Osaka

Hi again readers (if any), hahaha

Today is my seventh day in Osaka, Japan. How is it going, you ask? I'm fine, as always.. First of all, I am healthy and safe. I am surrounded by amazing housemates and friends, and I am taken care of by wonderful program directors and landlords. I am starting to believe that everywhere I go, there are guardian angels protecting me, and as long as I am not too reckless, I will be nudged towards the right path. Anyways, I just got back from the gym, and I am blogging as I wait for the dinner with a friend at eight.. So here goes!

This program I am participating is called CET Osaka, and one of it's special features is the fact that we get to live with a specially assigned Japanese roommate. I live in a 8-person house (4 American students, 4 Japanese roommates), and my roommate, Shouta-kun, lives in the room right next to me. First of all, this semester might not be as academically intense as Amherst, but this semester really taught me to live. Japan is a very sophisticated society to navigate in, whose members have very little tolerance for people who deviate from the social norm.

I am currently in the midst of settling down, trying to better improve my communication skills with my Japanese roommates, and figuring out the dos and the don'ts of living in Japan. In the past seven days, I have learned that, among other things: 1) It is unacceptable to eat anything rice-based and walk (although something as tiny as sushi or onigiri) in Japan, but it is okay to eat bread while walking. 2) Phones are forbidden in the gym, even if you only use it to listen to music. MP3 players are cool though. 3) In the event of an earthquake, you need to rush to open a window or a door. There are further things that I haven't learned properly yet, like how to throw out trash. There are designated days in the week to dispose garbage, and on different times you can only throw out certain things. You have to use a clear plastic bag, and you may not put the garbage the night before.

If Singapore is a fine city, where order is kept through punitive measures and cost-prohibitive fines, Japan's order is maintained from social pressure and norms. From silent, judgmental stares to blatant criticism, the middle aged people here seem to try their best to make sure that everyone else is doing things the way it's supposed to be done. Of course, it's the society's business. Children here are taught to put the collective before the individual, and to always be mindful of how one's actions might impact others. That is not to say that everyone follows the rules. Occasionally, we get to see the oddball who slurps his cup ramen casually in the train, or older Japanese workers throwing up on the side of the street after drinking stupor.

Thus, it has been an interesting experience. I am starting to understand why a lot of people feel that living in the Japanese society is stressful, and I have an inkling that the Japanese people might care even more about their 'face' than the Chinese people. But yes, this is a place where I can be as polite as much as I would like to be and find someone who is even more polite. And yes, this is a place where I get to bow to other people and instead of getting judged, I get a bow back. It feels pretty nice!

Thank you,