As I set off on this journey, I am excited to see Japan in a
new perspective. I went to Tajimi in Gifu prefecture ten years ago, but that
was before I knew anything of the language or the culture. When told to say “ohayō”
to someone, I wondered why I was saying the name of a state.
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| The eleven-year-old-me. |
In addition to
studying at Akita International University (AIU), I will have the chance to
return to Tajimi and stay with a friend for a week. I am anticipating that this
visit will be much different from my last. I know more of the language and
culture, and my 11 year old self was not quite as willing to try new things.
Now, I’m here to learn and explore, and I am ready to give it all I’ve got. Just
in general, I am looking forward to experiencing Japanese culture first-hand.
We have already planned a trip to Gero onsen.
One of my concerns is that I am usually pretty reserved and
not one to initiate a conversation; however, I am determined to push myself
socially. Studying at AIU will be a chance for me to meet new people from all
over the world, not just from Japan. I want to take advantage of the
opportunities given. That being said though, I am worried about my Japanese
level. I will be traveling alone for some of my journey, and my speaking skills
are shaky at times. Since I look Asian, I am worried that the Japanese people
will not pull any punches and will assume that I am able to understand their
normal/too-fast-for-me speaking pace. I also have to acknowledge that this will
be to my advantage as well because it will give me more opportunities to use my
Japanese skills. At AIU, I will also have to find a balance between speaking
English and speaking Japanese. I’m worried it will be all too easy to slip back
into English.
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| I saw Tokyo Skytree from the train en route to Otsuki. |
I am only going to be in Japan for a semester, so I’ve got to
make the most of my time and immerse myself in the culture while I’m here.
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