Week #1: Feelin’ Japan out!

My first week in Nagoya, Japan has come to an end, and I am can thankfully say I am having a blast. My thoughts and prior notions did not do this country justice! I am learning new words and cultural norms everyday, and I am humbled by the generosity and helpfulness I have found in the Japanese people. Culturally, the Japanese are very polite, non-confrontation people, and whether you speak Japanese or not, people are willing to help and give guidance. One of my colleagues asked someone for directions and the person bought her ticket, got on the subway with her, then told her exactly where she needed to get off. My first night here, I explored around my neighborhood of Tsukiji-guchi (yea, try saying that 3 times!) looking for some dinner. It was a Sunday, so most things were closed, however I found a little fast food joint around the corner. After looking at the menu for a good ten minutes, some girls waiting for their food communicated they spoke little English; I said “chicken,” and they proceeded to point out all the chicken dishes on the menu for me. Later in the week, I had to travel about an 1-1.5 hours out of the city for a training session, which meant multiple subways/trains/buses. I asked people every step of the way to ensure I was going the right way and every time someone greeted me with a friendly face and helpful directions. I do want to learn as much Japanese as possible, however I can understand how some people have gotten away with years of no Japanese language skills. The Japanese are super helpful people, and pointing at pictures/maps/etc. works pretty well too 😉

First and foremost, the food is BOMB! I’m definitely not going to go hungry here nor will I lose any weight (though that’s a minor detail). I have quickly realized the Asian food I’ve had back in the states is nothing compared to what I am eating in my everyday life here. Number 1: sushi! My typical shrimp tempura roll has yet to be on any menu I’ve seen thus far, though a soft shell crab roll has rocked my mouth. A couple nights ago, my colleague and I found a popping sushi spot around the corner from our office. When we walk in a server says, “Welcome,” which is followed by all the sushi chefs (about 6-8) yelling “welcome!!” When we sat down at the sushi bar, the man beside us quickly started a conversation as he spoke and teaches English in the Nagoya area. (It’s pretty rare to find someone that can actually have a conversation with you in English here; most people know very basic words, but conversations are a little much to ask from most.) He proceeded to make a few suggestions and order us a round of sake. This is just one of the many examples I have of people going above and beyond to welcome me into this culture. Later on, after our new friend left, a couple sitting a few bar stools down from us ordered some type of shrimp sushi. I only mention this because I literally watched a live shrimp jump off the mound of rice multiple times prior to the dude sticking half of it into his mouth and chomping it. The tail was STILL moving, even after he chomped it in half! I don’t think I’ve seen anything like that before, and believe me, it was an experience. In addition to sushi, I’ve had ramen for the first time (which is much different from the sodium-filled packets back home), bbq squid, kimchi fried rice, chicken wings and lots of pork. I’ve also found a green tea ice-cream treat, which I cannot sleep without! There is a decent amount of things I’ve tried that I have no clue what they actually were, but at this point, I’m thinking it’s probably better. Food is relatively cheap, so I’m excited to see what else I will find.

In terms of my living space, I am currently living in a sharehouse with about 16 Japanese people, 2 other Americans, a Canadian and a dude from Ireland. We share communal spaces and have our own bedrooms. It’s been really neat getting to know my housemates, and everyone is very open and helpful. Every night people congregate in the living room/kitchen areas to share food, drinks and conversation. This has also been super beneficial to my Japanese language skills because I am constantly hearing Japanese and am encouraged to use the little I know. There are several housemates that speak English, so it gives them an opportunity to practice their language skills too.

Lastly, I will mention probably one of the most shocking things I have seen thus far: whitening creams. For whatever reason, no other colleague was super surprised about this; however my prior exposure to authentic Asian/Japanese culture has been slim to none, so that may be why I was caught off guard. Most lotions, body creams or body milks have whitening treatments to make your skin lighter/whiter. Japanese culture associates white skin with beauty. I try not to criticize this, however I know different. I bought lotion one of my first days here and after realizing that most lotions have this whitening treatment in them, I had 2 of my Japanese housemates read the ingredients and confirm there is none in the product I bought. They laughed and I’m sure thought it was a little strange that I was so adamant on NOT WANTING the whitening cream, but in a living space like this, culture differences become apparent everyday.

This coming week is pretty heavy in terms of my work schedule, though I will be traveling all over, so I’m excited to see some new places as well as try some different foods. Stay tuned!