As the semester is winding down, I am transported back to the time when I arrived in Japan. This makes me reflect upon how my experience has been so far up until now. I am sad to say that my impressions of Japan are mixed and cannot say that it has been an enlightening experience. I know that a semester in Japan is too short and not enough time to experience what the country has to offer due to the time restraint. I came to Japan expecting to live with a host family so I could master the Japanese language; however, due to the popularity of home stay, I was not able to have the opportunity of living with a host family and experience everyday Japanese life style. Currently, I live at Seminar House 4 and living here is like living at my dorm back in the States. I do not get to be around Japanese students and thus cannot really practice Japanese. And the few Japanese students that do live here speak perfect English and so it is easier to communicate in English. Furthermore, the entire international students speak English so trying to speak Japanese is not an option. Additionally, at Kansai English speaking people constantly surround me. I think it is very silly for Kansai to put all the international students in one building because it does not allow us to interact with other Japanese students. Yes, there are Japanese girls come to CIE wearing their latest designer clothes or bag so they can impress the guys. I feel like they are there to hunt for some nice guy to date/marry. However, leaving Kansai’s bubble and exploring Japan, I do feel that Japan is a beautiful place that is filled with so many untouched territories that I still need to explore. For example, when my friend and I went hiking at Kamikochi, the scenery, the peacefulness, and the purity the landscape offered amazed me. I literally was speechless. Still, even with few other experiences like this one, I cannot fully say that I love being in Japan. Yes, I met had the opportunity of meeting some very interesting people but I am happy that I am returning home soon.
Getting out of the Kansai Gaidai bubble is important if you want to see the real Japan. This visual anthro course was designed in part to encourage students to do just that. Get off campus, interact with Japanese people (ask their permission to take pictures, etc.) and explore the culture. And by documenting your experiences you can make it possible for other people to see Japan as well. I hope future Gaidai students will take advantage of our visual anthro blogs.
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