What you expect isn't what you get

Tradition with globalization




My last impressions of Japan are very mixed. For the last month here in Japan I have been ready to go home, and now I am less than a week away and also sad about leaving. I have had the opportunity to do so much in just the short time I have been here. In this short time I have learned a lot about Japan and her people. I realize I have posted pictures of people in very few of my previous entries, however for this post I hoped to capture a little of what Japanese people are in just 2 photos. The first picture I feel resembles Japan’s tradition alongside globalization. Both of these I feel have defined what Japan is today. If you ask a Japanese person what to see in Japan, many will say, “A temple.” Why is this so important? One of my Japanese friends explained to me today that Japanese religion is not only a belief, but a way of life. This can be seen in the saying “itadakimasu” and eating everything before you down to the last grain of rice.
There is also the controversy over whether the globalization of Japan has helped it to become even more unique or alternatively loose its distinctiveness from others. My impressions have all been positive since Americans are largely looked upon very favorably and sometimes rules can even be bent if they know you are from America. I could almost attribute my survival in Japan at times to globalization in being able to read important signs and food menus that are also written in English for its “coolness” factor.
With the second picture, I tried to show the spirit of the Japanese people. Yes, they all have their awkward moments on the trains when everyone stares at one another while usually trying to act like they aren’t. However, when you see someone doing what they love most, it is truly gratifying. This last weekend I was in Sanda and the town happened to be hosting a festival on their main street. There was a slight drizzle but it didn’t hinder the local college performers. It almost seemed like the cool rain soaking their kimonos and hair was giving them even more energy to dance. It looked so fun that I was envious and wanted to join. It is spontaneous moments like these that I love.
On the flip side, coming to Japan has also helped me to have a wake up call about some things I take for granted in America. There is always something to complain about like not having a nice car to drive. Although, when you are placed somewhere where driving isn’t even an option, just having a car seems much more appreciable.
In the end, I can say with confidence that I came to Japan to study the Japanese language but I came away with something much richer. Through unforgettable experiences, I have made lasting friendships, been introduced to a wonderful culture and learned what I love about my own.


Spirit

Kansai School Politics

The politics of any school usually has interesting dynamics. For instance my home university (University of Utah) sees a need in pouring millions of dollars into the athletic department every season. This can be especially seen in the football at the school where the coach makes about a half a million a year alone. It seems that in America, much of a schools prestige comes from their football teams. The politics of Kansai Gaidai however leaves me with a totally different impression. Kansai Gaidai is all about image. “If it looks appealing to the eye, then it is probably good” is probably what their unofficial motto would be. It seems like they even have a full time photography constantly walking around classes and campus to make sure the portrayed image stays prestigious. Sometimes even entire film crews can be seen trying to make a scene for a commercial.



The appearance of KG




In fact, what I wanted to talk about is how the politics of the school portray something a little different than the truth.
The main asset that they try to publicize is the international students. All of the pictures are of international and Japanese students talking and having fun. Which leads people to believe that there is a lot of communication and interaction with native speakers. And while this is partially true, there is definitely a type of invisible wall between CIE and the rest of campus. It is sad to see that usually international students feel comfortable talking amongst international students and most Japanese students feel intimidated to inter the big scary English speaking building of CIE. Of course there are some programs like the home visit and speaking partner program that try to break this cycle. I actually did a group project in my other elective class where we developed an activity/program to combat this very situation.
Which leads to the next political topic. For this project, we had to get approval to host an activity and post posters. We first talked with the activities director in CIE to get approval. He told us that it was not his area but that we needed to get permission from student affairs. Once at student affairs, we were instructed talk to the registrar desk. At the registrar desk we talked to a man that had two things to say. The first was that the cafeteria where we wanted to host the activity was not under their “jurisdiction”. The second is that it is not a good idea to put up posters because it is dangerous since any non student can come on campus, see the poster and come to the activity.
In conclusion, to put it lightly, both the system of school regulations seems to want to be so politically correct that it is difficult for one person to speak up and answer a question. Additionally, the politics surrounding the publicity of the school tends to be caught up in a fake sort of euphoria with the thought that there are happy international students waiting to talk to Japanese students.


Student Affairs where "things get done"