Monday, September 7, 2015

Here We Go.... (A Marvelous Adventure)

As I set out on this journey…

Toronto Airport: Look how much better it is compared to American ones!
I realized that once I arrive in Japan, I’ll be one of the most conspicuous people in the area, and while I typically enjoy attention based on my looks and personality, I find myself feeling rather ambivalent about this aspect of the study abroad experience. I can only imagine the reactions to my height and particular type of hair from not only the Japanese, but from other international students as well. Although I’m certain that everyone means no harm in their questions; they could quickly become daunting for me to answer because at some point I’ll feel like I’m being objectified, and truthfully, I probably will be…

Aside from my foreign appearance and the challenges that will come with it, I wonder whether my animated personality will come off as endearing and charming, or if it will simply be too different to the students in Akita and I’ll be perceived as a novelty.

Tokyo Airport: Haneda! Ready to begin!
Another thought that crosses my mind as I think about the journey that will begin soon is how other will react to my Japanese language skills, and whether or not they’ll be taken seriously. Even though I’m not a fantastic speaker, I still intend to try my hardest to communicate in Japanese since I’ll be there for a year, plus it’s only respectful to make an earnest effort to speak to someone in their native language when in their country.

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