Changing Impressions

My impression of Japan during my time living here have gone through many phases. Some good, some bad; ups and downs. They aren’t impressions I’d say are uncommon, and it’s likely that a similar pattern would have been seen no matter where I were to study abroad. However, I definitely learned a lot about myself living in Japan that I would not have experienced studying abroad elsewhere.

It all started with the common mix of fear and excitement when departing to live in a place literally halfway around the world for a year. I expected abundant differences and struggle to adapt to them. These expectations were quickly expelled, but perhaps aided by attending a heavily internationally oriented school. Either way, my biggest surprise was coming to see just how similar Japan and Japanese people are to home and the people I used to live with. The longer I stayed here and the better I got to know people, the more I came to realize that we aren’t in fact different at all.

Imposing my goofy side on an unsuspecting student.

This revelation, however, was only really due to my heavy false expectation. It turns out the cultures are vastly different, but instead only when it comes to the countless smaller nuances: from the exceptionally friendly yet so impersonal retail and restaurant service industry, to the undying commitment to becoming so good at whatever it is your passion might be.

A friend of mine becoming acquainted with the natives.

My greatest lesson was learning the proper way to deal with people different from you. One approach, and probably the more intuitive one, is to try to think like the other party. It seems intuitive, since it’ll make them feel more comfortable talking to you, and thus they’ll open themselves up more easily. The thing is though, it’s likely that they’ll do the same, in which case the point is lost. Instead, it is a better idea to simply be yourself and how you would act in your own country, being conscious of cultural differences and being ready to adapt, accept, and forgive differences. This isn’t something that simply applies to meeting people from other cultures, and is, I feel, a more widely applicable life lesson.