• My Adventure Begins
• "Cheap Eats" in Japan
• An Exchange Student's Perspective
• Studying Abroad in Japan
• World Expo 2005 Extravaganza

Life in Nagoya through an Exchange Student's Perspective

By M. Chang

During my stay in Japan, I was fortunate enough to be placed with a host family. My intention to come to Japan was to learn the language and culture, so what better way to do that than to be completely immersed in the family setting. Spending time with my host family enabled me to receive help with homework and verbal skills on a daily basis. While the classroom atmosphere ended, I never had a feeling that the learning stopped. The family taught me slang terms and colloquial slogans, as well as the Nagoya dialect which made me feel more connected with the city. Living with a host family also gave me an opportunity to tag along on the field trips and festivals that Japanese children experience while growing up.  I got to eat local foods and be a part of real Japanese life, such as commuting to school everyday. Through their generosity and open arms, I understood not only the Japanese culture and people, but people in general who desire to learn from one another. My host family decided to take in an exchange student in order to show their kids that there was a larger world. We would have discussions on how our cultures differed and tried to resolve our unique differences.  I learned that maybe the customs and rituals that various cultures participate in are not wrong, just different.  This experience was an effort to combat ethnocentrism and build a new concept in which there is no sense of right or wrong, better or worse.

Studying abroad strengthens and tests one's independence. Not only are students away from a familiar environment, but often times one is stripped of the ability to fully communicate. During my semester abroad, I joined my university's swim team. It was one of the situations in which I felt completely immersed in Japanese daily life.  This experience enabled me to meet Japanese students and practice the language through a common experience. The sport provided an outlet in which I could get away from the homework, tests and frustrations of school and be comforted by the numbers and work-outs that reminded me of the similarities between our vastly different cultures.  As peers, we connected despite from the language barrier and respected each other for athletic ability, obedience, self-motivation and commitment to the team. Swimming formed a bridge between Japanese and American cultures and provided a universal language out of which respect for one another grew.  Practicing together gave me the opportunity to learn a different way of doing the same thing. For example, each member of the team cheers together until the last swimmer completes each workout set.  This custom was also a way to show one's respect for the coaches. I was happy that they were eager and able to learn from me as well. I was also asked about how of how I practice and the customs of initiation and bonding.

On a side note, I had the chance to play tour guide when my father came to visit me in Japan. This experience allowed me to introduce him to a life that I could not explain in words.  Studying here has made me more appreciative of my family and, in fact, made me closer to them since we all depended on the use of the phone and Internet as communication.  I was able to show my dad what I had learned and what had become such a huge part of me and that made him proud.  With Dad around, I gained a greater confidence as I tried to show him the language skills I had learned. I felt a sense of role reversal as I was the one in charge. The opportunity to show a loved one my new surroundings was truly a memorable experience. I was able to teach him about Japanese culture, customs, and unique subtleties of this foreign land. This trip was a very special experience for my father because he had never traveled to this part of the world before. He gained a new outlook on culture and Japanese customs. None of this would have never been possible had I not branched out and studied in Japan. If you ever get the chance to study or live in Japan, I highly recommend inviting family or friends to visit you. All of you will share memorable experiences that will be forever etched in your memories and thoughts.