of the students, we walked back home and Kumi took me to the Sapporo Kaikan and we watched a video that was completely in Japanese. Very difficult to stay awake as a result. From there we went to the supermarket and I asked her what everything was.  As im writing this i can feel my English worsening.  


Kumi is extremely patient with me when I dont know how to ask a question in Japanese or on how to do something.  We went back home and Kumi made a quick lunch of ramen for us, which smelled oishii (delicious). After lunch i took a long nap and Dai and Ren came home to tell me about everything they saw and touched.  For dinner we made takoyaki , but i had a hard time eating it because of the not-so-cooked center.  Im still having difficulty with the japanese mayo obsession.. 

Honshu to Homu-shiku (Homesick)

Fri., Sept. 10th

It has been quite some time since I have written, mostly due to my insatiable desire to wat to sleep every free chance I get.  I have been so tired lately because of constantly being around the same group of 12 people for 24 hours a day.  We literally sleep, eat, and walk together everywhere.  I find myself daydreaming of being back at Soka and going for a midnight In-N-Out run, but alas all I have is Mos Burger (No Freshness Burger here, Naks. :[  ).  This is my attempt to catch up for the insanity that has occurred over the last 10ish odd days.

My stay with Nako at her grandparents' house in Shibuya proved to be the highlight of my trip, as of today at least.  Her obaasan's  (grandmother) cooking was absolutely delicious; I know I may be asking for too much, but I really hope my host mother is even half as nice as Nako's grandmother.  I met up with the BCA group (3 guys and 7 girls) on Aug. 28th and stayed at the dorm at Hokusei (the college i'm attending) for 2 days. It was very clean, but really strange since i took off my shoes prior to entering and walked around inside completely barefoot at all times.  I went from having internet to the slowest internet possible and no wifi.  I've been struggling so much with not having a constant connection to my support system at home.  E-mailing people just isn't the same, particularly without T9 to help speed up long letters. 

Our first stop on our Honshu trip was Hiroshima, where we went to the Peace Museum, located at the city center, very near where the bomb was dropped.  I had an odd mixture of regret and sadness and anger when i went through the exhibit as I saw the artifacts that have been collected.  The most chilling of which was a watch that stopped at 8:15 am, the exact time the bomb hit Hiroshima.  We had Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake with noodles, bbq sauce, japanese mayo, and usually squid.)  I've realized that more than a lot of Japanese food is fried, or completely starch.  I miss homecooked food without a doubt, as we've been mostly eating out of the convenience stores for the sake of (what else) convenience and cost.  All i want to eat is fruits and fresh vegetables, but they're extremely expensive, though much more satisfying than the ones at home.  The next day, we visited Miyajima, the island of the gods, where deer roam freely and tourists feed them.  We hiked to the very top of this extremely steep mountain and while the view was spectacular, it was almost too hot to appreciate.

Next on our list of cities was Kyoto, where we visited the Daibutsu (Big Buddha) in Nara.  It is the biggest Buddha statue in Japan and I've been wanting so badly to see it.  I climbed through a hole in the bottom of one of the  poles holding up the temple.  Supposedly, the person who can climb through this tiny hole will attain enlightenment.  The hole is also the same size as the statue's nostril...that's how big it is.  We saw several more shrines and temples.  All very beautiful, but still hard to appreciate with the amount we went to see everyday.  We moved onto Osaka, where I quickly began to grow impatient with how desperately I wanted to be alone, even for a moment. We had okonomiyaki again, 2 days in a row, more against our will than anything, but the hotel was really nice and located right above Osaka station. 

When we finally returned to Sapporo, we had 2 surprises awaiting us.  The first was how quickly the weather had become cold.  It was so different from the crazy humidity of honshu.  Second, there were 5 other study abroaders (not a part of the BCA program) from Canada, Liverpool, and the U.S.  I met a girl who is half-Vietnamese and half-Cuban, lives in Germany, but goes to school in Liverpool.  I was so very happy when we were able to bond over Cuban food and salsa dancing while speaking Spanish, which i really find myself missing.  It's extremely comforting and reminds me so much of home.

We had orientation yesterday and today and the 2 ladies in charge of our area within the university (international student support) are so nice and always willing to help.  We also received our money for food and transportation for the month of September and I concluded that i must live very far, since I received more money than almost everyone else.  The Japanese students that I have met on campus are very nice too, and I feel badly speaking to them mostly in English, but I attempt to say what I can in Japanese.  I took the placement test for Nihongo class today and the levels range from 1-5 (1 being basic Japanese and 5 being a class with no Americans in it.)  I was so shocked by how little I remember from class.  The first section was listening and went by so quickly that I barely had time to register what I had heard and read the question before they moved onto the next question.  The written portion was difficult because it was all grammar and 16 pages long with at least 30 fill in the blanks per page.  My hand and neck started cramping less than a quarter of the way through.  Halfway through the test, I was called in to do an oral interview to test my speaking skills.  It wasn't as difficult as I was expecting, except when I was asked to describe how to make my favorite food that I had said I loved cooking --- lasagna. >.<  All I was able to say was noodles + meat sauce + tomatoes + cheese and put in oven. It was only until now that I realized I probably should've said that I loved making cereal and saved myself the hassle.  I will probably be in Level 2 but at this point i'm not upset. I just want to do well, since it's 12 units worth of my GPA. Maybe by the end of SA, I will correctly be able to explain the process for how to make lasagna. I meet my host family tomorrow at 11 am, so actually in less than 11 hours.  I'm really nervous and I hope they like me. lol GANBARIMASU. (I will do my best).


*PICTURES TO COME LATER, when i'm able to upload them*

Wednesday, Aug. 25

We met up with an old friend of Nako's, named Seika, who is very sweet. She was extremely patient with me as i attempted to communicate in very, very broken Japanese (Nako said that we weren't allowed to speak English because i needed to practice). She took us to Kidzania, a place where kids go to learn about different jobs and it was astounding that they had over 50 professions to "practice" so that they could find their passion. It wasn't just the amount, but also the variety. They had the typical veterinarian, doctor, firefighter, etc. But then they had editors in a publishing company, ice cream scoopers, bakers, workers for the electric company, travel agents, tv hosts (along with a director, cameraperson, and sound engineer) police officers AND lawyers. 

Tuesday, Aug. 24

Nako took me to a conbini (convience store/7-11) and they are amazing. There is such a huge selection of food and every other item you can think of. The food isn't crappy though, like gas station hot dogs. It's things you would find in a restaurant, just packaged. The people are so nice too. It's very obvious that people genuinely care about their jobs and the well-being of the customer, which is such a drastic change from the U.S. I can already tell how difficult it will be to adjust to living in California again, once i finish study abroad. We walked around downtown Shibuya and went to 109 (Ichi Maru Kyu), which is a huge 7 story mall that houses some of the most bizarre clothes and accessories stores available in Japan. Clothing is so ridiculously expensive. I would've taken dozens of pictures, but it seems that taking pictures of anything bizarre or fantastic is usually not allowed. After we left, we went to a stationary store (sounds strange, i know, but stationary is huge in Japan) and found it hard to leave because we found so many crazy things that we wanted. For late lunch/early dinner we ate at Freshness Burger, which is a big hamburger chain in Japan. It is like In-n-Out, except juicier. I must say that everything i have tried in Japan thus far, with the exception of the steamed buns, i have absolutely loved. All the food is so well-prepared and tastes crazy good. 

After eating, we went to Harajuku and i was disappointed that i didn't find any girls dressed  up like dolls or anything else stereotypical you might expect of Japanese pop culture. Nako explained to me, that it isn't actually all that common a phenomenon. By the end of our day, both our feet were killing us from our sandals. Once we got back to her house, i found  it extremely hard to stay awake so once my head hit the pillow i was out like a light.

Monday, Aug. 23

Lisa and I stayed in most of the day, since she had a project to finish for fashion school the next day. We left for Nako's grandparents house around 4 pm. They live in Shibuya, which is the equivalent to living in Hollywood. It has tons of buildings and people.

This is a picture of the main crosswalk in Shibuya.

The city itself is wonderful. It's so close to everything. The Japanese had it right when they decided to build up instead of out. Everything is so conveniently placed, and transportation is fast and efficient. I have yet to see a late bus or train. We went to a nomihoudai (no-me-ho-die) and had an amazing time. Kazuo got us a crazy good deal (2500 Yen per person) drinks and food included. It was my first time being in a city so big and with such enormous buildings. I felt like such a tourist taking pictures of all the buildings. Nako and I ended up getting lost on the way back to her grandparent's house because the train we went on doesn't stop at that station after a certain time. Luckily, her grandfather found us and we were able to get back safely.

Flights and Semi

Sun, Aug. 23


I woke up around 7 am to a really loud sound that sounded almost as if someone was watering their lawn, but it never stopped. Later, when i asked Lisa what it was she replied with "semi" (se-me). Only after googling this term, did i realize it was a cicada. Apparently they are abundant during the summer in Japan and Japanese kids are fond of catching/playing with them. I have never seen (at least i don't think i have) or heard a cicada before in California, so hearing their loud, collective buzz even through the train walls was kind of freaky.


Lisa's mom made us a breakfast consisting of fruit (golden kiwi and white peach which i had never had) ham and eggs, sesame toast and a muffin. The Japanese have it right when it comes to sugar. I expected the muffin to taste overly-sweet, but it had only a mildly sweet taste which i found delicious. I had fun sounding out the vegetables listed on the juice drink (similar to Naked juice or V8 fusion) that was on the table. I realize, now more than ever, that i have packed way too much and brought nothing that would make me fit in. I am so obviously foreign, it's disgusting. I feel like a fish out of water in my clothes since nothing can help with the heat, even though the shirts i have are thin. Japanese fashion is all about statements, from what i can see at least.  Short skirts and heels are fine, but cleavage is taboo. Ironic, considering that Japanese bras are so heavily padded and are all push-up. Most clothes are loose fitting and light, especially since it is so humid. Every time i go outside my skin instantly feels wet. It's weird that i have never felt such humidity before. I don't understand how the Japanese can stand heat like this where the temperature is 84 degrees F, but with the wind chill it's 92 degrees.


Lisa took me to Chinatown (go figure). It seems like a big tourist attraction, almost like LA's Chinatown or Japantown in Sao Paulo. A bunch of shop windows advertised shark fin soup, which Lisa did not know was illegal in the U.S. We walked around and looked at the overpriced trinkets, then ordered steamed buns (mine came with pork and shark fin). It was ok, but i still felt a little sick for several hours afterward. We then walked around the park next to Yokohama Bay, but it was the hottest part of the day, so it was almost unbearable. I'm really happy that i don't have jet lag, but i get tired so easily from walking so much in the humidity. Then we went shopping in Queen's Square above Minatomirai train station. It is a 3 story mall that has huge escalators at every level. I found some really cute, yet horrendously overpriced clothing and then Lisa and i stumbled upon an 80% off rack. I have never been so happy shopping. I found both a light jacket and dress listed at 7980 Yen, roughly $80, and spent a total of $30. I felt extremely dumb when i went to try on the dress because i was totally unaware that the shoes off policy within a home, also applies to dressing rooms. The stores in Japan are only separated by thin, small walls or some sort of separation, but the storefronts are wide open, without doors. 

Fact: Piercings are done in a hospital.


Sat, Aug. 21


I'm not even in Japan yet, and i can already suspect a change. I was sitting next to 2 Japanese people on my flight from San Francisco to Narita, and i had the window seat. There was so little leg room to get out of the seats that i felt very bad having to ask them to move, so that i could get up. I studied my Japanese textbook on the plane but i've lost so much in not practicing speaking, i don't know how i will communicate with my host family. My fingers feel bruised from pulling my luggage around. It feels really strange to be travelling alone; I never do anything alone, at least i try to avoid it. I feel a little more independent already.


After meeting Lisa outside of customs, we had to wait for Gianni so that she could help him buy his train ticket to get to a friend's house. We weren't able to get on the 5:30 bus back to the base where Lisa lives, and the next one wouldn't arrive until 7:30 pm, so we ended up taking the train back, totaling almost 3 hours in travel time. Japanese trains are so quiet and most people email on their phone, both young and old. I could tell when we were getting close to the base because the trains started getting progressively louder (due to the amount of Americans). By the time we arrived at Lisa's house, it was almost 8:30 and we hadn't eaten. She took me to a tiny family-owned restaurant that turned out to be closed, but they let us in because it was just the 2 of us. I ordered shiyo (salt) ramen, and Lisa got fried rice and gyoza (pan-fried dumplings). It was all so delicious. The ramen broth had so much flavor and was so obviously made by someone who had been doing it for years. I took a shower when we got back to Lisa's and was finally able to call my family and Nick. I felt really badly since i had expected to be able to send text messages and found out that texting does not exist in Japan. I went to sleep almost immediately once my head hit the pillow.

Fact: Balding men are called "barcodes" because of the thin wisps of hair in the comb-overs.