A year out in Japan

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It had been snowing quite a lot before I got there obviously, because the streets, trees, houses, everything was covered in beautiful white snow. Naturally, this meant it was absolutely freezing too. However, in my experience, it seems that the cold weather can be somewhat forgotten if there's a layer of glistening snow covering the ground. It was quite a change from the 30+ weather in summery Australia that I had just come from.

To be honest though, I didn't really notice it that first day. The drive from the airport to my dormitory in town is a blur in my memory. I think I was just too nervous to let any other feeling register. Fukuda Sensei, who is in charge of the exchange student program, was there at the airport to meet me. After putting his muscles to the test by hauling my extremely overweight suitcase up 3 flights of stairs, he took me out to lunch. I remember it was a very nice and expensive looking restaurant that served traditional Japanese cuisine, and that we had a conversation about something, but apart from that, nothing. Again, I put all this down to my nerves. All I really wanted to do was hole up in my new dorm room, call my family, and let everything sink in. And that is what I did for the next 2 or 3 days, minus the calling my family part as I didn't have a phone.

I cried a lot those first few days, I haven't told anyone that. Especially not Mum. I'm sure she would have convinced me to come home and I didn't really want that, not really. It was just very lonely and I needed a little time to come to terms with my new life. I suppose I felt a little silly too, I mean, nobody had made me come, I had wanted to. But a year is a long time and at the beginning you are at the furthest most point from seeing everyone again.

I allowed myself those first couple of days and then I snapped out of it. I was here to change, to be strong and independent, and that's what I needed to be. So I took myself outside and went shopping for the bare essentials for my room; I unpacked all my luggage and put up my photos; I walked to an internet cafe (the only one in town) and sent emails to my friends and family; I met a student from my university and we went to get my "alien registration" and a new mobile phone together; and I finally took some time to notice the beautiful snow all around me.

Back home, a lot of people asked me where in Japan I would be living and when my answer was "Hakodate", all I got in return were blank looks. So I changed my answer to "a city in Hokkaido", but even then I got the same response. My answer eventually evolved to "a small city in the northernmost island of Japan". I suppose not many people know too much about Japan, unless you've been there, or want to go there, or have some other relationship with the country, it doesn't really register. Naturally I got a lot of people asking me why I was going to this small city they hadn't even heard of, because I did have a choice. My university has exchange program relationships with about 10 or so different Japanese universities all over the country, so I could have chosen any one of them. Of course I could have chosen Tokyo or Osaka or Kyoto, one of the bigger, well-known cities of Japan, and definitely cities I do eventually want to visit. But I chose Hakodate. I always knew I would choose a small city, I'm not really a big city girl, at least I don't think I am. I like my space. And as far as I'm concerned there are more benefits to doing an exchange in a small city than a big one. I didn't want to go to Tokyo where western comforts existed, I wanted the more traditional Japan experience. I didn't want to go to Kyoto where there are an abundance of English speakers, I wanted to be in a small city where foreigners were few and far between and the locals only spoke Japanese. After all, my main purpose for living in Japan is to improve my Japanese. I'm seeking a place that will be totally different to what I was used to back home, in as many ways as possible. So far, I am sufficiently culture shocked to think that I chose well.

So for those of you who don't know, Hakodate is on the southern tip of Hokkaido, which is the the most northern island of Japan. If you look at a map of Japan you'll see that Hokkaido has a tail that looks much like the tail of a whale or dolphin and Hakodate is located in the Southeast. It's pretty much a port city, one which used to be a fishing village and has grown over time. It has a population of less than 300,000 so for Japan this is quite small. However, as I found out that first week, this doesn't mean that you can walk from one end of town to the other easily.

The university dormitory that I'm staying in is in the northern area of town, within walking distance to my school and some shops. However the main part with most of the shops, the port, the train station, restaurants etc. are at the southern end. Although there is a tram line that goes down there I honestly didn't think it would be too far so I walked. In the snow. I was absolutely freezing, but I suppose it is a good way to get to know the place you're living in.

As I said I'm staying in a dorm, which has definitely seen better days. I don't know exactly how old it is but it's pretty dirty. There are three floors and I'm on top. In true Japanese style there is a "genkan" or entrance where everyone takes off their shoes and replaces them with slippers. Each floor has a kitchen and toilet area which are all communal, and there are about 20 bedrooms per floor. So that's a lot of girls to be sharing with. Luckily my bedroom has a small fridge and cupboards where I can keep my food. Honestly though I've never known a bunch of girls who are dirtier. The kitchen always has unwashed pots and pans, food on the benches and floor, dust everywhere, and the toilets! Well, I won't go into too much detail, except to say that they are the traditional Japanese squatter toilets, and that the girls don't exactly clean up after themselves very well. On more than one occasion I've been left a nice little present. We do have a cleaning schedule and each girl is assigned an area to clean each week, but as the semester hasn't started yet not all the girls are here. I'm dreading the week I have to clean the toilet!!!

On the bottom floor there is also a common room, which so far I haven't seen being used, a laundry and a bathroom with a big bath and a few showers on the wall. Let me say that again, a few showers on the wall. Communal showering! Eeek! I have to be honest it did take me a day or so to actually get the courage to go down to that room, undress in the small changing room, and walk into that open plan bathroom stark naked and shower in front of the other girls. And they're not exactly shy about staring at me either, I mean I know I stand out in Japan, and when my clothes are on in the street I can handle it, but when I'm free of my protective layer of clothing in the shower? It's more than a little uncomfortable. I guess I got my culture shock. I have to keep reminding myself that I asked for this, and that all of these things just add to my stash of foreign experiences.

As it so happened my room is right next door to a Chinese exchange student. She has been in Hakodate for about 5 months and will be going back to China at the end of March. This very nice girl has already done three extremely nice things for me in the short time I have been here. During that first week she introduced herself and invited me to two places that I hope will be very rewarding experiences throughout the year. The first is a Japanese "salon" as they call them, which is basically a workshop run by volunteers every second Saturday at the community centre for all the foreigners in town. It's a chance for us to practice our Japanese and learn about the culture and also to meet other foreigners who live here. I was a little surprised that something like this existed as I didn't think there were a lot of foreigners in Hakodate. However, on that first day I realised there are quite a lot of Chinese people and a small amount of other nationalities too. I even met another Australian! The workshop itself was very interesting. We spent the first hour in small groups talking in Japanese about a certain topic and then the second hour we spent learning about one aspect of Japanese culture. That day we were told about one of the many festivals in Japan: Girls day. I really enjoyed the experience and hope to go back to learn more. It's a great way to get to know people and that is definitely something I need right now.

The second rewarding experience that I was invited to was a tea ceremony lesson. To be honest, I wasn't really very enthusiastic about going to it, I already knew a bit since we learnt about the custom back in class in Australia. However, I knew I should try to do something Japanese and by the way the Chinese girl was talking so passionately about it, I didn't know how to say no. I thought I'd go along, gain the experience, and then if she asked me again I could say it wasn't for me. So along I went. The lesson took place in the home of the tea ceremony teacher. Her name is Shishido Sensei and as far as I can tell she has been offering free tea ceremony lessons to exchange students in Hakodate for a number of years. There was only myself, the Chinese girl from my dorm and another Chinese girl who I didn't know.

Shishido Sensei's house is absolutely gorgeous. Just what you'd expect of a Japanese house. Traditional entrance, tatami mats, sliding wooden doors, a beautiful Japanese garden and she even has a traditional room where she teaches tea ceremony. Without going into too much detail (as I could write a completely separate entry just on the lesson, I might even do that), we spent a couple of hours practicing "the way of the tea". It was such a beautiful, peaceful thing to watch, I was so fascinated by the whole experience that I have decided to continue lessons. I will be going every Saturday around lunch time and I've already had a couple of lessons now. It's not easy, but there's so much to learn and it's all absolutely mesmerising! Not to mention that Shishido Sensei is one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met, oh and the green tea and sweets that accompany it are delicious! I'm so thankful that I decided to go along that first day!

Finally, the last thing that the Chinese girl did for me was to invite me to Kyoto with her for a few days!!!! Yay, I went to Kyoto! She had been planning to go for some time but hadn't gotten around to it, and also since it is the start of the sakura (cherry blossom) season down south she thought it would be the perfect time. I was so excited when she asked me. I hadn't really thought that I would be travelling so early on in the year, but class still doesn't start until next week and there's not much else to do.

We were only in Kyoto for two days and three nights but I think we got to see a lot of the main sights. I didn't really plan much since it was really her trip and I know I will probably get the chance to go again sometime in the next year. I was just grateful to be tagging along! We stayed in a really nice ryokan which is a traditional Japanese inn, that was run by a little old couple. I didn't really talk to them much because I couldn't understand most of what they were saying, but luckily the Chinese girl has great Japanese. In Kyoto we went to the Golden Pavillion, a beautiful golden temple built in the middle of a lake; Kiyomizudera which is another, huge temple that was set in the mountains; the Silver Pavillion, which isn't even silver; Nijo castle, a stunning building that is more like a palace than a castle and has some beautiful gardens; and a few other shrines and temples whose names I can't even remember. Like I said I was letting her do all the planning. Kyoto was absolutely beautiful though! I loved every second of it. Unfortunately we didn't get to see any sakura in the end as it was still quite cold and they hadn't bloomed yet. Luckily for me, I still have that to look forward to!

So far Hakodate is turning out to be very enjoyable. It's still challenging in a lot of ways, I still miss everyone a lot, I just try to keep busy now, no more moping in my room! I still don't understand a lot of the Japanese that people are saying to me, but I am improving! I have to! I've hardly spoken a word of English since I've arrived, which is very tiring and at the end of the day I often have a headache. I'm really looking forward to classes starting though, and the chance to meet more people. I heard there is a new Chinese girl replacing my friend next door from April so that will be good. So I am trying to stay positive, and things are definitely looking up!

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Photos

Goryokaku Park
It's a star shaped fortress in Hakodate...all frozen over at the moment

Hakodate
The symbol of Hakodate is the squid!

Goryokaku Park
Obviously after the snow thawed out

Vending machine
They're everywhere!!

Japanese sweets
These are the type of sweets that you eat during a tea ceremony