I've started feeling the effects of home sickness, not so much culture shock. At times there are a lot of things and people I miss back at home and I start taking things/people for granted. For one I miss my family a lot. The time when I've had a long day going out or coming home from uni and I enter my room and no on is at home... that's when home sickness hits the most. I guess you feel lonely at times, especially when you want to tell your family, best friend and close friends your day but you can't - something really different I need to get use to. In a sense I need to get use to it because I do enjoy living alone and slowly becoming independent. The weird thing is I've been more well behaved in this country then I would be back in Australia. I go home at a decent hour on weekdays to study and do my homework and when I go out I make it a habit on not staying out for too long. Fear of getting lost and being stranded as I don't make the last train does take over me, but as weeks go by I'll finally go to Tokyo at night, lol.
Things regarding culture, there are certain things I just hate (okay maybe I'm a bit culture shocked). Our program coordinator gave us a big talk to the Eigakans (kids from English speaking backgrounds) about nearly everything about Japanese culture and what we need to look out for and how to take care of ourselves. Us especially because we stick out in this country, and wherever we are people are watching and know we are foreigners. She talked about everything from drugs, sex, diseases, getting sick and the courtship lifestyle. Everything. And it is D I F F E R E N T. She kept on elaborating on that this is a suppressed nation and people are pretty much screwed up. All the stereotypes this country has been given, is pretty much true. She assured us not to be paranoid and assume everyone is like that but to be aware. Pretty much it is a scary nation. Certain things she told us:
- Sexual abuse on the train DOES happen. Being here for a year you have 100% chance of getting groped at least once.
- When people approach you especially when alcohol is involved, most of the time they want something from you and it is usually sex, girl or boy.
- If a Japanese guy asks to be your boyfriend after the first meeting, you need to be prepared to have sex with him. This is their form of courtship.
- One night love = one night stand (lol)
- Dress code: girls just shouldn't wear cleavage at all. Sleeveless shirts are a big no no.
- PDA does not exist in this country. That being said I've also found out that the simple "I love you" from parents and even to boyfriend/girlfriend is rare.
She went through a lot, but that's pretty much the main points I gathered. I'm slowly adapting to this Japanese life. I get frustrated at a lot of things especially language barrier. It sucks you just want to say one simple thing and you can't. I get frustrated at myself so much and it makes me just want to lock myself in my room and study. I also hate not being able to understand half the appliances in my room. Till now I havn't figured out my A/C and why hot air doesn't come out. I hate buying the wrong things like thinking I got water but its some apple flavoured water. Today I wanted to have milk with my cereal but it was some milk that tasted like yoghurt/yakhult.
Frustrating life. It's hard. I know that if I was living in America, UK or Canada I wouldn't be this frustrated and I'd be having so much more fun since everything will be the same back at home but it's the hard facts of moving out and in a country where English isn't their first language. I miss company back at home, I miss going out to restaurants with my besties, I miss going home to my dad or mum, I miss home food and I miss being in university and not feel like the black sheep amongst a group of white normal sheep.
Two weeks though, only 11 and a half months to go. I'll get use to the lifestyle, I don't hate it. I love what I'm doing at the moment, but the adaption to this life is hard. Extremely hard.
Miss you all,
G.
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