MLO 5: Cultural internalization and language immersion
5.1 Students demonstrate that they have actively immersed themselves in authentic Japanese cultural and linguistic environments and have internalized the language and cultural experience, from which they have developed a personal understanding and new perspectives of the community.
For my study abroad requirement, I took the class JAPN420: Maximizing study abroad and decided on Pathway 1 (Study abroad for 1 year).
5.1 My list of things that I wanted to do in Japan before leaving was:
-Climb Mount Fuji
-Fly out to Korea and Okinawa (Traveling in General)
-Participate in Kyudo
-Sample every type of food that I can
-Go to Festivals (Like the Sapporo snow festival)
-Attend a Kabuki production
-Go to Akihabara and its game centers
-Participate in a school festival
-Wear a Yukata
-Relax at an Onsen
I was able to complete most of the things on this list but there were issues with trying to accomplish some of them. Out of the things that I completed, climbing Mount Fuji was one of my biggest achievements and I feel that I was only able to accomplish that because my friends gave me the initial push. I kept telling myself that I wasn't able to finish the climb but I kept thinking about seeing my friends at the top and that honestly gave me hope that I would finish. Pushing myself out of my comfort zones was one of the main things that I wanted to do while studying abroad, and that's really what the Mount Fuji goal means to me. Other things were fairly easy to accomplish; traveling was very easy due to the scholarships that I had received. By the end of my time in Japan, I had traveled to Kansai (twice), Okinawa, Korea, and Hokkaido. I did try a lot of the foods that were new and interesting to me, but honestly it would have been impossible to sample everything. I did go to a lot of street festivals, but I am sad that I didn't get to go to the Sapporo snow festival. It was just too expensive at the time and I couldn't justify dropping that much money when my friends didn't want to travel with me. I wasn't able to go to a kabuki production because I never found the time (same for the onsen), but I will definitely try to go to them when I'm back in the country. I spent far too much time in Akihabara, but I regret none of it. My school actually threw a festival right after homestay so I did get to attend; I helped out some of my friends with their clubs and served yakisoba for a little while. Lastly, I didn't get to wear a yukata because I'm too big and needed one tailored.
Of all the things on the list that I still have yet to do, I will try to participate in the Sapporo snow festival since I'll be working in that area come next July. I also will attempt to attend a natural outdoor onsen while I'm in Hokkaido since they are so popular. However, those are the only things on the list that I truly regret not doing, but if I had to add anything, it would be traveling to Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
In terms of adjusting to Japan, I think it was fairly easy for me to adjust after the first couple of week. I'm a person who adapts to his environment rather quickly and I never felt out of place. Once I had a daily activity going, I truly began to feel like a normal person in Japan. That's why I believe that I have fulfilled this MLO requirement. I studied, worked, and lived in Japan for the period of a year and felt like I truly didn't feel like a foreigner by the time I left. There are still many things that I don't understand about Japan, but I truly believe that at this point in my life I can go back and feel the same way I did a year ago.
Japan Blog - Click here!
Lescant - Click here!
For my study abroad requirement, I took the class JAPN420: Maximizing study abroad and decided on Pathway 1 (Study abroad for 1 year).
5.1 My list of things that I wanted to do in Japan before leaving was:
-Climb Mount Fuji
-Fly out to Korea and Okinawa (Traveling in General)
-Participate in Kyudo
-Sample every type of food that I can
-Go to Festivals (Like the Sapporo snow festival)
-Attend a Kabuki production
-Go to Akihabara and its game centers
-Participate in a school festival
-Wear a Yukata
-Relax at an Onsen
I was able to complete most of the things on this list but there were issues with trying to accomplish some of them. Out of the things that I completed, climbing Mount Fuji was one of my biggest achievements and I feel that I was only able to accomplish that because my friends gave me the initial push. I kept telling myself that I wasn't able to finish the climb but I kept thinking about seeing my friends at the top and that honestly gave me hope that I would finish. Pushing myself out of my comfort zones was one of the main things that I wanted to do while studying abroad, and that's really what the Mount Fuji goal means to me. Other things were fairly easy to accomplish; traveling was very easy due to the scholarships that I had received. By the end of my time in Japan, I had traveled to Kansai (twice), Okinawa, Korea, and Hokkaido. I did try a lot of the foods that were new and interesting to me, but honestly it would have been impossible to sample everything. I did go to a lot of street festivals, but I am sad that I didn't get to go to the Sapporo snow festival. It was just too expensive at the time and I couldn't justify dropping that much money when my friends didn't want to travel with me. I wasn't able to go to a kabuki production because I never found the time (same for the onsen), but I will definitely try to go to them when I'm back in the country. I spent far too much time in Akihabara, but I regret none of it. My school actually threw a festival right after homestay so I did get to attend; I helped out some of my friends with their clubs and served yakisoba for a little while. Lastly, I didn't get to wear a yukata because I'm too big and needed one tailored.
Of all the things on the list that I still have yet to do, I will try to participate in the Sapporo snow festival since I'll be working in that area come next July. I also will attempt to attend a natural outdoor onsen while I'm in Hokkaido since they are so popular. However, those are the only things on the list that I truly regret not doing, but if I had to add anything, it would be traveling to Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
In terms of adjusting to Japan, I think it was fairly easy for me to adjust after the first couple of week. I'm a person who adapts to his environment rather quickly and I never felt out of place. Once I had a daily activity going, I truly began to feel like a normal person in Japan. That's why I believe that I have fulfilled this MLO requirement. I studied, worked, and lived in Japan for the period of a year and felt like I truly didn't feel like a foreigner by the time I left. There are still many things that I don't understand about Japan, but I truly believe that at this point in my life I can go back and feel the same way I did a year ago.
Japan Blog - Click here!
Lescant - Click here!