Japan Exchange Program 2007-2008

Plane tickets

2008-06-30T03:26:00.005-04:00

As the price of fuel escalates, so will the price of plane tickets. Traveling isn't cheap but I have found some ways to cut back on travel expenses as a student traveling abroad in Southeast Asia. As a student I understand how tight money can be, so I have decided to list some tips and some sites that have been helpful for me.

1. StudentUniverse.com
In my search for tickets I have found StudentUniverse.com to be of exceptional quality for cheap tickets to get from America to international countries. The prices for their flights are as low as they come and they have destinations to locations all over the world. You will need your university e-mail address or some type of documentation to prove that you are a student or faculty member of an accredited university to get these discounted prices.

The only problem is that you usually have to book your flights from big airports. They will not have flight tickets to small airports around the world, so when doing a search try searching for a flight from a nearby big airport. This website is very good for domestic flights and for flight to other countries. However, as of this writing, StudentUniverse.com does not provide flights originating from international countries to other international countries.

2. www.no1-travel.com
This website is in multiple languages and their customer support staff have English speakers. The price of these tickets are lower for traveling between Asian countries. As a general rule of thumb I would recommend never to use American based websites to make inquiries traveling from one Asian country to another.

They usually have special ticket discounts for different seasons. If you are lucky you can get some cheap tickets during their specials. Also, check the departures leaving from different regions such as Osaka vs Tokyo. The fare differences are significant depending on when and where you fly from.

3. www.statravel.com
This website caters to students and provides reasonably cheap flights; domestic or international. The only problem is that it does not accept flights that originate from foreign countries. So if you are planning to do a year round study abroad you'll have to book your return flight somewhere else.

Student flights are often heavily discounted and should always be the first resource for anyone associated with an educational institution.

**Just a general note, flights on Wednesday and Thursdays are usually cheaper on any airline because those are the days people usually don't fly. In order to find the cheapest tickets try to search on on various days and from various airports. The price differences can be surprising.

Full Circle of Asia

2008-06-12T00:42:00.005-04:00

Korea and Japan share many cultural origins because they are so close to each other, but the character of each country is different. Comparing the atmospheres of the two countries I find many similarities, but more unique differences. Korea has its own beauty and culture, distinct from the rest of the world. Korea is located in between China and Japan, two economic super powers of the this century. Originally China was the center of culture and technology. Korea being close so close to China, absorbed the culture, teachings, and technology of China. Afterwards, it spread to Japan so similarities can be seen clearly between these three countries.

Japan was the first of these three countries to enter the industrial revolution. From Japan, the spread of technology entered Korea. From Korea the influence spread to China. Just as China originally was a source of influence to other Asian countries, today Japan is the source of influence and technology to the rest of Asia. This path of influence that flows from east to west and back again makes a full circle with the countries China, Korea, and Japan.

Soil of Japan

2008-05-08T08:24:00.001-04:00

Reflection

2008-05-04T08:35:00.003-04:00

As the years roll on, each passing birthday is a milestone to step back and reflect. As I accumulate years of wisdom to my life, I thought the answers would come in more clearly. That the path would be lighted and the darkness lifted. However, on the walk of life, the road gets more and more complicated. The greatest philosophers in all of history could not define the meaning of life or solve any of it's mysteries. It is everywhere and in everything, yet no one can capture the meaning. For since the creation of time, every human being has asked the question, "What is the meaning of life?". Life always has and always will remain an endless mystery.

“And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.”

-Abraham Lincoln

Korea

2008-05-01T01:38:00.009-04:00

As the end of the semester is coming to an end I am finalizing my travel plans for the summer. Thinking back on this exchange program, I realize how blessed it has been to come to Japan. Traveling to new places is not just about seeing the sights and culture, the people and relationships you form are the memories you end up treasuring the most. As the semester is coming to a close I have my heart set to go see Korea and afterwards, China. However, as I said before; it is not the places but the people that matter.

“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.”

-- Anonymous

The Web of Life

2008-04-27T09:46:00.005-04:00

In the beginning of May there is a holiday called Golden Week here in Japan. It is one of the biggest holidays in all of Japan. It is an entire week off from school, work, and all other activities. During this special time, people all over Japan return to their families back home and reconnect with their household members. It is a time of remembrance of the web of life we all live in.

In the web of life we are all connected to each other by relations. We as humans beings cannot function in the world without relationships which make up the web of life. Our lives depend on the work of the people before us, and our lives influence the generations of lives that come after us.

Every single person will be able to look back on their lives when they die and see what kind of influence they have had in this world. We cannot be neutral, we can either contribute more love and peace into the world or more hatred and destruction. Each human being is inevitably binded by the lives of others. So it is with relationships that a human being is defined.

Confucius viewed human beings in this way. He considered all humans to be nodes in a web of life. No person can exist without the other, for the entire web is held together by each of us. It is so obvious, yet so often glossed over. There are billions and billions of lives that have contributed to my existence at this very moment.

To think that even the food I eat everyday is the work of thousands of hands. To realize that I have taken so much from other people's lives in order for myself to live. When one realizes this, one cannot sit idle and feed on the resources of the web of life without remorse.

The law of conservation states equivalent exchange. It is physical law; in fact, it is the law of the universe. As humans, we have an obligation to contribute back to the web in any way we can. But we can never give back as much as we have taken, thus we must humble ourself and appreciate every human being as an ineffable good toward our lives and never as a means only.

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent."
-John Donne

Beauty of Japan

2008-04-12T04:23:00.000-04:00

Consider the word beauty used in this article to mean something different than what is normally referred to in the Western world. The meaning for this word relates to an eastern grandeur not present in other worlds. It is not a beauty that can be shown through pictures or words but can only be experienced.

Japan is world famous for its cherry blossom trees and the radiance of their blossoms hold the world’s attention. The Sakura trees in Japan are only in full bloom ten days every year. Every year they bloom in a different time, but their bloom captivates the hearts of people everywhere. People from all over the world converge during this season to share in that experience.

It is only with experience; one can partake in the beauty that is the Sakura blossom. The beauty of the world cannot be captured in photographs, described by words, or even dreamt up by our philosophies. The reason is because all of these are ways to describe something unknown with what one knows. However, if the essence of the encounter brings about new knowledge, wisdom, and beauty that is unable to be described by preexisting understanding; then it is impossible to convey to another human being what one has seen, felt, and realized.

The photograph while being able to capture a single instant in time; lacks the spirit of the beauty of experience. The warmth of the sun, swept by the winds, pulling the pink petals off the cherry blossoms like water droplets during a rainfall enfolds the spectator into a new reality. A reality far from the sum of the experiences, but one where the validity of our lives are redefined in new terms for which there are no words for.

“There is more in heaven and earth than can be dreamt up by our philosophies.”

-Shakespeare

Nara

2008-04-05T09:39:00.041-04:00

Nara is one of the oldest, most historical regions in all of Japan. During World War II one of the places the Allies specifically decided not to bomb was Nara. Because of the unique history and architecture that has survived the test of time; it has become a treasure clove of olden times. My tour of Japan simply could not be complete without a journey to Nara. As such, I went down into Nara to explore the ancient architecture, see the natural beauty, and delve into the culture.

As I approached Kintetsu Nara Park I saw the deer that are so famous for welcoming tourists into the park. The deer have no fear of humans and freely roam the park in search of tourists who want to feed them. Having been welcomed by the deer I set my sights on the architecture that awaited me within the park.

The Asian style of the buildings can be seen across China, Korea, and Japan. Buddhist art is imbued into the structural design of the shrines and buildings. There is also a balance of nature that flows with the building placement as well. Sakura trees adorn the walkways, flowers are cultivated within the gardens, but they are not without order. Each flower and tree has special arrangements preplanned as a scenic art piece for anyone walking through.

Customer Service

2008-03-26T21:41:00.004-04:00

The mindset of customer service in Japan is unlike anywhere else in the world. With a history of hierarchy based philosophy, the culture has an ingrained sense of respect unlike anything in the west. As a Westerner entering into the Japanese culture, the impact of quality customer service is a form of culture shock in itself.

When entering into a Japanese shop or store you will always be greeted with the saying ‘Irasshaimase’ (expression for honorific person present). Frequently this saying will be accompanied with a bow and a smile. The workers feel that it is their responsibility to provide the best customer service possible to customers. Quality service is not only expected but required within this societal system.

Employees will frequently go out of their way to help a customer; to the point of unusual behavior looking from a Western perspective. If a customer asks a store employee for an item they do not have, the employee will not respond with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Instead, the employee will respond with “I do not think we have it” (which means we don’t have it) or “I am so sorry, we do not have it”. The term “walking around eggshells” comes to mind describing the astute attention focused on customer satisfaction.

Quality and compactness are especially emphasized as trademarks of excellence in Japanese products. Packing for products is exceptionally decorative in their splendor and arrangement. Japanese place a high emphasize on the appearance all things. As beauty and order are cherished qualities extending to all tiers. This is expressed not only in the packing of their commodities but in all layers of their culture.

Itunes, Wifi, and Personal Space

2008-03-16T23:17:00.001-04:00

Family Picture, Kimonos, and Facebook

2008-03-07T09:45:00.001-05:00

From Left to Right: Older Daughter, Mother, Younger Daughter, Father, Grandmother, Me

Public Transportation

2008-03-06T00:46:00.003-05:00

When looking at the infrastructure of a country such as Japan, one has to admire the efficiency of the public transportation. The train, subway, bus, and taxi systems have been built up so well that any citizen can go anywhere in Japan without the need for a vehicle. Such a network of trains and subways is a symbol of Japan’s lifeline.

In fact, the public transportation is so solid that the train system is guaranteed to be on time every time. In the case that the train is late, the passengers will be compensated for their lost time. However, the foundation of the system is strong enough that it can make that claim and still be a successful business.

Even though personal transportation is not necessary for life in Japan, the Japanese people have made owning a vehicle a luxurious experience. Nearly all cars in Japan come standard with a touch screen GPS system and television. Motorcyclists are seen all too common because of its ability to traverse narrow alleyways and save gas.

Another thing to note is that the process for getting a license in Japan is completely different. Whereas in the States one would have to get a driving permit for a year before being able to take the driving test; Japan let’s its citizen obtain a license in one month of driving school. The work load and training is extensive but the process is quick.

Even though obtaining a license is relatively fast, driving is a real challenge. Cars swirl around motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians on narrow roads everyday. Everyone is competing for their share of the road space with the flow of traffic looking like a free-for-all battle. The difficulty to avoid moving obstacles on a small road is a strenuous exercise in mental focus. It is a miracle that the Japanese can function in the mist of such an environment.

Looking at the world of Japan through western eyes puts certain dispositions on what is seen. Effective yet inadequate, structured yet chaotic is one way to describe it. As oil becomes an increasingly demanded resource in the global market, countries all over the world should look to Japan as a prime example of public transportation done right. Whereas Japan should look to States on how public roads should be made.

Pictures, Presidents, and Secret Languages

2008-02-28T23:30:00.000-05:00

Food Scare, Japanese Companies, and Break

2008-02-26T20:40:00.002-05:00

Behind the looking glass

2008-02-20T03:09:00.007-05:00

Japan has given me a different perspective into how people in other countries live. As a student at Kansai Gaidai I am exposed to international students from all over the world. People from different backgrounds, life experiences, and unique cultures all placed together with a common goal; to experience Japanese culture. To see so many unique souls harmonizing together makes one forget that our world is separated by borders and boundaries.

Kansai Gaidai is a magnet for international students from all over the world to come and study Japanese culture. Just as a flame draws moths to itself, Kansai Gaidai is a beacon for travelers everywhere. But something special happens when these travelers interact. Coming from humble beginnings growing up in separate parts of the world, we make a connection that transcends words. There comes a revelation etched into our hearts and minds to one central truth; people are the same everywhere.

Every human being has different ways of expressing themselves. It is this expression that makes us unique. The reasons for the different expressions are shaped by the history of each person's life. By looking into the history we can understand the reason. With the reason we can create a deeper connection, allowing us to open the door to the lives of others from separate worlds. The journey of understanding is not easy. Our views of the world are grounded in the solace of what we know. When the foundations of what we know are removed and a new foundation is placed underneath us, our knowledge becomes obsolete. In the removal of old knowledge, new revelations are put forth that give our periscopes of the world a twirl.

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."

-Anais Nin

Meeting the Host Family

2008-02-12T20:10:00.000-05:00

My commentary on living with a Japanese host family.

Kobe

2008-01-30T02:22:00.000-05:00

For my winter vacation I visited Kobe not once, not twice but many times. The atmosphere there is quite different from Hirakata. As I mentioned before, Kobe is famous for its beef but what most people don’t know is that Kobe is also famous for its water. Kobe is blessed with many natural hot springs that sprout out mineral water. People believe the water is extremely healthy which is why Kobe has one of the most famous hot springs in all of Japan. Many sake (alcohol) companies are located within Kobe and use the natural fountains to improve the taste of their products.

The process to produce authentic cuisines and dishes from other countries is an imperfect art. Every country tries to imitate the taste of other countries but the finished product is never as good as the original. Many places have tried to replicate the success of Kobe’s authentic foods but have failed. In France there are restaurants that will sell a bottle of Kobe water for $1000. In Kobe you can buy the same water for $1. Having tasted the water in Kobe, I can tell there is a difference. The water simply tastes better.

In addition to traditional Japanese delicacies, Kobe also has a China Town within the city. There are supposedly only two China Towns in Japan, one of them is in Kobe. I made a short visit there but was very disappointed with the quality and size of the town. The entire China Town in Kobe can be walked around within 15min. Chinese foods that are sold there are very expensive and unauthentic. However, since China is so close by, any visitor looking for traditional Chinese food can easily get it with a 1 hour flight into that country. Any and all Chinese foods found in Japan will be tailored for the Japanese taste. Looking into the history of Japan that doesn't seem very surprising since it is a island country isolated from the rest of the world.

The mountains, geographical location, and natural springs make Kobe a major attraction of foreigners and Japanese alike. In the mountains of Kobe are some of the wealthiest people in all of Japan. They have an overview of the city below and the lights coming in from the distance look like a field of stars.

Kobe is to Japan what Paris is to France. The city has much to offer for the tourist and even more to offer for its residents. The blend of unique foods, city atmosphere, and mountainous surroundings make Kobe seem like an oasis in the desert. Cut off from the rest of Japan because of its refined culture and unique atmosphere but having all the values of Japanese culture ingrained inside.

Kobe City Park.
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Kobe's China Town
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New Beginning

2008-01-28T20:22:00.000-05:00

My first video commentary of 2008. Enjoy!

At World's End

2008-01-13T22:00:00.000-05:00

My first semester in Japan is at its end. Looking back onto the events of this semester I can only say that I am a far different person than when I first started. I never expected to come to Japan to be changed. However, I was changed. The caterpillar starts its life as a mere insect confined to the earth moving only with its legs. It is not noticed nor do people care. But there comes a time in the caterpillar's life when it leaves the world it knows for a moment. It creates a cocoon around itself for two months. Afterwards, it emerges as a new creature. A creature unconfined to the world it once knew. Forever changed, into a beautiful new being.

The world I once knew is gone. I am far away from everything I have known. Out here on the opposite side of the world is my cocoon. A metamorphosis of unparalleled growth appears that one could never find in their home country. A caterpillar receives new wings to explore the new world that has opened up to it. That same has happened to me. My eyes have been opened to much more of the world. I had believed that people all over the world were different. Different people growing up from different backgrounds, families, and religion would be different. The universal truth I have found out is this... people are the same everywhere. No matter where you go or who you meet, underneath it all everyone is the same.

I have not made this journey of growth alone. There are many who have walked with me on this winding road. Everyone is blind in the journey of life, we cannot see what lies before us, only what lies behind us. Using the best intuitions and experiences we have complied from our life history; we are no better at understanding where we are going than when we were first born. Life is one unexpected, unprecedented, unrepeatable journey through a corridor of doors that open and close for a split second. In that split second you have a choice to make the right or wrong decisions.

Onsen

2008-01-08T21:09:00.000-05:00

Onsen is the word for a Japanese hot spring. Japan has many natural hot springs located across the country because of the volcanic nature of the country. The natural hot springs usually pull minerals from the earth so it is believed there are many natural health benefits to bathing in the water. An onsen composes of many different types of water treatment not just hot springs. There is a pool of hot water, cold water, and mineral water. The different types of water treatments are color coded by the different minerals in the water.

A steam room and a sauna is open for people looking for a furnace experience. Many people going to the hot springs like to enter the sauna and then the cold water right after. This causes a dizzy sensation because not enough blood is getting to the brain as your body is trying to compensate for the extreme change in temperature. People that have stroke or heart problems are advised to avoid those treatments but for others it is a great way to relax the muscles. The hot springs, steam rooms, and saunas are a way of stretching out your muscles and excreting toxins from your blood through sweat. The combination of these many treatments leaves a refreshed feeling allowing for a good night's rest refreshed for tomorrow. In addition to being a very relaxing experience to escape from the city life, it is a good way to commune with others.

My first time going to onsen I didn't know it was required to be completely naked when entering the hot springs. In America your privacy is very highly valued. In Japan, it depends on the situation. Being completely naked and bathing with others was a liberating experience. The transition to get to a comfortable stage was momentary. Letting go of all of my built up conceptions and norms of my previous culture and embracing something new is not easy to do. But when you move outside your comfort zone and embrace something new there is always growth involved.

Growth is important for humans. As we get older our lives are shaped and changed by our experiences. Our views of the world are colored by the lens of the past. However, the biggest opportunities for growth are when we exit our comfort zones and go to a new place and learn with new eyes how the world works. Taking off our old tainted glasses and seeing with our eyes how beautiful and wonderful the world really is takes a open mind and a open heart willing to embrace what is different.

Namba Parks

2007-12-27T04:24:00.000-05:00

Osaka is a pillar of modernized Japan. Entering the streets you are overshadowed by office buildings, shopping centers, restaurants, and people. So it came to me as a surprise to find a small nest of greenery in the midst of this metropolitan area. Namba Parks is a new type of rooftop garden designed to let people escape the urban confines of Osaka and be refreshed with mother nature.

During my walk through I was continuously refreshed by the absence of the the urban environment. The rooftop garden is an open access area available to the public. Since the garden is built at the top of a multistory shopping center, the park visitors have to take the elevator or the escalators to the top. I imagine this is a way to draw in customers who are curious about the design of such a park.

Small pockets of Japanese culture can be found within the layout and assembly of plant life. Everything in the park is cleaned and maintained continuously. Most of the time the park is used for rest and relaxation but at times it can be used as an amphitheater or for other special events.

For a park centered in a metropolitan area I see it as an oasis in the desert. Walking through Namba Parks let's nature work its therapy. I hope to see more of this type of design not only in Japan but also in other big cities in the future.

Flowers adorn the walls of the garden.

A relaxing atmosphere to escape to.

Small coffee shops are scattered across the park but they do not break the scenery.

Many different types of marble are used to add flavor to the architecture.

Small pockets of greenery adorn this park.

Everything is kept extremely clean and well maintained.

Interesting artistic designs are littered inbetween natural beauties.

The shopping center has many floors but the main attraction is the top.

Looking down from the rooftops you can see the shopping center below.

On the way down I caught a glimpse of an Indian festival in progress.

Nipponbashi

2007-12-19T13:31:00.000-05:00

Japanese export culture manifested as a town is Nipponbashi. Many foreigners see Japan export culture in the form of anime, video games, and music. Nipponbashi is the embodiment of all of those things. Within Nipponbashi is a strip called Den Den Town. On this strip are rows and rows of electronic shops, anime, music, movies, etc. Many of the students become interested in Japanese culture through one of these hobbies. Being an easily exported commodity, Japan has made great strides in their unique forms of entertainment.

Japan in general has a love for all gizmos and gadgets in the form of convenient electronics. One important distinction is that Osaka is unique in the way that customers and store owners can interact. Bargaining is part of the game when dealing with electronics. When you walk into an electronics store, the prices for electronics are generally marked higher than what you would find in the States. There are two reasons for this, one is because of bargaining, the other reason is because tax is already included with the price. Of course there are places in Osaka where prices are set and negotiating is out of the question but those places are not as common. Osaka was historically a trade center of Japan where merchants from all over the world came to the ports to exchange goods. The practice of bargaining is deeply rooted in their culture and survival. Even to this day, the practice is in use.

Here is a set of old Atari, Nintendo, Sega systems on sale with the associated controllers and games.

TVs are constantly running these old relics to demonstrate their working ability.

Here is a shot of my friend who went with me to Nipponbashi. Thousands of old cartridges of video games dating back before the age of the dinosaurs.

Halo 3.

It's no secret that Japan values their gaming culture. The stores in Den Den Town are usually 6-7 stories high filled with video games, music cds, movies, and anime manga. Also, a warning to anyone planning to visit this place; Japan is very open about sexual content. It seems unusual that adult rental shops would be set up right next to video game stores where children would go to pick up their copy of Mario with explicit images right next to them. Thinking back on my trip there I hardly saw any children there, perhaps that's why.

Views from the nearby scenery.

An adjacent strip that is at the end of Den Den Town.

There are towers with colorful lights everywhere.

In Japan you are never more than five minuets away from a restaurant.

Japan is a night life centered society. The lifestyles here are comparable to what's in New York or L.A. as far as night life is concerned.

Very colorful attractions.

Movies, movies, and more movies.

Usually the stores are built upward with many different shops in a single building.

Japan likes to use lights, sounds, and smells to attract customers to their shops.

This shot captures the lively night life of Japan.

Nearing the End

2007-11-26T03:19:00.000-05:00

As the end of the semester is closing in it is a frantic time to be for any college student. The coming of exams and more exams will certainly increase the time I spend on books. As I study Japanese I realize that books are certainly a requirement for learning Japanese but they will never teach you how to speak a language. There is a big difference between knowing the language and using the language.

Kansai Gaidai's testing system for students studying Japanese is a mixed bag of both. Portions of their tests are split between listening comprehension and reading/writing comprehension. For the mid term and finals it is required that you have an interview session with the professors talking in Japanese. I nearly freaked out during my first midterm at Kansai Gaidai for that very reason. They had told me that I would be interviewed during the examination but they never told me I would be recorded on a microphone and video tapped during the conference where I was talking one on one with the professors. In addition, the equipment for the interview is very obvious and placed right next to you so the pressure builds.

Tests are given usually once a month with one quiz every week. The university really wants the students to learn Japanese and study diligently every day. However, there lies one serious flaw in the system. When you arrive at Kansai Gaidai you will be placed in classes that speak English. You will rarely have any Japanese students in the classes with you. This makes it difficult to make friends with Japanese people (the very people your supposed to talk to). You might ask, what about after class? Surely there is a public lounge to convene with Japanese students. Yes there is, it is called the CIE lounge. The CIE lounge is a public area for foreign students to convene in between or after classes. Since the lounge is for foriegn students the percentage of english speakers is overwhelming and the only Japanese people who want to come in are the ones who want to practice English.

So what if you go outside of the school? Well, when you go to the restaurants around Kansai Gaidai they all have English menus. Even if you can't read anything on the menu it's no problem because Japanese people love to have pictures with all of their food. Outside every restaurant are plastic displays of the different types of food available in the restaurant. Japan is a very visual country where looks take precedence over anything else. The phrase 'style over substance' describes Japan to the letter.

At the end of the day you go back to the dorms with all the other foreign students who speak... English. I have already arranged for my next semester to be with a homestay family because my progression to fluency is hampered by my in exposure to the language. This is not to say that having English available is a bad thing. On the contrary, I came to Japan speaking absolutely no Japanese so the environment provided me a way to function without the immediate need for it. However, now that I have learned nearly a semester's worth of the language it is time for me to put it into use. My next semester will be a whole new adventure just because of that.

Just a little video...

2007-11-15T10:11:00.000-05:00

Just some of my thoughts about the events of the past month.
Hope you guys like it.

Thoughts on Japanese Food

2007-11-08T02:08:00.000-05:00

I knew before I came to Japan that I would be eating out a lot. I rarely ever cook at home and I seemed to have carried that habit into Japan. Since coming here I have dined out frequently, trying out many new foods and avoiding many new foods. I can easily say that Japan has a wide variety of foods that you would never see in America.

Japan is fairly famous for their exotic seafood. As far as seafood is concerned, Japanese people will eat anything under the sea. Most of the time the fish is prepared raw or fried. Octopus and squid are all too common here in Japan. There are even restaurants that serve poisonous fish. Of course the chefs are certified to detoxify the poisonous fish before serving it to the customers but there are a few cases in Japan when people have died because of a poisonous fish delicacy.

Another type of food Japan is famous for is noodles. The Japanese diversity their food in this category as well. Many different techniques and materials are used to create different noodles that have a unique taste. Japanese noodles generally fall under three categories: Ramen, Udon, and Soba. Each type of noodle has a different texture and different size. Generally, the chefs in Japan each have a special recipe that they use when preparing any one of these dishes. The ingredients they use for their soup are what makes the noodles taste good or bad. So it is not surprising that, the pride of Japanese chefs rests in their soups while preparing the noodles.

Ramen and seafood shouldn't be a surprise to anyone but what I found very surprising was that they love fried foods. Nearly every dish and every restaurant has fried foods. Usually fried meat or fried fish accompanies the dish you are ordering. One reason they are frying their food is because usually the people in Japan don't have very much meat. So in order to create the illusion that there is more meat in the food they will lace the meat with bread before frying. After the food is done frying it will look like there is more meat than there actually is.

One very exotic type of food I have heard about in Japan is Kobe beef. Kobe beef is made in Kobe with a special type of cow treatment. The cows are given massages everyday and fed a combination of different alcohol. The cows receive exercise and are fed constantly. Once they kill the cow and prepare it the meat supposedly tastes very sweet and tender. I have yet to try any Kobe beef because the cost is around $80 per dish and that's only for a tiny portion. However, I might consider trying it before leaving Japan.

From a price standpoint, the food here is not that more expensive than America. Dinning out at a restaurant is fairly cheap because there are so many in Japan competing for your money. Fruits, vegetables, and meat are somewhat overpriced because they don't have sufficient land to cultivate these products. Portions are smaller in Japan because the people just don't eat as much as Americans. Coming from America I have always overfed myself but looking at the lifestyles of the people here I can see that people here can do just fine with the smaller portions.

Hirakata Park

2007-11-01T09:10:00.000-04:00

Hirakata Park in Osaka is the equivalent of Six Flag in the States. I was expecting something different in Japanese theme parks but it turns out they are exactly the same. The only difference being the people.

Entrance into the park is free but you have to pay for each of the rides individually. If you plan on spending the whole day there you have the choice of buying a pass to ride everything. Our group arrived at the park in the afternoon so we decided to forgo the pass.

The same rides, the same experiences as you would have in the States.

There was a small zoo inside of the theme park with a few animals on display. This is called the Special Panda. Why it's called a Panda is beyond me but they are native tree climbers that inhabit the tropical areas of Japan.

The creature on the right is some kind of Japanese possum that can swim well and is another native animal of Japan.

Like all theme parks they have an arcade for people to win prizes. This theme park also had a few optical illusions. One of them was a pipe that floated in mid air pumping out water.

As it was getting dark the entire theme park lighted up.

After a long day our group went to get dinner.

Honestly I feel that the theme parks in the States are better than the theme parks in Japan. Not to say that Japan doesn't have good theme parks but the ones in the States are better. When visiting Japan I would suggest just skipping over the theme parks and focus on the true historical sites than have the essence of Japanese culture imbued into their works.

Shinsaibashi

2007-10-31T10:13:00.001-04:00

Osaka has historically been the center of trade. Up to this day, the city has kept to its roots. Shinsaibashi, Osaka houses the most expensive and most diverse range of shops found in Japan. The streets are lined with small shops everywhere. Merchants shout out from their shops drawing in customers. Chefs use the aroma of their foods to stir up a crowd. Musicians and artists sit outside all day offering their skills for a fee. Shinsaibashi has a very lively atmosphere filled with interesting sights and unusual merchandise.

Rows and rows of shops...

A shop that sells Japanese styled laterns and a shop that sells swords.

Since coming to Japan I have noticed that the Japanese people highly value their pottery. Most of the pottery I have come across in Japan has a unique style and carry the 'Made in Japan' trademark. Cloths and handkerchiefs also carry many traditional Japanese art.

In Japan all the restaurants have plastic displays of their food set outside. By having a plastic representation of picture of their food, the customers are able to get a general idea of what the food tastes like. In America you usually just read the menu with little or no pictures to accompany the description. The shop below is one that sells plastic foods for restaurants to display for customers.

Just keep in mind all of it is plastic.

After some sightseeing around Shinsaibashi our tour group decided to get some real food.

I was told that inside the balls were octopus. Yum.

Small shops dominate most of the stores in Shinsaibashi but there are also some huge department stores.

The allyways are filled with people. The atmosphere feels so busy with no time to relax or just have a quite place to sit down.

Often the restaurants and shops will have elaborate displays setup.

The streets are filled with plastic ornaments, lights, and colorful objects to draw your attention.

Past a certain point in Shinsaibashi the shops end and the office buildings start coming into view. As there isn't anything interesting about office buildings, this was where we ended our tour of Shinsaibashi.

Floating Garden Observatory

2007-10-30T06:09:00.000-04:00

The Floating Garden Observatory is a tourist attraction for tourists in Umeda, Osaka. Umeda being a heavily industrialized area has to centralized it's attractions into a smaller area because space is so limited. Umeda is just a big city, there isn't much else to see other than the city itself. However, my visit there warrants a blog post so here it is...

The Floating Garden is at the top of this building. The circular dish at the top gives tourists a view of the city of Umeda.

When my group went there was an international festival at the base of the Floating Garden.

The beginning of our tour.

This is what Umeda would of looked like a few hundred years ago. The same market trade center as it is today except without all the industrialization.

When you look out from the Floating Garden you can see just how much the city has changed since then.

Building after building as far as the eye can see.

One thing you might of noticed is that Japan has no highways. Wait, that's incorrect; they do have highways but you have to pay to use them. They are the equivalent of toll booths in America. Because there are no highways people drive very slowly and it takes quite a while to get anywhere even with a car.

Inside there was an art exhibit.

Here we have a booth full of people's fortunes.

The first picture is of me at the top of the Floating Garden and the second picture was taken while I was at the festival below.

Afterwards we went to go eat and as you can see, the restaurants are elaborately decorated with traditional Japanese styled art.

One thing I can say about Umeda is that it is a great place to shop in Japan. They have several huge department stores full of electronics, clothing, toys, etc. Most people don't know this but in Osaka people are allowed to bargin on electronics. Some stores don't bargin but many do. Generally the prices for many electronics are marked higher than normal. With some bargaining skills one could pull out a cheaper price than listed. I have only bought a DS while in Japan and that was because it was the cheapest electronic dictionary available at the time. But generally, I find the idea of bargaining an interesting concept. I will have to try it once my Japanese is better of course.

Himeji Gardens

2007-10-23T08:15:00.000-04:00

Himeji Gardens is located next to Himeji Castle. The man-made park has many many gardens interweave together to create a harmonious compilation of nature's beauty. Each plant is specially selected, crafted, and positioned to give the viewer a sense of awe when they look at it.

The main entrance to the garden grounds.

Upon entering the main gate there is a small garden and a pathway leading up toward a teahouse.

Inside the tea house are various ritual items used for the different ceremonies.

The tea houses are nestled within the gardens and interconnected by wooden bridges.

Looking out from the tea houses, there are many small troves of treasure to be explored.

There is plenty of wildlife to accompany the beautiful sights.

This bridge is one of the cornerstones of the garden. A marvelous sight to behold.

By jumping on the stepping stones through the water you can get a better look at the fish.

In another section of the garden they have various types of flowers being grown.

Some of them are even edible, like the red fruits. Since the gardens are sectioned into different areas, you will see something very different when you go into a new area separated by walls.

This is another teahouse we went to see. The gardens and houses are constantly cleaned and polished for beauty.

The amount of tourists traveling through these gardens is very diverse. More foreigners than native Japanese people.

These man made structures would be overtaken by nature if it wasn't constantly maintained.

The Japanese gardeners labor ceaselessly toward perfection in their works.

The man made structures are made with an affinity toward the environment as to not break the serenity when people come here to escape the city life.

Not a bad place to come and relax.

The trees are lined with bamboo sticks to force the branches to grow a certain way.

Depending on what time you come and visit the gardens they will have different flowers or trees in season.

Shot of myself at a rest area.

The animals in the Garden are usually not afraid of people and often let tourists get close for a photo.

Water pumps are all over the garden keeping the plants fresh and healthy.

Himeji Gardens is unlike anything I've encountered in the states. Many of the plants and trees found here don't exist in the western world. In addition it is cultivated by Japanese gardeners that have their own unique styles building up the garden. I was only able to go see Himeji Castle and Himeji Gardens during the one day I went to visit. However, there is also a zoo and other exhibits in the area. I might plan another trip back if time allows or if enough requests are made.

Hemiji Castle

2007-10-23T03:40:00.001-04:00

Last weekend I got the chance to go visit Himeji-Jo. Himeji Castle is one of Japan's national treasures and most famous attractions. There is simply no comparison between this castle and Osaka Castle. Himeji is located in the Hyogo prefecture which has more wide open areas and sight seeing attractions vs Osaka's array of office buildings.

As with all castles, you first have to cross the moat.

Once inside the outer gate, there is a huge park and gardens surrounding the castle.

The main castle is in the center but there is a thick surrounding wall and watch towers.

Small gardens are dispersed along the outer walls.

Once you enter the inner walls you can get a closer look at the castle. I have a picture of myself standing in front of the castle but it's impossible to capture the magnitude of such a building with just pictures.

The inner walls leading toward the castle are like a labyrinth.

Much of the architecture style has been preserved as most of the castle has been rebuilt.

The castle is 6 stories tall.

One thing of notable interest about these rocks is that they have dead bodies inside of them...

Most of the time, the steps and passageways of the castle are uneven so if attacks were to storm the area, they would fall over.

Once inside the castle we saw many exhibits on display.

My favorite was the samurai armor.

They even had a gun armory.

I didn't understand why they still had swords when guns were available.

On the top floor was a shrine.

After leaving the castle I decided to take a few last photos.

There was a animal trained to stand and give performances. It could do simple tricks like stand, roll over, sleep, etc. Worthy of a photo I thought.

And I fought a ninja on the way out.

I would recommend anyone visiting Japan to go see Himeji. The castle should be enough of a tourist attraction by itself, but there is also the Himeji Gardens which I will talk about in my next post. While I was there, I noticed a lot less people than Osaka which is a good thing. The open atmosphere and serene nature of the prefecture just begs to be explored. I think I will make another visit there in the future, but for now there is a lot more of Japan I need to go see.

Midterms

2007-10-22T11:53:00.000-04:00

To all of my fans. Yes, both of you. I have to apologize for the lack of updates recently because we have been having mid terms here in Japan recently. Because of all the studying I have had a difficult time updating my blog. But my midterms are over as of now and the new stories will be flowing in soon. Rest assured I have not been slacking in my adventuring in Japan as I have approximately 600 pictures I have taken in various places in Japan that I will post up eventually with commentaries to suit.

My next commentary will be Hemiji Castle which I visited just last weekend. Here's a picture of the castle to give you guys an idea of just how big the thing is... I'm the guy in black standing in front of it.

I can tell you guys are excited. The story of Hemiji Castle will be revealed this week. Just stay tuned.

Osaka Castle

2007-10-07T07:12:00.000-04:00

This weekend I had a three day break so I decided to go touring Japan. One of the most famous tourist attractions in Japan is Osaka castle. There is a huge park area surrounding the castle in the center. Large scale walls encircle the park reminding tourists that this used to be a military fortress. One of the greatest conquerers of Japan had used Osaka castle on their road to conquest. He had all of Japan under his control at one time.

Today the castle has been renovated to become a museum and the surround areas into a park. Even though it is in the center of a metropolitan area, the park is well designed to escape the city life for a time of rest and relaxation.

As we got off the train station we saw a miniture 3D map of the area.

The start of our adventure.

This seemed like the spot to hang out.

Great scenery.

This is the moat designed to defend the castle.

Those are some epic walls.

Here's a shot of the castle from a distance.

Reminds me of Minis Tirith.

You can see the city from behind the walls.

The architecture is quite unique

There was a cannon stationed outside the castle. Once inside we saw miniature mock-ups of what battles in ancient japan would look like.

Osaka castle has eight floors and this is the view from the top.

Seems strange that a castle would reside in the center of a metropolitan area.

Here are a few of the art pieces presented in the museum. I couldn't take pictures on most of the exhibits though.

A few of the art pieces on display.

There was a place inside where people could try on costumes for a fee.

This building was next to Osaka castle. Maybe it was the public library?

Before we left we decided to take some pictures.

That's me.

Not sure who that statue is supposed to be.

The castle is a symbol of Japanese pride for the people of Osaka. I throughly enjoyed the adventure and wouldn't mind going back to see more of it in the future. There were tons of tourists there but because the park is so expansive it never felt crowded. I will be heading to Kyoto soon so my next post is going to talk about my trip there.

Engrish

2007-10-04T05:05:00.000-04:00

Japan as a nation integrates foreign ideas into their own culture. This can be seen from their language as they integrate Chinese characters called Kanji into their writing system. Katakana is used to represent foreign words in their writing system which are mostly English translations. But language is not the only thing that Japanese integrate into their system. Everything from technology, culture, and even religion is assimilated into their system.

Currently the Japanese people are very interested in the American culture and lifestyle. One of the ways Japan show their interest in American culture is through their use of English in their products. So, here are some pictures of Japanese Engrish.

It might make sense if you read it backwards...maybe.

Err... what?

I don't think that is a word.

Lost in translation?

The Retreat

2007-09-25T04:15:00.000-04:00

We just had a three day weekend because of a holiday. Over the weekend I went to Nagoya for a church retreat. The place we went to was in the mountains, far away from the big city of Osaka. For the first time in my life in Japan I actually saw huge areas of open land. There were people with big back yards and plenty of beautiful wildlife.

The trip took around three hours by car. My church graciously provided the transportation for us to get there. On the way I decided to take some pictures of the scenery.

We went far into the mountains.

I took this picture at the rest stop mid way into the mountain.

Most of these are rice fields but there is just so much open land and so few people. Very different from the big city of Osaka.

The style of architecture on these houses are also different from the ones in the cities.

The sizes of these houses are much bigger than what you would find in Osaka.

This was the view from across our lodgings.

And here is the place we stayed at.

We decided to have a barbecue. Barbecues in America mean hamburgers and hot dogs but in Japan a barbecue means meat, vegetables, and rice.

We had a guy from Brazil help us start the fire at the barbecue.

Here's a video of starting the fire.

The food was delicious.

After the barbeque we threw a surprise birthday party for one of our church members.

Here is the worship hall.

Pastor Takeshi with his guitar.

The rooms we stayed in.

We had a ping pong battle next morning.

After that we went to the river for some fishing.

The scenery is amazing in Nagoya.

Found a good fishing spot and casted our lines.

The current in the waters was fairly fast.

Here is another spot we went fishing.

Most of the fish at the river we went to were small.

A short video clip of the river we fished from.

I took these pictures with my friends before we left Nagoya.

The trip to Nagoya was a refreshing experience. We got to barbecue, go fishing, and play ping-pong. Since this was the first time I went fishing I realized how much of a game of patience it was. Even though I didn't catch any fish I learned a lot about fishing. My next fishing expedition will be at the ocean so this was good practice. There was plenty of see and plenty to do. I have more pictures and stories to share with you guys but the internet in my dorms are very slow at uploading. Because of the technical difficulties it will be hard to post very consistently but I promise more stories to come soon!

More on Japan

2007-09-16T03:10:00.000-04:00

Here's another video commentary live from Japan.

If there is anything you want me to talk about just say so in the comments.

Umeda

2007-09-09T11:42:00.000-04:00

Osaka is the second biggest city in Japan. It is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Japan. Osaka is home to some of the most exotic foods in the world as well as the biggest shopping centers in the world.

I currently live in Hirikata which is on the edge of the Osaka prefecture. Hirikata is a quieter place than the big cities of Japan. However, Osaka's main city district is only half an hour away by train. Over the weekend me and some friends decided to see one of the big city districts of Osaka.

There is a complex network of trains that run through the major cities such as Osaka. The train stations are a whole entity by themselves. The entire nation of Japan relies on the train system as its lifeline of transportation. With that, the conductors of the trains pride themselves on always arriving on time.

The place we decided to visit was Umeda. Once we got to Umeda we went to Yodobashi, one of Osaka's biggest shopping centers.

We also went to a shopping center called KEP. There is a giant ferris wheel on top of the shopping center. As well as a giant whale inside?

Both of these shopping centers had at least 10 stories. Each floor usually has a theme such as electronics, computers, music, clothes, movies, etc. Generally speaking, Umeda has plenty of shopping centers with plenty of shops and tall buildings but there is nothing here I couldn't find back in the States. I would much rather goto Kyoto where there are so many beautiful temples to visit.

Proof of Life

2007-09-07T06:09:00.001-04:00

My first video commentary inside Japan. For all the people out there wondering if I'm still alive, this should answer all your questions.

Because the webcam on my laptop is concave shaped, my face is going to look larger than what it really is...

Trip to Kyoto

2007-09-05T00:40:00.001-04:00

I had heard that Kyoto was a symbol of Japan's history. It's a place with many shrines and temples and one of the most visited areas of Japan. Knowing this I signed up for a tour of the city. People were placed in Groups of 4-5 with a few volunteer tour guides. The tour guides were all Kansai Gaidai students.

Our tour guides directed us to the train station. I had never used the train system before so this was completely new and foreign to me. There is a chart above the ticket booth where it tells you how much you have to pay to get to a certain area. The trip from Osaka to Kyoto costs 340 yen. After putting in your money, you have to use the ticket to get past the mechanized gates. Once your past the gates you have to goto the train boarding area outside.

One thing to note about Japan's transit system is that the train is never late. Unless there is an earthquake that derails the tracks, the train will never be late. On the way there I took a few pictures.

The moment I got off at Kyoto I saw an amazing city full of life and people. Many store owners were outside of their shops giving out flyers and directing people into their small shops. The smell of food filled the streets as chefs cooked food outside.

After a long walk we finally arrived at one of the many temples in Kyoto. The temple doesn't look too impressive from the outside but don't let that fool you.

Once we entered the temple there was a fountain from where to wash our hands.

And with that done let the tour begin...

This is the latern house.

The fortunes of many visitors.

The scenery from inside the temple is beautiful.

And what temple wouldn't be complete without Samurai?

This is us getting our fortunes. Mine said that my life is a balance of good events in sequence with bad events.

After we left the temple and roamed the streets of Kyoto I found a Geisha walking down the street.

After the tour our guides took us to eat Okonomiyaki, a do it yourself dish. The food is mixed in a bowl and then poured onto the heated plate. Very delicious meal.

The rest of the time we spend exploring the city. Kyoto is an amazing city full of life and an explosion of sights.

I even got to meet the KFC guy in a kimono!

I will be going back to Kyoto to see other temples and explore this gem of a city. There is so much to see and do in Japan that it's overwhelming sometimes.

Arrival

2007-09-04T04:20:00.000-04:00

On my arrival into Kansai International Airport I was surprised by the warm climate. The air was more humid and the temperature was uncomfortably warm. Once I got past customs I was met with the Kansai Gaidai staff. They had arranged a bus service ready to take the exchange students to Kansai Gaidai.

When we asked the attendant how long it would take to get to the University, they said about 90min. That's taking into consideration that the bus was a non-stop trip and they know the way. I couldn't imagine trying to get to the University myself. On the way to Kansai Gaidai I took a few pictures, but most of them were unusable because it was night.

Upon arrival at the dormitory they told us to take off our shoes at the entrance. I was very surprised when I first entered the building because it was nearly 100 degrees outside and the place had no centralized air. I found out later that each dorm room had it's own air conditioning unit but no centralized air was available for the building. I had always thought that a nation as advanced as Japan would certainly have centralized air in their buildings but they didn't find it necessary.

When we were taken to our rooms I noticed the tatami mat floors. Even the beds were more traditional. The beds basically consisted of roll up mats, a blanket, and a bean filled pillow. The rooms just had a very nice feel to them. Everything looked brand new.

Checking out the bathrooms I found out that they had some interesting toilets. Each of the toilets had a menu of options. One buttons made a long flushing sound so that the person in the other stall wouldn't hear you fart. Two of the buttons shot pressurized water up your arse. There's even a pressure dial to control the water flow. The water keeps shooting out until the stop button is pressed.

Even the hand sanitizers in the bathroom are motion activated so that no one has to use their hands to turn on the water. The Japanese are very concerned about cleanliness.

In addition to being very concern with cleanliness, the buildings were also designed to be very conservative. One example would be the shower rooms. The showers have an interesting mechanic in the way they are turned on. Every time someone goes to take a shower they have to push the on button to spray water from the shower. After 15 seconds the shower turns off. From there you have to push the button again in order to get more water. It's very frustrating because it's difficult to get the full shower experience with the water going off constantly.

Despite the new challenges of living abroad, I am glad I made the trip out here. I will post more in the weeks to come and more pictures are on the way.

Reasons for Going

2007-08-24T17:08:00.000-04:00

Many people have been asking me why am I going to Japan? There are tons of countries that are available for study abroad, so why Japan? For most people, the idea of traveling across the world to study in a different language and culture seems overbearing. However, the people who are able to persevere through the trials are that much stronger when they are done. As an engineering student I know that I am entitled to travel across the world freely. There are two types of people that are generally accepted anywhere in the world. What are these two types of people? Doctors and engineers of course. As an engineer I will have access to any country in the world. Picking up more languages is a huge benefit to my future in that respect. Also, the prestige of obtaining an overseas experience is invaluable in the job hunting world.

The triangular relationship between the three economic powers: America, Japan, and China are constantly setting the bar in the industrial market. I already have the ability to speak Chinese and English so picking Japanese should be the next logical move. Japan, as an economic capital provides a positive effect on the East Asian region. The rise of the Chinese economy today will exponentially grow the economics in that region as well. Therefore, Communication between these regions are currently crucial for globalization.

When I was on my first co-op assignment for Cummins Diesel Engines I was assigned to work on a joint engineering project in conjunction with Komatsu. Engineers were split between American teams and Japanese teams with translators in between. Working with two different engineering firms that didn't speak the same language was like pulling teeth. The process was very taxing on the engineers because translators without technical background were near useless in this situation. Engineers who could speak other languages were often promoted to a position to manage over both teams. The need for multiple languages is ever persistent in the work environment, especially engineering.

In addition to opening up my future job opportunities, it is also a prestigious award to receive. The University chooses the best applicant for representing the qualities they want in their students. Most important of all is the experience itself. Having to adapt to another country's culture and way of life even for a year is a struggle and an adventure. I am sure that this is an experience that I will look back upon for many years to come.

Last day in Church

2007-08-19T20:05:00.000-04:00

As I strolled into church this morning, I realized that this was going to be my last church service in America for at least a year. As a Christian I thrive on fellowship and the word of God. Going to church is like a renewal of both mind and body every Sunday. Growing spiritually as well as mentally I can take on the challenges of the new week. Without this same type of renewal, I am afraid that my performance will suffer.

Finding a church in Osaka is like finding a needle in a haystack. From what my Japanese friends have been telling me, there is a very low percentage of Christians in Japan. A low percentage of Christians also mean a low percentage of churches. The difficulty to find a church is magnified by the fact that I will be going to a country where I am not familiar with the roads.

However, despite the difficulties I am sure I will be able to find one. I have been working with contacts at my church and the Seminary to get in touch with churches in Japan. If all goes well I should have their contact information before flying into the country.

Too Many Books

2007-08-12T23:16:00.000-04:00

After I had gotten the scholarship to Japan I had the opportunity to talk to some students that went to Kansai Gaidai before. They were able to give me some good advice and even old books. I also went to Barnes and Nobles to pick up a Japanese language book. Shortly after I had met with Kaz (my Japanese instructor) to learn what little I could before leaving. Well, suffice to say I didn't learn too much because we only met together for 5 sessions, 2 hours each.

What was surprising to me was that all the books she was using to teach me Japanese just so happened to be the same books I got from my colleague and the Barnes and Noble's store prior to meeting her. Color me surprised when I found out this revelation.

At the final session with Kaz, she told me there was another book I should look into. She said the name of the book was Yookoso! and that it was written by famous scholars in Japan. I already had plenty of material to cover and going through another book was out of the question. However, just today my mother was digging through our old boxes and found a copy of Yookoso!

Where did it come from? Apparently, my brother got it from school a long time ago. He put it in a box for storage for a few years. When I realized this I thought to myself... God really has a sense of humor. Either that or He really wants me to learn Japanese, I think the later rather than the former.

Another mis-adventure

2007-07-29T21:59:00.000-04:00

Just when I thought it was time to buckle down and start some intensive Japanese studying my parents decide we need to spend some 'quality time' together. My mom thinks we need to go on a family vacation together because I'll be leaving for a year. We're not even sure where we're going but it'll be somewhere up north. Probably NY or Canada.

So in addition to going to Japan and China I'll be going to get another adventure to add to my list of go places. I really need to get some practical training in before I leave but with all the chaos I don't think it's possible. Seems like this is just the randomness of the universe making every possible effort to prevent me from learning Japanese before my departure. If not chaos then perhaps God just has a sense of humor. Either way, what little preparation I have is being thrown out the window.

Speaking of chaos, there seems to be a divine order to the universe that pervades all the randomness. I ran into my old Zen Buddhist teacher just the other day and he explained his overseas experiences. He's a World Religions teacher that believes in Zen Buddhism, so you guys are going to have to bear with me through this story. The way he explained it, I will be a little more than a baby in the new world. As an adult I have access to all the resources of a mature adult, but my mastery over the world will be that of a child. Things I take for granted here I will have to struggle with in Japan. He wasn't saying I wouldn't have fun, but your outlook on the world will be that of a child. Typical Buddhist.

Learning Japanese

2007-07-25T13:47:00.000-04:00

Elementary Japanese by Genki are the books that Kansai Gaidai uses for their new incoming students. I have been fortunate enough to get a copy of those books prior to going to Japan. So far I've been trying to memorize the alphabet and the sounds associated with those letters.

Generally, if you learn the alphabet you should be able to read most elementary material. Then there's Kanji which are the Chinese words integrated into the Japanese culture. Kanji is required for advanced reading because most of Japan has a very integrated system of language with traditional Chinese characters. Mostly I have been focusing on learning the Japanese alphabet because the Kanji would take too long.

I have read on Kansai Gaidai's website that it is required to talk to your instructors in Japanese unless in emergency situations? This policy is in place because they want students to learn to use the language whenever possible. I haven't really had time over the summer to pick up the language because of engineering studies that consume my time. In less than a month I'll be flying off with less than basic ability to communicate. Wow, I can't wait (sarcasm).

Speaking Parnter and Home Visits

2007-07-18T14:16:00.000-04:00

I recently got an e-mail from Kansai Gaidai reminding me to register for a language partner and their Home Visit programs. A language partner is someone who is interested in having an exchange student as a friend to learn about other cultures. The Home Visit program is a program designed for exchange students to visit Japanese families on the weekends. While visiting the family, the two parties can exchange cultures. The application forms can be found here: http://www.kansaigaidai.ac.jp/bekka/admissions/orientation/bri_interaction.htm

Looking over the available options I decided to sign up with a speaking partner that will also be visiting schools around the area. So in addition to meeting with my speaking partner regularly I will also be visiting surrounds schools in the area with him/her. As for the Home Visit program I've signed up to meet with my host family every weekend.

The arrival office at Kansai Gaidai also sent an e-mail asking me whether I want to be picked up from the airport. This caused a little dilemma because of the timing of my arrival. I'm supposed to arrive in Kansai International airport on August 27 at 6:15PM. However, the pickup service says I have to be at the airport by 6:00PM. I've requested to be picked up from the airport but haven't got a reply back from them yet. Hopefully I can get someone to pick me up since I can't read or speak the native language.

Got my Visa

2007-07-12T13:37:00.000-04:00

Surprisingly it only took the consulate three days to process my visa. I had heard horror stories before about exchange students that couldn't get their visas for up to three months. For some unknown reason everything leading up to this trip has been going extremely well. There are just too many coincidences.

For example, when I went to the doctor to get contacts I explained I was heading overseas and it just so happens that the lady that was working on my prescription also did a student exchange in college. She told me about her experience to Spain and gave me some small tips on how to mix in with the locals. When I went to see a student financial aid faculty I found out that he also did a student exchange before. He told me to try every type of food possible when going overseas. I work as a math tutor for my University and met with another girl that shared her experiences of traveling to Brazil for her student exchange. There have been many others but the overwhelming consensus was that traveling overseas is an amazing experience.

I wish I could detail all the little miracles that have made me think that this trip is something special but there's just too much. August is quickly approaching and soon I will be in another culture, another country, another world. I would like to leave with a quote from Albert Einstein:
"I never think of the future. It comes soon enough."

Kansai Gaidai Dorms

2007-07-06T01:32:00.000-04:00

Kansai Gaidai has sent me new forms to fill out to accommodate me with one of the university dorms. Looking over their choices I saw four possible locations to stay at. For the sake of clarity I'll just named them facility I, II, III, and IV. Facility I,II, and IV are standard dorms while facility III is an apartment.

The apartment facility costs an extra $300/semester to live in while the dorms are free since I'm on a full scholarship. The only real difference I can see between the dorms is the quantity of students living there. The sizes seem to vary a lot. I have to weigh my options if I decide on the dorms. Smaller dorms will probably have less competition for kitchen and showers but the larger dorms will let me network with others better.

Looking over the rules the university dorms I wonder if I made a mistake in living arrangements. I was under the impression that I would have more freedom living in the dorms but this is not the case. For example; video games are not allowed in the TV lounge area, dinning is not allowed in individual rooms, vandalizing is frowned upon, not allowed to bring guns on campus. Those sure are some strict rules!

Getting the Visa

2007-07-06T00:45:00.000-04:00

Visas are required when traveling to other countries. They are the piece of paper that tell people whether you're supposed to be here and how long you are staying. For my trip to Japan, I need a student visa to attend Kansai Gaidai. However, getting a visa isn't exactly easy...

The paperwork to get these trips planned is a real headache. I had to find a Consulate of Japan in America that would process my visa. For me that consulate is the one in New Orleans. With the recent Katrina incident I was worried they couldn't process my visa but after I called them, a girl named Wendy assured me that they are still up and running.

The list of things she said they needed from me to process my visa included an application, a 2"x2" photo, a passport, and a certificate of eligibility that the host university would send me. Oh, and they wanted me to overnight ship it with prepaid return as well! That easily ran me up to $50 just in shipping costs!

Today I sent them all the necessary forms to get my visa processed. The UPS people were very helpful and guaranteed that it would get there by tomorrow morning.

Preparations

2007-06-27T21:52:00.000-04:00

Seeing as how I have absolutely no experience in the Japanese Language I decided to start learning a few weeks ago. An adviser from my University's International Center got me in contact with Mrs. Probst (a Japanese instructor) to get going.

One of the first things I started noticing when I started learning Japanese was how closely it resembled Latin in Grammar structure but many of the words were similar to Chinese words. As my parents are Chinese I've learned Mandarin and Cantonese from them at an early age. In high school I studied Latin for about two years so learning another language shouldn't be too hard right?

Since the time I have is so limited before I'll be leaving for Japan my instructor decided to focus mainly on spoken language. Japanese is really a unique language. There is different vocabulary to use depending on the formality of the situation. Most of the spoken language I'm learning is in the polite formal language. However, I've noticed that when I talk to my Japanese friends they use informal language. Which means they can understand me but I can't understand them. Nevertheless, at least I'm getting some language training even if I can't read or write when I get there. I'll just have to pick up the writing once I get there. I wish I had more time to dedicate to learning Japanese over the summer but I'm taking ten credit hours over the summer. :(

Besides working on the language I've tried to prepare the luggage I need to take with me. My plane tickets are all ready to go but the only problem is that I can only bring one check-in and one carry-on with me on the plane. I am positive I'll need more than that as I'll be staying over there for a year. Asking my travel adviser I found out that if you bring more than one check-in you have to pay based on kilograms. A complete rip off in my opinion.

Most of the important stuff I'll be bringing won't be too big at least. I've got a high quality digital camera I just bought a few weeks ago for taking plenty of pictures. A new laptop I've ordered will be here in a few weeks. I might have to replace the batteries on my Ipod before I leave to get some extended music time as I'm flying over the world. I'm a tech whiz in case you guys haven't figured it out yet.

So, as far as preparations are concerned I would say it's an ongoing process. I'm sure I'll be panicking near my departure flight because I put stuff off until the end.

The Story so Far

2007-06-09T15:25:00.000-04:00

Back in February of 2007 I applied for an international study abroad. I wanted to travel the world and get a chance to spread my wings. I've never really been away from my family before so this is going to be an experience of a lifetime. To think that I've lived at home with my parents all through my college life and suddenly get sent to the opposite side of the world is just too much to take in all at once.

When I first took a look at the possible exchange programs offered by my University I didn't see that much that interested me. There were plenty of countries to choose from. The programs ranged from semester long sessions to entire year exchanges. I decided that if I'm going to do a foreign exchange I wanted it all. I was going to do one of the year-long exchange program and not just a semester stay.

Looking over the possible choices for a year-long study narrowed my choices down to three. The three possible choices were Montpelier (France), Mainz (Germany), and Osaka (Japan). Having lived in the United States for most of my life I wanted a foreign experience that was really different. France and Germany would give me a great cultural exchange but the deviation between Japan and America would surely be a much greater magnitude. Perhaps my own Asian descent predisposed me to pick Japan as well. However, I shortly filed an application with the International Center to get going.

After a long process of obtaining transcripts, recommendation letters, and essays I thought to myself there was no possible way they would choose me because of one obvious reason. I knew absolutely no Japanese. Can't read, write, or speak the language. By this time I had found out some of the other candidates I was competing against could speak Japanese fluently. Why would they pick me? I wouldn't pick myself!

Talking to one of the advisers working at the International Center I found out that my chances of being selected will be primarily based on the interview and academic credentials. I've always done well academically but having no Japanese would surely be a big negative. I decided then I would have to win them over in the interview. If I wanted to go I would have to show them I was the best candidate even if I didn't know ANY Japanese!

The date of the interview came up; I met with three council members in a room. The director's name is Dr. Carew, she had one council member sitting to each side of her. They took turns asking me questions, each one looking for something different. There was a flurry of questions being thrown at me, however the one I remember most vividly was, "How are you going to use this experience for your future?".

I thought about it for a second and I answered, "I'm an Electrical Engineer, my job is to make electronics. Japan is the capital of the electronics industry. Having this experience will pave the way for my future when I step into that world."

After that they asked a few more questions and sent me off with a good luck and farewell. It wasn't long before I got a letter back from the council that said I got accepted for the 2007-2008 scholarship for Japan. I just couldn't believe it...