Japan and Tokiwa

Three action-packed weeks have gone by since we first landed in Narita airport. On my my way to class, I breathe the crisp Mito city air, while being serenaded by the chirping cicadas. I keenly observe my fellow college students, their various ways of speaking and the wide spectrum of clothing styles. Everything is so different, even the way toilets look and function are so different. (I'll explain that in another post).

You begin to notice, that as you go about your daily business, everything feels so convenient. First of all, everything is so convenient, because the Tokiwa employees and your fellow Tokiwa students are unbelievably kind. Upon arriving to the Tokiwa Exchange Dorm, I found out that my roommates had made my bed. They also gave me a pair of chopsticks and a keychain, which were colored yellow. My roommates have the same type of chopsticks and keychain, but in pink and green. This made me feel not only welcome but also accepted. My roommates' kindness has not lessened since the day I arrived.


In this picture, my Japanese roommates are the two ladies in the middle. You may notice that in this picture, that you can see someone's knees. At many Japanese restaurants, you take off your shoes and kneel on a pillow at the table. Since we, the exchange students, are not used to sitting in this manner for a long period of time, we end up sitting cross-legged, or if one is too tall and cannot fit in the space between the wall and the table in a cross-legged position, then one just sits with their knees tucked to their chest, like our friend that is barely in the right side of this picture.

Secondly, everything in Japan feels convenient, because everything truly is tailored to your needs. In one of my classes, my teacher explained that many Japanese consumers pay a higher price for items that are convenient. In America, we have convenience stores just as Japan has, but in Japan, everything is very well thought out with the consumers' comfort and interest in mind. For example, at the restaurants where you need to remove your shoes before kneeling at the table, there is a stick-looking item curved at the end. This stick is actually hanging there for your convenience, so that you can easily pull back the end of your shoe and slip your foot into your shoe on your way out of the restaurant. This is a very small example, of course. I also believe that everything feels more convenient, because everyone around us is being so considerate.

In any case, in order to show my appreciation, I try to help my roommates with their English homework and make foods that they otherwise would not have the opportunity to eat, such as Pad Thai, banana split sundae, and American peanut butter. So far, all my Japanese friends love American peanut butter, so, I advise, if you ever have the exciting chance to come to Japan, bring American peanut butter for your Japanese friends. American peanut butter is painfully expensive in Japan.

In the process of experiencing Japan,
Germaine