Itโs been around a month and a half since I arrived in Japan and I feel like Iโve settled in. With that I thought this would be a good checkpoint for a blog post. Iโm not exactly sure what the best way to structure this is so Iโll just hit on a few topics that come to mind as I go over my thoughts.
First impressions of Japan, more specifically Tokyo)
Itโs very crowded, a lot more than where Iโm from at least. In day to day life itโs not a big deal but when coming here that was the first thing I noticed due to having to drag around luggage on the trains. Itโs also true that Japan is very clean, Iโve only ever seen trash on the street in the middle of the night in super crowded touristy areas. The trash can thing is true as well, there are no public trash cans anywhere and aside from the weather this is probably the most troublesome thing I encounter daily. Speaking of which the weather is (or at least was) much much worse than I was expecting. Heat isnโt so much of an issue but the humidity is insane. I was constantly sweating all the time but itโs gotten slightly better recently.
Ai House (dorm) and Toyo University)
The dorm and the university are great. Itโs everything I expected and more. The people in the dorm come from a surprising variety of countries and there are only a handful of Americans like myself. Itโs been really interesting making friends with people from around the world and learning about their home countries and cultures, as well as how they contrast with Japan. Iโd say most students are from European countries, especially France, but there are students from other Asian countries like Korea and South American countries like Brazil too. There are also of course Japanese students in the dorm. I believe the way itโs structured is so that around two thirds of the dorm is international students and a third are Japanese students. The dorm has lots of facilities students can use and even the simple things like the layouts of each floor help foster interaction.
The university is really nice as well, again lots of facilities available for use and I havenโt encountered any problems aside from finding my way around being kind of difficult sometimes. Itโs about a 30 minute train ride from the dorm so not super close but it gives a little extra time to study so I donโt mind at all. It also serves as a good transition period rather than just jumping straight into classes.
Classes and academics)
So far classes havenโt been too bad but theyโre really starting to ramp up. Iโm learning a lot though and the teachers have been great. The classroom environment is mostly similar to Americas just a bit more strict id say, especially regarding being late and absences.
Things Iโve done)
Thereโs too much to write out but Iโve tried to visit every major neighborhood like shibuya, shinjuku, etc. Itโs been a lot of fun, Iโll go through some of my favorite places.
Tokyo Skytree –
Initially I wasnโt too excited for it until a friend told me that at one point it was the tallest building in the world. The area surrounding it has many interesting shops and restaurants but the observation deck at the top of the building is obviously the highlight. It was probably my favorite thing that Iโve done here so far. You can see just how endless Tokyo is from up there and at night itโs even better.
Shibuya –
Nothing specific here but anytime Iโm in Shibuya itโs great. Even just the way it looks is cool and every time I go I discover a new area. Shibuya crossing definitely lived up to my expectations and seeing locations from shows and movies that Iโve watched in the past was surreal.
Kamakura –
Itโs a small town by the sea about an hour out of the center of Tokyo. I did some hiking there and the scenery was really nice. It was nice a quiet when I went to so it was very relaxing but Iโve heard it can get quite crowded on weekends. Was definitely worth the train ride.
Challenges)
Honestly there havenโt been too many serious challenges Iโve run into, and the things I was expecting to face ended up being not nearly as bad as I thought. For example the language barrier isnโt too much of a problem because so many Japanese people speak at least a basic level of English, combined with my basic level of Japanese I havenโt had much trouble getting around or talking to locals. Locals here are also a lot more understanding than people make them out to be. I thought that everything in Japan would be super strict but it isnโt. People donโt even walk in one consistent direction like how people in America walk on the right side. They also eat and drink while walking (definitely less common than America though) and Iโve seen plenty of Japanese people talk on the trains.
Final thoughts)
Overall so far Japan has been amazing, and I canโt express how grateful I am for the opportunity to come here. Even though itโs only been a month and a half and thereโs still so much more to go I feel like Iโve learned so much about the world and myself. Sorry if the structure of this post seems loose or all over the place but I think itโs more authentic to just directly dump all the thoughts in my head. Special thank you to Pyramids Systems and Ms. Massey, the sweater is really comfortable I hope I get more chances to wear it soon once it cools off!
Until next time ใใใใพใ!
Muhanad