I've currently been in Japan for working on three weeks. So far things have been BUSY!!! The program that I am on is jam packed. From working at host schools, to taking classes at Gandai, to trying to hold an entire conversation in Japanese, there is never a dull moment. As for what I will be doing with the rest of this blog...
What you will see from here on out are entries from your's truly about my time here in Japan. However, there is going to be a bit of a twist. I will be utilizing this blog to give a sort of multi-media record of various things that I see and experience while here in Morioka, Japan. This first set of pictures falls under the title of "Early Impressions." This blog is not ment to offend, and I am merely showing what I see as well as why I posted the images I did. Any questions, please ask!
I chose this photo as it represents one of my own kind of assumptions. This comes from the hotel we stayed when we first arrived to Japan. Notice that the key is different than any American key that I have ever seen. The large fob attached to it also displays the name of our hotel in English, not Japanese. I remember taking this photo thinking to myself, what is the purpose of such a large fob??? I will tell you that I didn't lose the key once! Maybe that's what it's purpose was. Another thing I found interesting is that we turned in the keys to the front desk whenever we left the building, and we picked them up upon our return.
I took this photo of a train as it is one form of public transit that Japan is known for. Having ridden trains in Chicago, I found that this experience was much different. The train was clean, and the people who worked it even took the time to clean it before we got on. The ride was smooth and fast. I find it interesting, also, that when I think of trains, the Japanese bullet train is the only thing that comes to mind. It is such a staple of Japanese public transportation.
I chose this photo as it represents the way in which the Japanese dine. Unlike dining back in Portland, IN, the Japanese have a way of presenting their food in way that gives each dish its own purpose. Back in the states, we just slap it on a plate and we are done with it. Not only is the way in which we eat different, but the timing in which we eat here is very set. I eat breakfast at roughly the same time every morning. I follow that with a lunch at around noon, and I have supper every night at around seven.
These are the futon's that we slept on while at the ryokan in Morioka. Along with taking our shoes off before we could enter the room, there was a clear divide between the hallway and the room. The rooms had a typical tatami floor. I found this almost fitting my expectations a little to much. I figured that most people still utilized this type of sleeping system. I suppose we'll have to see how that holds up.
Going along the lines of the distinction between hall and room, I have been given the impression that Japan is a place where their are boundaries. The interesting thing is that these boundaries exist without people truly claiming their existence. People seem to be much less straightforward about how they feel on issues or what they think. This is different when you are sitting at the table with your friend or family member. However, the general public follows a set of conducts that are taught with little words, and learned mostly through experience...
