The Adventures of Kin

Jun

2012

OH, NO A POST

It’s really weird when you see a blog revive from something, isn’t it? I know this all too well.

I followed “Gaijin Smash!” (and then onto Gaijin Chronicles) quite religiously when Azrael was writing frequent posts. His misadventures in Japan were really interesting and informative to me and I actually took a lot of inspiration from him for this blog. However, much like him, life really caught up with me. While he now has a kid to look after, I’m towards the ending parts of my college career and about to be flung into the real world. It’s quite scary. I feel like I’ve barely been in college at all and my time in Japan felt like it flew by even faster.

I’ve had a lot of students that either studied with me in my Japanese classes or younger potential study-abroaders (?) ask me all the questions I had before I left: ”Where can I get money!? Where’s all the fun stuff!? What if I don’t know what a れいぞうこ is!?!” and I do point them all to my blog. Even though I may not be updating as much, I’m still very proud that I can show them archives of my trails and tribulations and give them some relief.

I’ve also gotten really close with my study abroad advisors here, since I’ve been so referred by students who want to study abroad in Japan. One thing that I think really stuck to me was something that the same advisor told the “potentials” (as we’ll call them) at a pre-departure meeting: “You won’t really know what you learned when you were abroad until seven months after you come back.” I started to think of what he meant by that. Wouldn’t you be best equipped for advice right after you got home? However, I find myself thinking more about my experience now than I ever did when I got back. Now, I’ve had plenty of time to let the shine rust a little bit and really analyze my time over there. As much as I’ve promised “I’m going to write about this!” on my blog, I really do think the next (and most informative) post will be my full post mortem analysis.

As far as other things I’ve promised, I’m still in the works for some sort of “Japanese language learning” site that will utilize a lot of multimedia. Quite honestly, I just have not had a break since I got back to America. Come July, though, I’m going to have a lot more free time on my hands, so that combined with many of my study abroad friends coming back to America, I’ll have a lot more to talk about.

Thanks for reading and, really, thanks to anyone who has continued to follow me.

Oh, and go check out Gaijin Chronicles if you never had the chance: http://gaijinchronicles.com/

-Kyle

posted 11 months ago

Feb

2012

I AM ALIVE.

It’s been one month since I got back, so I decided to release my first video shot in Japan. A lot has changed since then: my weight, my opinions about the overall use of English and so forth, but it was still a little treasure that I was never able to put in time.

I got another video/block of text in the works for my “one month”anniversary (and, no, I won’t do just one post a month now). So, let this be another note that I’m still around.

posted 1 year ago

Jan

2012

His heartbeat is dropping.

I’m writing now what might be my final post as I cling to a cup of tea in one hand and needlessly stare at my computer screen. There is a plethora of things that I could be writing about for my finale, but none of them just seem “right.” I don’t feel like I’ve written enough that I could have, but I know I have done enough within my limits. My goal was to get out a post a week, which I would say I was partially successful at, but at the same time I could talk about this four-month experience for a lifetime.

So, this might be a long ongoing post with multiple parts as well, but let’s just go over some of the things that I set out to do and maybe go over some advice I was given before I came here. Some of these I may have already covered, but I’ll be elaborating more here.

“Don’t hang out with the international students.” This actually came from my Japanese language teacher, but I can see why he said it. One of my main points for coming over to Japan was to continue to learn Japanese and being with English speakers 100% of the time was going to hinder that. And that is a very valid point. I have seen many people here fall into the pit of only being with international students and their foreign language level suffering because of it. Even one of my earlier points was to join a club so that you’d be “forced” to only speak Japanese with people your age. While my language ability has increased very much so, the simple fact that I have learned here is that my language ability will never be “good” enough. I specifically do not like to use the word “fluent” when it comes to languages, because to be “fluent” would mean that I have to know every word off the top of my head, every instance in which to use said words, every regional dialect and a plethora of other language knicks and knacks that one would have to know without a second thought. I know I will never get to that level simply because my brain is hardwired for English, and there’s nothing I can do about it. Sure, there were and still continue to be times where I think in Japanese before English. Some phrases even have gotten to the point where I don’t even have to know the English to simply understand it, but I will still never be “fluent” in Japanese. However, it doesn’t mean that I won’t try to get pretty damn close. To add onto that, what I briefly mentioned in my last post, is that a lot of times the Japanese mentality is that anyone who is not Japanese does not and will not understand anything Japan or Japanese. If you’re an obvious foreigner in Japan, regardless of how much you’ve learned, you’ll always get the English menu at the restaurants, spoken to in English when you meet someone who can “speak” it or be told the English words for simple Japanese words that you should know, like soy sauce or book. That mentality will always be there and there’s nothing you or I can do about it other than just accept it. Regardless, still show that you can speak better than a 5^th grader. This advice was mainly from a language perspective, but my recommendation would also to not simply separate yourself from people only because you want to be learning a language 100% of the time. It’s my philosophy that one’s personal friends list can never be full and to simply tell everyone that I’ve met here “SORRY, but I am LEARNING here! Good day!” is no way to go about things. I’ve gained as many perspectives about other people regardless if they were from Nebraska or Osaka. Also, Kwansei Gakuin practically forced all of the international students to band together at first anyways, since for the first week we were always together. So, there is an obvious risk when it comes to being around international students for most of your time when you’re abroad, but you can still be a decent and outgoing person in the process.

“Don’t talk about Anime and Manga. To anyone.” Japan has quite the perspective when it comes to anything gaming or entertainment related. It probably has to do with such the strong “obsessiveness” that some cliques have (just look at any major fan of the Takarazuka Revue), but most of the time it’s negative. Yes, おたく is normally used in a negative tense, but I want to let you know right now that it does not specifically mean obsessive to “one” thing. It could be someone who is “obsessed” about anything: trains, manga, video games, music, etc. Just don’t use it for yourself, because then it gets really, really weird. But as a friend told me, “don’t say that you like anime and manga the first time you meet someone,” which is true. With the stigma it has in Japan, it’s not necessarily a good icebreaker. However, the counter argument to this is that most if not the very large majority of Japanese people know and or associate with the stuff. Everyone I’ve talked to knew who Miyazaki was and has at least one of his movies in their DVD collection. One Piece is insanely popular here and a lot of kids grew up reading from Shonen Jump or a Doraemon comic. Even then, so many Japanese advertisements and products use an anime style and seeing people reading manga on the train is such a regular occurrence that it became second nature. What gets weird for the large majority of Japanese people is when one goes into the “merchandising” aspect of the whole thing. Those figures are damn expensive! As well as the actual DVD’s of each show are also horribly expensive. It gets to the point where a regular Japanese person would think, “wow…you sure are spending quite a bit of money on that stuff…” Manga is very close to dirt cheap, so it’s easy to have a collection when each book is just fewer than four to five dollars. A good example I have of this is when I was hanging out in the photo club that I joined, which has quite the manga collection. Someone had brought in the full collection of Full Metal Alchemist, which I had read when I was younger. So, I started reading through it when the guy who brought them in said “wow, you know what that is?” and we got into a good conversation about it. It didn’t define us as people: it was just a series we liked and knew. Like I had mentioned in a very early post of mine, it’s going to be awkward regardless of who introduce yourself to say “HI! I REALLY like anime and manga! What’s your favorite?!” unless you actually go to the manga club or whatever. There’s a time and a place for everything.

(And this is a separate point that I don’t feel directly links to many people’s perceptions of the form, but, quite honestly, the “hentai” and other really trashy stuff can get pretty public depending where you’re at. Then it gets really weird and awkward. I could write another whole post about the HUGE contradictions the Japanese culture has about sex, but the bottom line is that it’s another thing that can be attached to someone’s thoughts when they think of anime/manga/etc. The companies themselves aren’t really helping this either, but maybe that’s a story for another day. Just sayin’)

Spider Women. This one is for the guys. This is another concept of my professor’s, but it is basically the underlying fact that there are gaijin-hunters all around Japan. Those women who specifically go out just for foreigners and this is very, very true! Take my heed and watch for them! Go to any specific bar or club and you’ll just know who they are. It doesn’t help that at Kangaku we have this thing called the “Global Lounge,” which is just a giant room where all the international and Japanese students can hang out. That place is their headquarters. One friend of mine that I met here (who is an international student) was told specifically at the beginning of the year from a Japanese student “help me find a good American boyfriend.” The thing that was always asked to me when I got here, that I never really picked up the meaning on until later, was “do you have a girlfriend?” Another friend of mine, after saying yes, would be virtually ignored by the hunters because they knew he wasn’t fair game anymore. It’s totally alright if you’re into Japanese girls, but let this be a forewarning that there are those ready to pounce AND NOT IN THE GOOD WAY. Another side point that I’ll touch on is that Japanese girls are also really hard to read sometimes. See, even though I’ve been told that they tend to be more outspoken about their feelings (mind you, I was told this from one of them), it’s a weird mix between not knowing if they are interested in you because you’re a foreigner, or interested in you because you’re a foreigner. Japanese have an amazing sense of hospitality and are some of the nicest people I have ever met and this totally flows into how the opposite genders react to each other. Now, if you really think that someone is into you and you really think it’s true, then it might be, but just like anywhere else it’s not good to assume, but, in my opinion, Japanese girls can just be harder to read. Now, take my word with a grain of salt because I can’t say I have much “game,” but I’ve heard this from other dudes who have studied abroad here too. If you’re used to American girls, the other side of the pacific is a whole other ball game.

And of course I’m lying in that this is going to be my final post. I don’t want this blog to die, but as I near the end of my run in Japan, I’m going to have less to talk about. I still have topics I want to elaborate on and maybe it will be a good post to write about my “pre and post culture shock,” but as the time draws to an end this blog’s relevance will go with it. So, don’t worry, I still want to put out stuff as much as possible, but with going back to the states in 5 days, there’s a lot of my plate now. If you’ve kept up for this long, I would like to thank you very much for your continuing support. If this is the first time you’re reading something of mine, then I would like to say it’s still not too late. Be sure to send me an email or tweet if you also feel there is advice for those soon to study abroad. I’m always up to add more perspectives.

TL;DR

1) Don’t be a dink

2) Don’t be a super Otaku all the time

3) Be attractive, not unattractive

4) “I’m not dead yet.”

Thanks for reading and still to be continued as I say everything will.

-Kyle

posted 1 year ago

Jan

2012

Tips for Living with a Host Family

If you are going to study abroad in Japan, there is no better way for your language ability to simply skyrocket than to stay with a host family. Simply put, I would say it was one of the best decisions I made while planning to come to Japan. I’ll say right now that if you are planning on staying in a dorm as opposed to a host family: don’t do it! Most likely you’ll be stuck in a place with a bunch of other white people who’s Japanese language ability might be better/worse than yours, but you’ll never be exposed to as much of the language surrounded around them. Now, I understand circumstances in which someone could only stay in a dorm, but I will tell you now to highly, highly consider staying with a family. Not to say that all those white people will not help you out when you need it, but the point of this whole argument is that you’re going to get more out of your language studies by staying with an actual family.

So, if my above argument was persuasive enough, here are some tips I have for staying with a host family. Mind you, these are simply from my experience and that many host family experiences are going to vary from person to person. It’s not always going to go 100% perfectly, which is sort of the point of why I’m writing this. Regardless though, these are my tips for making it the best experience possible.

1) If by any chance you get to know them earlier, be sure to find out more about them: This was something that I didn’t actually do, but I sort of wish I would have. Now, mind you, when we were told who our host family would be it was a simple PDF of the members names, address, ages and email. Not much, really, but I sort of wish that I would have just sent another email introducing myself. We were already required to send a small introduction to the host family, but I’m really curious as to what would have happened if I contacted them again before hand. It wouldn’t have been something bad by any means, but maybe just to set up a relationship with them earlier. Really, you don’t have to, but I can only imagine it would have been positive to send them something earlier, maybe to get to know what they like, where the live, etc. It would also be a great way to get specialized gifts for them!

2) Realize that there are going to be issues that arise. Learn from them and work on it. This is only really me speaking from an American standpoint and this is going to delve more in a societal realm. Half of the point of studying abroad is getting to understand people vastly different from yourself, which in theory is a very positive thing, but there are going to be instances where cultures and languages clash. This example is going to make me sound very spoiled, but it’s the situation I dealt with (and still sort of going through) nonetheless. My host family has been very, very generous when it has come to giving me things, especially when I didn’t need them: new socks, train tickets among other things that were and are sort of out of nowhere. It got to a point that I just felt so guilty about mentioning anything that I wanted (that I specifically said I was going to buy myself) because they would get it in a flash before I would even have the chance to get it myself. This specifically happened after my host-brother-in-law bought me a fairly expensive gift in Kyoto that I just told them I was going to be looking for myself. After a solid hour or so of me being stubborn I said it was fine for him to buy it. ”I want to buy you things because I want you to have a good time and memories in Japan,” he said, to which I replied that I didn’t need material things to have a good time over here. I talked to my host sister afterwards, about this and other situations like it, in which she said it was a simple difference in cultures. ”In Japan, to be more dependent just means that you appreciate what your family does for you. It means you appreciate the love behind it,” to which any hardcore conservative American would be very much against. I’m not the before mentioned political stance, but there is still a bit of the sentiment that “well, if I can’t provide for myself, it means I’m weak and taking advantage of them.” This was kind of a drawn out example, but the long and the short of it is to realize that they will happen, especially when you least expect it. Yes, Japanese people talk with their mouths full, which is against most American standards. Yes, Americans will blatantly say if a food is bad if it is bad, while Japanese will continue to say “おいしい。” These are but a few example of the WHOLE WIDE WORLD of American-Japan cultural differences. Now that you’re aware, just try to make the best of it.

3) Depending on your language level, you’re going to be treated as a child early on.I really do feel I should add a disclaimer to each one of these points, as many of these are just my experiences and are going to greatly vary from person to person, but if I’ve found anything here is that the host family treatment is really going to vary depending on your Japanese language ability. Take me, for example, who only took a year of Japanese before coming here, so, really, the most basic language ability at best. Without being very properly able to speak more than a 5 year old, at times it felt like my family was doing just that. Yes, many of these things are in Japanese such as the microwave, television and stove, but they are work just about anywhere in the world. They’ll be shocked the first thing you try to do by yourself because from what they understand, you don’t understand, which in a lot of cases holds water, but if you’re a grown adult you feel you have the capability doing. I had been living by myself for the last year before coming to Japan, so I became very independent (and I would make the argument I was very independent even before I moved out). However, I had to readjust living with the family, especially with a family that was of a different language background than mine. If you’re Japanese is great: show them! Show that you are able to understand all of those kanji on the washing machine, but if you’re like me, just understand that the thought process is that they think that you won’t understand. Most Japanese have the mentality that foreigners don’t understand Japan or anything Japanese in the first place (“People use Chopsticks in America!?! You guys know what Sushi is!?!”), and this is simply an extension of that.

4) Help out when you can, but not too early. If anything, Japanese are one of the most hospitable people I have ever met. Really, they will go out of their way just to make sure it works for you. There is even a Japanese word and concept for this, but unfortunately it escapes me at the moment. So, they will treat you like a guest and just take it for what it is. They are doing what they have been to raised to do for everyone else and it’s not bad for you to not doing anything for a while. Even in America, if it’s your first time at a friend’s house you’re not going to help wash the dishes and do their laundry. Just be the guest. After a while though, when you get to know them and their routines, then be sure to pitch in. Many people do not get to the level of being considered an actual family member, but if you are lucky enough to be looked as a member of the family, be sure to act like you would back home. Help with stuff after dinner; help them clean when other people are coming, etc. There will be that will between being a guest and being a family member for everyone, so just also being realistic about what you are comfortable with and how the relationship between you and your host family is evolving.

This is quite a lengthy post, so I’ll leave it at here. I’ll probably write an extension to this, as it is a very big topic. However, I will direct you to this website that does a very good job at showing what it’s like living with a host family, even if some of the concepts may not seem like much if you read them now. I remember reading through the whole website before leaving and thinking “this certainly won’t happen to me!” but many of the situations did. So, give it a look.

http://athome.nealrc.org/

Thanks for reading. And possibly to be continued, I got finals and stuff to do you know.

And only one week left here…

-Kyle

posted 1 year ago

Dec

2011

Finals Week

I’m gonna put it blunty: it’s finals week, along with Christmas shopping season, so I have to get out a few things before a new post gets out. Expect one on Christmas.

Thanks for understanding

-Kyle

posted 1 year ago

Dec

2011

Sunny Christmas

An odd occurrence has been going on in Japan recently. The weather seems to be on a see-saw like style of patterns. Just the other day it was fairly cold with chances of rain and strong winds. I had to wear my (awesome) P-coat, scarf up, wear gloves, everything, because it just became too much for my windy-city endurance. Then, today, it’s bright and sunny and you can practically see the Disney animated birds fluttering in the air. It’s a strange situation that I’m quite not used to, because in the states once it becomes winter, it practically stays winter until late-march. All of this makes me think that I’m going to have a Christmas this year that’s warm and sunny.

Which is another odd occurrence that’s happening to me this year.

Missing Christmas.

I’ve only recently gotten into the whole “YEAH, DECEMBER, CHRISTMAS TIME” phase. As a kid I loved Christmas because I got free shit. Who doesn’t love free shit? When I became a teenager, I became the “Christmas sucks because I have to be stuck with these people all day” kid, just like any teenager does. It wasn’t until recently that I really got into the full-out Christmas spirit. I just love the whole holiday and, while I’m far away from the religious aspect of it, I still appreciate the “family” feel of the holiday, even if it isn’t with people of blood relation.

However, Japan is different on the whole subject on Christmas. Well, it’s the same in that all of the businesses use it as an excuse to hold sales and such, but it’s different on how the actual day is celebrated. In Japan, Christmas is more of a couples holiday while New Year’s is the family holiday. To give a better example, Japanese Christmas is America’s New Years, while Japan’s New Years is America’s Christmas.

So, here I am, at a loss of what I could possibly do for Christmas with most of my friends leaving to go explore the country for the break and having to stay with no girlfriend, at that. With the power of technology, I will be able to talk to my family with Skype, but it’s still the fact that I’ll be missing it physically. The food, the smell of freshly peeled wrapping paper, wrestling with my little cousin after he finishes all of his candy, all of it. And, no lovely lady to spend the day with either.

I’ve been debating if I even want to go out on Christmas Day. Seeing all of the business men who might have a christmas-themed bag of goodies from the tiring day at work. The couples exchanging gifts and having dinner. The lights all around the streets, while store employees in Christmas themed outfits hand passerby’s fliers ever so desperately. Sure, I could go out with friends and have a night on the town and still call it a “Christmas Celebration,” but what’s in a name?

A friend of mine that I’ve met here is actually going back to his home this year for Christmas, specifically because of his first missed holiday while he was in Japan. ”I was going to go out and try to make my own fun for the night and I remember I was all dressed up, but I just couldn’t stand thinking about my friends and family back home celebrating, while I was in a place that barely knew the real essence of it. So, I bought a bottle of whiskey, sat outside my hotel and played my harmonica.”

Seeing a Christmas without any snow or family is honestly just a surreal thought for me. I know that there are plenty of people who miss Christmas due to a variety of reasons, but like many experiences, it’s the first time that you’ll always remember. For better or worse.

This post may not seem like much, and a small one at that, but it’s something that will still effect everyone who does decide to go abroad (or even, move away for that matter). The first time you miss a birthday or a holiday, it’s going to suck, but just don’t forget to maybe give your loved ones a call or an email. Maybe even buy a gift for them now to give to them later. I’m positive it will make their day.

Thanks for reading.

-Kyle

posted 1 year ago

Dec

2011

posted 1 year ago

Nov

2011

Tips for not getting screwed before you go abroad Part 2

So, you got accepted to your Japanese university of choice and waiting for the flight date so you can get out of [enter country name here]. One of the most critical parts before studying abroad is packing. There is going to be a lot of stuff that you want to pack, but bear with me. Most of it you won’t need. Like I stated before, this post is going to be a little bit more Japan-specific. So, let’s get down to it shall we?

But before we go on, a special note:

Japan will almost always have what you need. Japan is a pretty civilized country, believe it or not. The constant question I got from my relatives before going abroad was “well, do I need to buy you something? You’re not sure if it’s going to be over there.” Here’s the thing. There are more drug and convenience stores in Japan than you can handle. Japan isn’t as far away from American culture in this respect at all. One time I got a really bad cold sore and had to go to the drug store to see if they had any mouthwash, but I was worried that I’d have to deal with a horrible tasting flavor (we’ll get to that once we take about hygiene products). However, right there was Listerine. Good ‘ol 99% bacteria killin’ Listerine. This goes for many other products outside of the drug store realm as well. They will have the productyou want; however, they will not always have the brand you want. So, if there is an American-only hair conditioner that you pay your respects to every day in the shower, make sure to buy enough before you head out. Unless you are that brand-worthy though, Japan’s got it, most likely.

PACKING

Packing tip #1: Take all of your favorite clothes that you want to bring abroad. Now half that. Now half that again. If you are one of those fashionable types, you are going to want to bring plenty of clothes on your trip abroad. Quite honestly though, you’re not going to need them. Yes, I know there are those ONE pair of shoes that go with that ONE dress, but in the long run you’re not going to need them, mainly for spacing reasons. The average Japanese house is not that large and it’s going to be a hassle when you are actually lugging around those bags anyways. The last thing you want to do when you first meet your host parents is have a bunch of luggage that’s going to take up more space than they have. So, take all the clothes that you know you will wear and do as I mentioned above. If you happen to have some extra space that fit in a couple more things, great! But don’t overdo it. However, on the weight…

Packing tip #2: WEIGH YOUR BAGS! This was something that I really regret not doing before I left. Now, I practiced what I preach and did the half/half routine, but when all was said and done I attempted to lift my bag. Yeah, it was kind of heavy, but there was no way it was “too heavy,” I thought. Mind you, I had all of my stuff in one bag and had two carry-ons, but it wouldn’t be a problem right? When I checked into my flight and the ever-so-bored Delta employee weighed my bag, it came to a whopping 66 pounds with a $90 fee attached. Of course, the last thing you want right before you leave for your expensive trip is have to spend another large amount of money, especially on something that could have been easily avoided.

Packing tip #3: Essentials Regardless of when you actually go to Japan, there are going to be some essentials that you should bring regardless. Now, a lot of this stuff is simple, but it’s always better to have a checklist as opposed to trying to remember it all in your head.

-Good Walking Shoes (You’re going to be walking in Japan, a lot, and there is no way around it. All your heels and stuff will be fine, but at least get a good pair of tennis/running shoes for those long walks that you’ll be taking. Also, if you’re above a size 10, don’t expect to be able to buy shoes over here. Japanese feet are small.)

-Socks with no holes in them

-Jeans (Jeans are VERY expensive in Japan! Unless you happen to go to a store like Uniqlo, the average price of jeans in Japan are going to be very high. Are they higher quality? Possibly, but sometimes the price tag can be a bit scary. Bring your best pair from home that makes your ass look GREAT).

-A very nice clothes collection: Button Up shirt, nice pants, and blazer of some sort, tie, belt, and nice shoes for men. Ladies, do whatever you do here. (What was told to me before I left was that you would never know when you would have to go to a formal event or somewhere that’s going to require you to dress up. Luckily, I did just that because there have been multiple occasions where I needed to look really nice, like a surprise wedding. Other students forgot fancy clothes and had to buy outfits over here, which can get VERY expensive. Clothes in Japan are generally more expensive than in the states, but if you want to buy high brand Japanese clothes, by all means go ahead. It’s just easier to save money though).

-T Shirts

-Shorts (Japan summers are hot. H-O-T and almost unbearably so; If you’re going in the summer, make sure you bring good, breathable clothes. When I landed, it was hot all the way up until later-October at times.)

-Undergarments

That’s about it for the clothes, but what about all the other hygienic materials? I won’t go through that whole list, because this part gets a little bit more personalized for what people bring over, however, there are a couple of notables everyone should be aware about.

Antiperspirant/Deodorant: I’ll take the excellent description from my Japanese professor to accurately describe why this is such an issue for foreigners in Japan.

“One notable item is antiperspirant/deodorant. Most Japanese don’t seem to use—or even seem to need—deodorants. In fact, one of the kanji combinations that used to be used to write the Japanese word “wakiga” (body odor) are the characters for “Western smell.” From this you may deduce that it is regarded as a non-Japanese phenomenon.

Be sure to bring plenty to last you. Remember that you will be in Japan during the SUMMER, and you want to make people feel pleased that they have welcomed you into their community and home. There are products that are supposed to be deodorants/antiperspirants available in Japan, but they don’t seem to work AT ALL.”

I brought over about 5 sticks of deodorant and still have about three to go through, with only about a month left here. So, just be sure you bring plenty. Oh, and NO AERSOL CANS. They love to depressurize on the plane at low air pressures and explode. DON’T bring them.

Toothpaste: For one reason or another, Japanese toothpaste just tastes bad. Either it’s some kind of super mint that is too strong or it’s this white goop that doesn’t taste like anything. I prefer to have a little mellow flavor in my toothpaste, so I just brought over my favorite brand from back home.

That about covers all the survival stuff you’ll need before coming to Japan. Like I said in the preface, if you really forgot something, Japan will most likely have it. Here are some notes on stuff that does not directly affect your survival, but should be noted.

Electrical converters: Most western appliances won’t be able to fit into Japanese electrical outlets and if they do they won’t give as much of a charge than western outlets. A good example of this is my Nikon D-3000 charger, which, since it was made in Japan, plugged in fine, but took a little longer to charge than I thought it would. For stuff like computers, you’ll be able to find adaptors at any electronics store. I got mine for 270 yen, which is around $3.

Cell Phones: Your cell phone that you own right now will not work in Japan, simply put. Even if it does, the roaming fees are going to be astronomical and are going to scare the living shit out of whoever is paying the bill. However, there is a solution. Depending for how long you’re staying along with how fancy of a phone you’re wanting to get, you can either get a contract or a prepaid phone. My personal recommendation is to go with the company Softbank, only because I don’t really like AU’s service and Docomo doesn’t offer prepaids. To scale the three companies, AU is kind of the company with really cheap phones but not great service, Softbank is middle of the road and Docomo has great service but is pretty expensive. Some of the international students staying longer got contract phones, but I would recommend a prepaid if you’re not in Japan for long, because cancellation fees for contracts can get pretty sticky. Prepaids work just like they do in the states where you buy “minutes” and apply them to your phone. Softbank offers 3000-yen and 5000-yen cards that expire in 2 months after use. The cool thing with Softbank is that every month if you have 300 yen left on your account, Softbank deducts that much and you get unlimited mailing for the month. Calling Japanese phones can get expensive; around 9 yen per 30 seconds, so having the unlimited mail (which is more or less texting) is nice. And as much as your parents may disagree: you are going to need a cell phone. One of my friends who went abroad to Japan had told me “one of my regrets when I was first abroad was not getting a cell phone, because it was that much harder to get in contact with people and I never really felt like I connected much with anyone because of that.” Japan is a very heavy cell phone society, with just about everyone and their mom’s dog having one. You’re experience is going to be more fulfilling and easier by having a cell phone.

Banking, credit cards and such (a VERY short explanation): Most likely your college will be able to give more detail about banking in Japan, but here’s my short and sweet version. Japan is still very cash based, so don’t expect to be able to use your credit/debit card much. If you have a debit, you’ll be able to take out money at ATM’s, but be careful because not a lot take international cards. However, almost always Japanese 7-11’s take international cards. Also, just be aware of how much your bank charges for conversion costs into yen. Luckily my bank only charges 1%, but some students have their banks charge up to 5%, which can get really expensive. Also, just make sure you’re taking out as much as possible every time you go to an ATM, so that those small fees don’t add up.

Now that we got all of that down here is the next big thing that you’ll need to bring: gifts for your host family (if you are staying with one). It may be hard to get that perfect gift for them, but here’s just some tips for getting them something good.

-Japanese people LOVE American brands. I got my host mother and two sisters Bath and Body lotion and they LOVED it. This goes for other host families where the students got them a good and popular American brand of something.

-Japanese people LOVE chocolate. It will almost always go over well.

-You won’t really know what they like in advance, so make sure just go get something neutral. A friend of mine brought over BBQ sauce from Kansas City and his host family said it was too spicy, because what I’ve found is that Japanese people are not totally keen on super spicy stuff. So, be careful with food if it is extreme. However, food that does go over generally well are jams/jellies, pickled stuff and cookies to name a few. Just make sure that if you bring food it won’t spoil on your flight over.

-Get something from your hometown. Yes, I did give the females in my family Bath and Body Works, which isn’t really a “Chicago thing,” but I gave the two males in my host family Chicago Cubs apparel, since baseball is so huge over here, and they seemed to enjoy it. I also got them a picture book of famous things in Illinois, since they had never been in that area before. Anything from where you live is going to be more interesting only because you can make more conversation out of it and it’s a representation of who you are, which makes you more interesting.

And that just about does it for stuff you should know so that you won’t get screwed before you go abroad to Japan. I’m sure there are countless things that I could add, in which then I’ll make another post, but these are the things that I found to be the really important. If you have any additions, feel free to email kinadventures@gmail.com and I make a post dedicated just to reader-sent advice if I get enough. Packing and getting ready before you leave might seem like a huge task, but whenever you get stuck in a tough spot just remember that it will turn out all right and take a deep breath. You’re going to Japan! You’re probably doing something that you have wanted to do for a very long time. So, get excited and がんばれ！！

Thanks for reading

-Kyle

posted 1 year ago

Nov

2011