5 Months Abroad in Japan!

It's hard to believe that it's been 5 months since I first arrived in Japan.  I had only a vague idea of what life would be like studying abroad, but I can safely say that my experience so far has been incredible!  I've gotten so used to life here that I frequently forget about the fact that I even have to go back home!  It's a really special feeling when you go to another country for the first time.  Everything is new and exciting!

My first memory of Japan was stepping off the plane and seeing two employees standing in the rain, holding up umbrellas so passengers wouldn't get wet as they exit the plane ramp to the shuttle bus.  I had heard stories about the excellency of Japanese customer service, but consider me impressed!

Tokyo is full of really neat, hidden side streets like this one

I spent my first two weeks travelling around the greater Tokyo area.  During this time, I visited several Japanese friends that I had made in Victoria.  Some of the things I did in Tokyo include: visiting an onsen (hot spring), traversing the famous pedestrian crossing in Shibuya, seeing some of Japan's history at the Edo-Tokyo Museum, and laying eyes on a giant, life-sized Gundam from the famous anime franchise.  My limited time in Tokyo was a fantastic experience, and I'd love to go back and explore it more someday, but before I knew it I was off to Osaka and Kansai Gaidai!

Kabuki Theatre stage at the Edo-Tokyo Museum

I remember the first time I walked up to the Nakamiya campus gates and being bewildered at the magnitude and majesty of Kansai Gaidai.  The Campus is quite large, and the school itself is very well-maintained.  School life was a huge shift in tempo from my mini-vacation in Tokyo.  We had Japanese language classes 5 days a week, and they were relatively fast-paced. Despite this difference, the English language lecture courses functioned similarly to how classes are back home.

I eventually volunteered in several Japanese student's classes.  This was a great opportunity to experience what the Japanese student's courses were like, and I even managed to make a few friends in the process.  There were several on-campus activities throughout the semester, but the most memorable for me was definitely the Halloween event.  There were a ton of unique costumes, and many students performed skits for entertainment.

Students gathered around the 'circle' for Kansai Gaidai's Halloween event

After the completion of my first semester, I had a bit of free time to explore the Kansai area in greater detail due to the winter break.  During the semester I managed to take a trip to both Universal Studios Japan, as well as Kyoto, and recently I attended a beautiful illumination show at Osaka Castle.  One of the friends that I had made while volunteering invited me to participate in the Japanese tradition of creating mochi (Japanese rice cakes) for New Years.  Taking a day trip out to Nara and learning about this tradition with a Japanese family was a great cultural experience.

A special type of rice is first mashed together

Then, you make mochi!

I'm really excited about my second semester at Kansai Gaidai, and can't wait to share more of the unique experiences I have during my remaining time in Japan!