One Year Ago Today.
11 Mar 2012 2 Comments
in Japan Tags: college life, earthquake, fukuoka, fukushima, japan, March 11th 2011, remembering, study abroad, Tennessee, Tohoku, Touhoku
I remember a year ago today, to this very moment, very distinctly.
It was around 11:30 at night, and I was just checking my Facebook before going to bed. I scrolled down my news feed a ways and read my friend’s rather alarming status:
“Huge earthquake! Everybody okay??”
My friend was living in Saitama, Japan, at the time. Within moments, status after status came pouring onto my computer screen, all from Japanese friends (or American friends living in Japan) and all concerning a huge earthquake. The thing that was really irksome to me was noticing that all of these friends lived in different places in Japan: this earthquake was big enough that people all over the country could feel it.
Then, within minutes, people were talking about tsunami warnings. I remember one friend in particular posting a screenshot of the warnings being shown on Japanese television. I became more and more worried as the faces of each of my friends living in Japan flashed in my head. I thought about how the Japanese exchange students at my university must have been feeling at the time: scared to death for their families, loved ones, classmates, and friends. I said a quick prayer and went to bed, not knowing what else to do. I tossed and turned that night.
The next morning, I logged onto Facebook only to find that nearly every post was about Japan. One of my very best friends living in Touhoku (the northeast part of Japan that got hit the hardest) hadn’t been able to contact anyone, and everyone in my circle of friends was afraid he’d gone missing…
Let me just pause this post and say that this is extremely difficult to write. All the emotions of a year ago have come flooding back to me. Okay, anyway…
Then came the pictures. The Youtube clips. The news articles. People had been washed away in the tsunami. Their houses. Their possessions. Their lives. Whole cities has crumbled. Children were missing. Aftershocks were still rocking Japan as people scrambled for a safe haven. My American friend living and going to school in Saitama at the time told me that for weeks afterward he struggled with nightmares where he would wake up in the middle of the night thinking the ground was shaking, even after coming home to Tennessee.
On top of it all, Fukushima was melting down. I couldn’t stop the tears form rolling down my faces. I wanted so badly to help, but there was nothing I could do.
It was March 11th, and I was slated to leave for Japan for a 5-month study abroad trip on April 1st. About a week after the tragic event, I recieved the news that my trip was cancelled. All students from my university that were in Japan were to return home immediately. It felt like my dreams and those of my closest friends had been crushed. I had spent countless hours over the previous year or so preparing, and I was just about to begin packing my bags.
The going-away party for the Japanese exchange students at my university held in May was, needless to say, very emotional. We wished them well and sent them off, knowing that they would be going home to a very different world, one that was being rebuilt.
Now, a year later, here I sit in Fukuoka, Japan. The weather, although a bit chillly, is beautiful here. Most people that were affected are back on their feet. Although I wasn’t here when the earthquake happened, I will never forget the sense of urgency and sympathy I felt in the months following the tragedy.
頑張れ、日本！
With Love,
Sarah
Being a Gaijin.
21 Jan 2012 4 Comments
in Japan Tags: Americans, college life, fukuoka, japan, japanese language, perspective, rant, study abroad, travel, Westerners, world view
お久しぶり！
Long time, no see! It’s been a bit since I’ve posted anything, but I got a request in a comment asking me to write about any difficulties I’m having with living in Japan.
First off, it’s important to understand the Japanese mentality toward foreigners. Here, foreigners are called 外国人 (“gaikokujin”), which is (sometimes derogatively) shortened to 外人 (“gaijin”). It literally means a person from an outside country, or an outsider. In Japan, there is the concept of うち (“uchi”) and そと (“soto”), the in-group and the out-group. As a foreigner, one will always be considered part of the out-group. That being said, the Japanese are VERY obliging and understanding of foreigners, generally. However, a foreigner could never REALLY be part of Japanese society in the eyes of the natives. This, in a nutshell, is how Japanese people view foreigners.
When I first came to Japan, I had no idea about how Japanese people viewed foreigners. I can’t really speak for all Western countries, but Americans don’t really have such a strong concept as “uchi” and “soto”. I actually learned about this concept in my Japanese Linguistics and Psychology classes, and as I spent more time in Japan, I saw it to be true more and more. Obviously, there are some exceptions to this mentality, and I have made a few really awesome Japanese friends. However, as I walk through campus or sit down to lunch, I am never approached and hardly ever talked to by Japanese people. All in all, I find it very difficult to be really close to any Japanese people because they are kind of closed off to foreigners in that way. I suppose you could chalk it up to shyness or something.
The next most obvious difficulty of living in any foreign country is in communicating with people who are not native English speakers. Here in Japan, getting around is not in issue. 90% of signs have English written on them under the Japanese. Also, in all the big train stations and airports, there are people who speak English because they deal with foreigners a lot. Also, if you know katakana (the Japanese alphabet used for foreign words), you will find that many signs have English words on them but written in Japanese. [For example, most dry-cleaners say "クリーニング" ("cleaning") on them.] The hard part is when you go into a small shop or a restaurant and you have to use Japanese to talk to your waiter or the person behind the cash register.
The most useful thing you can know when shopping in Japan is how to count. Usually, the dialogue with the person behind the register simply consists of them telling you how much your total comes to and then them thanking you after you’ve paid. It’s very easy if you know Japanese numbers!
Now, one thing that really bothers me is when I ask a Japanese person a question IN JAPANESE and they answer it IN ENGLISH. This has happened to me on MANY occasions, and I try not to let it get to me, but it is downright offensive that they think that a white person wouldn’t know enough Japanese to understand the answer. For example, the manager of the dorm I used to live in ALMOST ALWAYS spoke to me in broken English. I mean.. his English was so much worse than my Japanese and it was so frustrating trying to communicate with him. But I will give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that it’s just a knee-jerk reaction when he encounters foreigners. (They also assume every white person is American, which is why they always speak English, but that is another story altogether.)
Anyway, those are the two biggest problems I’ve ancountered here as a foreigner in Japan. And if those are the two biggest problems, I think I have it pretty good.
This wasn’t the greatest of blog posts, but thanks for reading! がんばって！
Sarah
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NaNoWriMo 2011. #2
19 Nov 2011 4 Comments
in writing Tags: books, fiction, island, NaNoWriMo, nerd, novel, reading, writing
Lately, I’ve been doing fairly well with NaNoWriMo. I’m at about 16,000 words right now. I doubt I will hit the 50,000 word mark before November is over, but I’m still going to try! If you’re interested, here’s another excerpt from my novel.
His heart still pounding quickly against his rib cage, Seaver took a few deep breaths to get it under control. Once his body had sufficiently calmed down, he slipped on his sandals and crept quietly out of the hut. The beach was such a beautiful place to be at sunrise. It must have been the way the reds, oranges, and purples mingled in the sky. A few thin, wispy clouds bathed in the gentle colors. The sand was still cool beneath Seaver’s feet. He closed his eyes and listened to the softly crashing waves. It was the perfect way to unwind his tangled nerves from the night before. A wave lapped at his toes. Despite the nightmare, the ocean was so appealing at that moment. He wanted to cleanse himself of all his troubles, but after a few moments of deliberation, he decided against it. He was still wearing the amulet and didn’t want to lose it.
He pulled the amulet out of his shirt and looked down at it. The side with the red gem was facing up. He stuffed it back into his shirt and plopped down on the beach with a sigh. His eyes adjusted to the growing brightness of the sun as it slowly rose out of the ocean and into the sky. He checked his watch again. It read 6:01. Had it really been that long? Time seemed to pass so quickly on Faelyn.
Seaver thought he heard a small, female voice whisper his name, but after a few moments of silence, he shrugged it off and figured it was a product of his lack of sleep. He heard it again, louder, from behind him and could barely discern the sound of a pair of feet running in the sand. He looked over his shoulder.
“Seaver!” It was Alexander running toward him with all his might, screaming his name. Seaver quickly arose from the sand and ran to meet Alexander.
“What’s wrong? What’s going on?”
Alexander fell to his knees in exhaustion, his eyes widened in fear. Seaver could see that he was clearly in a panic as he gasped for breath. After a few moments, Alexander spoke between breaths: “It’s Mr. Goff! He’s gone!”
A pang of shock hit Seaver. It felt like someone had punched him in the gut. He sank to join Alexander on the ground, struggling to take it all in. His mind raced. He thought of the faces of Billy, Martin, and Robert Goff.
“But I just saw him last night…” his voice trailed off. He and Alexander looked at each other in silence, not knowing what to do next. A quiet tear trailed down Alexander’s ruddy face. In the next moment, it was as if a dam of emotion that had been building up inside of Seaver’s body suddenly broke and spilled its contents everywhere. Tears poured out of his eyes. He sobbed with a child-like abandonment. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d cried so hard. He cried not for mourning the loss of Billy, Martin, and Mr. Goff, although he wasn’t heartless. He cried because he knew something big and frightening was happening. He cried out for fear of the inevitable. He cried because he knew that he was next.
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NaNoWriMo 2011
06 Nov 2011 3 Comments
in writing Tags: fiction, island, NaNoWriMo, novel, writing
Since some people have expressed interest in my writing, here’s a short excerpt from my novel. Enjoy!
“Seaver set his suitcase and laptop bag on the ground in front of his feet. He tilted his head upward and breathed deeply as he took in the splendor of his new home. Emerald palm leaves were swaying in the warm breeze high above him, and the sunlight filtering through the slats in the leaves played on the white-hot sand. Fluffy, cottony clouds were drifting through the sky, no sign of rain in the future. Had it ever rained there? It was so perfect, so like the unfathomable rendering of an artist’s skilled hand. Seaver couldn’t imagine that the clouds had ever done so much as turned gray. A little further inland, the sand underneath the trees turned to thick grass, green but mottled with touches of sun-kissed, yellow patches.
Amiably, a young islander smiled at Seaver and took his bags away. A hand slapped his back, and he turned to see Alexander standing next to him, face glowing with delight.
‘It’s even better close up,’ Seaver said, smiling back at him. It was the first time in a while he’d been truly happy. It was also the first time in a while he had felt like he was on the threshold of encountering an experience unlike any other he had ever encountered. The last time he had felt like this was when he left the United States for the first time; it was during college, when he went on a study abroad trip to Thailand. He fondly remembered stepping off the plane and into Bangkok International Airport. That same feeling of newness that he sensed back then now bubbled in his chest again, strong as ever. He had the feeling that he was in the right place. In fact, he felt drawn to it. With every sway of the trees, every crash of the foamy waves upon the sand, the island beckoned to him. It felt like nature was speaking to his soul in quiet, alluring whispers.”
Yes, a VERY short excerpt. This is supposed to be a first draft, after all. If you like it, let me know and I might post more. Thanks for reading!
Sarah
The Last Samurai.
23 Oct 2011 5 Comments
in Japan Tags: accomplishments, books, exercise, goals, japan, nerd, physical activity, reading, The Last Samurai, Tom Cruise, work
“They are an intriguing people. From the moment they wake they devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue. I have never seen such discipline… What does it mean to be Samurai? To devote yourself utterly to a set of moral principles. To seek a stillness of your mind. And to master the way of the sword.”
–Nathan Algren (The Last Samurai)
These days, I find myself each day falling victim to the mundane. Just before leaving the States, a friend said to me, “Never resign yourself to the fact that you’re in Japan,” but I have, sadly, done just that. I have accepted the fact that I am now living in a foreign country, a different world, and I have almost completely lost my sense of wonder. Along with this, I have also almost completely lost my sense of motivation. Each day, I wake up sleepy, not wanting to get out of bed. I go through the motions of my schedule, and each night, I waste hours doing things that do not matter in the long run (ahem–Facebook!)…
Sure, I am doing very well in my classes, and I would even go so far as to say that I am learning a lot. But outside of classes and studying (and the occasional reading of a novel or manga), there is currently not much that I am truly passionate about and really work for.
Last night, though, I watched The Last Samurai (yeah, I know everybody has an opinion about Tom Cruise), and although it is only a movie, it very accurately depicts the ancient traditions and modern mindset of Japanese people. They pursue hobbies and studying whole-heartedly, practicing the skills they wish to master every day. For example, it is mind-boggling how the kendo club practices six days a week (and the same is true for most clubs here). Most days, I walk past the archery range and am amazed by the diligence of the archery students. And it is not modern archery, with all the bells and whistles of modern equipment; it is traditional Japanese archery, with simple wooden bows, hay targets, and the really cool outfits!
Back home, I am an above-average student (one that some might go so far as to call a “teacher’s pet” or a “nerd”), and I thought I was very well self-disciplined until I came here to Japan and realized that I am downright LAZY compared to these people. I suppose that, above all, I have realized that I need to develop a hobby, one that I practice every day (or at least 6 days a week), one that I am passionate about, and one that will contribute to my overall well-being.
One hobby that I have pretty consistently tried to develop for the past several years is exercise. I am simply fascinated by the science behind physical activity. Exercise can add years to a person’s life and keep sickness at bay. I have finally come to a point in my life where I have the desire to be an athlete, but I lack the self-discipline to become one.
Another hobby I want to develop is reading. I want to be the most well-read person I know. When anyone mentions a book title, I want to be able to say, “I read that. And I also read that author’s other books: this, this, and this.” I know this is a tad unrealistic, but I like to “go big or go home.” Plus, I have a whole lifetime to become well-read.
These are the two most important things (besides being a successful teacher) that I want to accomplish in my life. They are on-going goals without any real ending point, and I will be updating about them periodically so that I can keep track of my progress (or lack thereof).
がんばって！
Sarah
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The profundity of life change. (Part 2)
09 Oct 2011 3 Comments
in Japan Tags: Americans, change, crime rate, fukuoka, hubris, japan, Nashville, perspective, rant, recycling, selfishness, study abroad, Westerners, world view
In the last post, I wrote about how my life will be different when I get back to the States, and I promised to get on my soapbox a little bit for this part. I want to write about how my perspective on society and the world has changed since being in Japan.
The day after I first arrived in Fukuoka, I walked around town to explore a bit of my new home. As I was walking toward Seinan’s campus, I looked around and noticed that there was not a single piece of litter on the ground. In fact, I have hardly seen a single piece of trash in the streets since I got here (except at festivals). Also, there are rarely any cigarette butts on the ground. I marvel at the cleanliness of the big cities here, especially when I think about the dirtiness of some parts of Nashville– Blegh! Furthermore, the Japanese government requires its citizens to recycle, or else pay fines. There are more recycle bins in the streets than garbage cans! And rather than just putting trash in landfills, they burn it. I think the Japanese in general respect and care for nature much more than Westerners, Americans especially. I always thought that environmentalists and people who recycled were “tree huggers” and such, but living in a place that is so clean and cared for has changed my mind about that. I will most likely be recycling for the rest of my life! It just makes sense!
During orientation, the director of the Center for International Education gave us a speech about how to call the police and fire department during an emergency. During this, he said something that struck me. It was something along the lines of, “The crime rate is really low here; you are most likely to have problems with traffic and biking accidents in busy intersections and roads, but just in case…” and he gave us the number to call. Now when I was kid being instructed how to dial 9-1-1, I was given all kinds of warnings: “Stranger danger!” ”Don’t talk to anyone you don’t know!” ”Don’t walk by yourself outside at night!” etc. Even now, at the age of nearly 22, I’m still nervous to walk in my neighborhood at night by myself. But here, it’s totally different. The crime rate is extremely low! Comparitively, anyway. Groups of children walk to and from school by themselves, and I’ve seen kids in school uniforms (middle school or high school age) walking or biking by themselves at night. This is so odd to me! I’m not used to living in a place that’s so… so safe! It has really changed the way I see the world. I never knew it before because I grew up in a country that has a relatively high crime rate, but a safe, family-friendly community is absolutely possible!
I believe the key to creating a safe environment is a change in mind-set. People living in American neighborhoods are afraid to go out at night, and that’s just wrong. Criminals have taken away our feelings of comfort and safety, and I believe that communities and families need to take back their God-given right to live in a safe environment. The way I see it, it’s a vicious cycle: crime happens, and people become timid; therefore, more crime is allowed to happen because of the fear that permeates the community; thus, people become even MORE afraid. This cycle needs to be broken! I’m not sure how this can happen, but something needs to be thought of and implimented. I should be able to walk to the grocery store without the fear of being mugged by a homeless guy!
I believe a part of this mind-set change is the obliteration of selfishness. I believe that crime is ultimately an act of self-centeredness: “I want that; I’ll just take it!” “He makes me so mad! I’ll hurt him!” “She looks weak and I’m needy; I’ll take advantage of her!” Of course, there’s not quite that much thought involved, but you know what I’m getting at here. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the people in Japan, it’s that they truly care about one another. More importantly, they trust each other. They depend on each other! It’s what my psychology teacher calls an “inter-dependent” society, whereas America is an “inter-independent” society. The belief in the States (and many other Western countries) is “I am an individual. There is no one else out there like me. I am entitled to everything I could possibly want! I am justified in all of my actions because I am ME!!!”
HAH! What hubris! (And I’m not excluding myself from this, either.)
Something needs to change…
Okay, I think I’m done with the soapbox for now. If anyone has an opinion on this (or even better– a proposed solution), please share it in the comments! Thanks for reading my nonsensical ramblings!
Sarah
The profundity of life change.
04 Oct 2011 3 Comments
in Japan Tags: change, college life, cooking, Grand Canyon, japan, New York City, perspective, profundity, study abroad, Tennessee, travel, world view
I was prompted today to write a post about how my experiences in Japan so far have impacted the way I view the world.
I’ve decided to split this topic into two parts (I’ll get on my metaphorical soapbox in the second part). In the first part, this post, I’d like to personalize this topic and write specifically about how my life will be different when I go back to the United States. I may have only been here for just under two months, but I can tell you already a couple of things that will be different about my life.
First of all, I will NEVER wear shoes inside my house ever again! Being here and seeing the immaculate floors of places where people are required to take off their shoes has made me realize how counter-intuitive it is to clean the floors of a house and then walk all over the place in shoes! It is especially gross if you have a baby crawling around the house and the dirt and debris from outside that’s on the bottom of your shoes gets all over his or her hands, knees, and clothing. I have realized that shoes are meant to be worn outdoors and in public places and that they are not at all needed inside the home. I hope to have much cleaner floors! (Okay, so maybe this change isn’t as profound as the title of this post suggests, but it’s a start!)
Secondly, I’ll be cooking more. This is a change that has come about because I’m now living alone, not necessarily because I’m in Japan. I’ve learned to make good choices at the grocery store and buy ingredients that go well together and that can be cooked together on one burner (because that’s all I have.. it’s like a hot plate). I’ve been eating a lot of stir-fried veggies and meats lately.
Thirdly, I’ll most definitely be walking more! It’s so ridiculous how there’s a bank, a grocery store, and several restaurants all within a half-mile of my house in Tennessee, yet I insisted on driving everywhere! Having no car has really put things into perspective for me. If something is within reasonable walking distance, there is no sense in wasting gas by driving a car.
Finally, (and this is more of an attitude change) I will be much more adventurous. I already have several trips in mind for when I go back home, one of them being a roadtrip to the Grand Canyon, and another a flight to New York City. As far as the extent to which this will impact my daily life, I’m not sure. I might be more confident, I might adapt to change more easily… who knows?
So basically, life will be a bit different, I know it. And I’ve only been away from home for about seven weeks, so maybe more things will be added to this list as time passes. One thing I do know is that this trip has expanded my cultural and social horizons. I encourage anyone who hasn’t travelled or experienced another culture to do so. It will change your life!
