What at first dazzles, becomes the mundane

As I said before, everything is the same yet everything is different. This statement is far to glib; allow my to further explicate.

For the usual student who studies abroad, it would not be too difficult to live in Japan because they could simply reject the facets of Japanese culture which they dislike, but for me, it is an arduous process to learn the correct way of going about daily life. Some examples for you. Because the British built the railroads in Japan, people drive on the opposite side of the road than Americans, where the railroads were built by the French. Thus, people walk on the opposite side of the sidewalk. With my height of 6 foot 3 inches, I am a giant in this land. The door frames in my house are all too short. I cant see out the bus windows very well when I am standing. None of the desks allow for my legs to fit under them. Overall, I get a feeling of being too big. The metric system is used here, so I dont have any concept of distance, temperature, or size. Hey, America. Get your shit together and switch to the metric system!

But enough of complaints. The food here is amazing. Every meal my host mother cooks is crazy delicious. I love tofu, and the tofu in America has nothing on the tofu here. As well, the common dishes of udon and ramon never fail to satisfy my hunger. There is an emphasis on vegetables and fish, as they are the native foodstuffs of the Japanese, but they also eat some chicken and beef. Their beef supply coming from imported cattle that take residence in Hokkaida, the northern most island that is of any consequents. I had raw chicken shashimi the other night. It was strange, but not offensive.

I dont so much enjoy the city of Nagasaki, as it is like any other major city of contemporary construction. The buildings are lifeless and ugly. The true beauty of Japan is found in the country, where the older ways of doing things is still thriving. Overpopulation has done terrible things to the Japanese people, and I think this is the country with the highest population density. In the city, everyone must wear a blank face so as not to express any emotions. No one looks at each other. When waiting for the bus, everyone looks straight ahead at the road. Japan is the only place that people work more hours a week than America. The country is so peaceful in comparison. The people so close-nit and friendly. The beauty of nature abound. Hills as steep as mountains. The bay so tranquil at night.

I feel this entry to be heavy with my opinion, and I do not wish to misinform, so please, if you get the chance, and have the notion, I would recommend you visit Japan.

First Impressions

Sorry not to wright until now; its been a challenging week with a lot of newness and not a lot of free time.

I came to Nippon with a prejudice, that it was going to be awesome, and I was right. Everything is both different and the same. I live with a host family in the town of Togitsu which is about two miles from Nagasaki and my University. They are a very pleasant retired couple who have hosted students in the past. I also live with a host brother who is from France. I spent the last week mostly in a stupor from jet-lag, but now I am starting to feel accustom to the time difference.

The University that I attend is located on the top of a hill on the boarder of Nagasaki city. It is a smaller school with a population of about 300 students, 50 being international students. The program is for western students, so there are people from America, France, and Germany, but in truth, the program caters to American students. This last week was all orientation which included information about the school, city, and culture. I think school here will be very enjoyable.

It is strange to be a foreign here. Most people seem very friendly, but some older adults look at you with disdain and some younger children whisper and giggle about you. Overall thou, people are very accepting and helpful. Here is one example. Yesterday, I lost my wallet on the bus, but someone saw it and gave it to the bus driver. Then, the bus driver stopped the bus and waited for me to come back and get it.

The city of Nagasaki is nothing special, in that the western style commercial buildings are depressing and lifeless, but the few representations of true culture are beautiful. So far, I have seen a Shinto shrine and some Chinese architecture. The landscape is amazing. Mountainous hills covered with dense vegetation. The ocean never far out of view. Clouds that role in so low you think: maybe I can reach up and pluck them from the sky.

I look forward to the routine that school provides, and to life settling into a steady flow once more.

To begin

I'm not really sure how this whole blogging business is suppose to go, but I will do my best to be worth your time.

Tomorrow I begin my journey across the Pacific to the archipelago of Japan. (Better known as Nihon or Nippon to the Japanese people). I will be staying in the city of Nagasaki which is located on the island of kyushu. This is the southern most island of the four major islands that make up the country. The latitude is around that of Atlanta, Georgia so I am hoping for a little milder winter than what we see in Wisconsin. Japan is very mountainousness with sixty percent of the land covered by forest. I look forward to the beautiful land and seascapes that are sure to be abound.

The multitude of planes rides I have to take will add up to around twenty four hours of travel. I am apprehensive, as I have never traveled such a distance alone. I leave from Milwaukee and arrive in Fukuoka with layovers in Detroit and Nagoya. Once in Fukuoka, I will meet up with people from the study abroad program and be taken to Nagasaki on the morn of the twentieth. Classes start the next day.

I chose to stay with a host family because I wanted to get a better perspective on what life is really like in Japan. So far, all I know is that the family consists of three people: a husband, a wife, and a mother-in-law. He is a sixty five year old business man and she is a sixty three year old house wife. I have the feeling I might have to live like a child again, which is fine because I might feel like a child anyway.

That is all I can think to say and I have much packing to do. To anyone who reads my blog, thank you for taking this journey with me.

私の意見

日本語のクラスはたのしくておもしろいと思います。クラスマートと先生がすきです。かんじはむずかしいと思います。Distance educationで日本語をべんきょうするのはたいへんが、べんりです。私はよくなまえのUW-Riverfalls学生をわすれます。偉大な学期をありがとう。さようなら。

私のしゅまつ

金曜日、アリバイとをして、ええがを見て、本を読んだ。土曜日、Bluff hike をした。それから、よる、カラオケをした。日曜日、applicationのにほんでべんきょうするをかいて、べんきょうして、たくさんをねた。

私のかぞく Final Draft

　　　私のかぞくは小さいです。私は四人かぞくです。私たちはTennesseeとMinnesotaとIowaとWisconsinにすんでいました。 今，父と母はMequonのWisconsinにすんでいます。
　　　私の父は会社につとめています。父はせが高くてこわいです。父はやせていま す。父はおよぐがすきです。けっこんしています。　私の母はようちえんの先生です。　母はしんせつでせがひく いです。めがねをかけてやせています。けっこんしています。母はいねがすきです。父と母はメキシコの食べものが大だいきです。
　　　あにはMadisonのWisconsinにすんでいます。UW-Madison大学のがくせいです。四ねんせいです。せんもんはBiomedical Engineeringです。あたまがよくてちょっとせがひくいです。けっこんしていません。あにはテレビゲームとChessがすきです。ら いねん、あにはかいしゃにつとめます。
　　　私のかぞくはとてもにぎやかです。私のかぞくはおもしろくて、たのしいです。

私のかぞくのさくぶん

　　　私は小さいかぞくがいます。私は四人かぞくです。私たちはTennesseeとMinnesotaとIowaとWisconsinにすんでうました。今，ちちとはははMequonのWisconsinにすんでいます。
　　　私のちちはかいしゃにつとめています。ちちはせがたかくてこわいです。ちちはやせています。ちちはかるがすきです。けっこんしています。　私のはははようちえんのせんせいです。　はははしんせつでせがひくいです。めがねをかけてやせています。けっこんしています。はははいねがすきです。父と母はMexican食べものが大だいきです。
　　　あにはMadisonのWisconsinにすんでいます。UW-Madisonだいがくのがくせいです。よんねんせいです。せんもんはBiomedical Engineeringです。あたまがよくてちょっとせがひくいです。けっこんしていません。あにはテレビゲームとChessがすきです。らいねん，あにはかいしゃにつとめています。
　　　私のかぞくはとてもにぎやかです。私のかぞくはおもしろくて、たのしいです。