What I did was I finished writing out my paragraphs and then printed them out and cut them up. For the photos I bought a thick board with adhesive on one side to paste the photos on. Cutting the board to fit the photos was kind of difficult but it made them look a lot better so it's okay in the end! The photos I had from my digital camera, then added text on photoshop, and finally took the photos to Bic Camera and had them printed out. It was all a lot of work but now that it's over I feel really accomplished!
Here is my project:
Arrival
First arriving in Miyagi was a shocker for me. I’d never been in Japan before and certainly wasn’t the best at Japanese yet. Everything was very new to me at the time, but the program I went to Japan with, Rotary International, set up orientation programs and other events throughout the year to help me and other exchange students out. Although Rotary was a bit strict, they helped me to adjust to my new life. Coming to Tokyo two years after I left Miyagi was exciting. I already knew what I was getting myself into, I had brushed up on my Japanese, and was ready to go. Without Rotary breathing down my neck, I knew I would have much more freedom. Being in a city as big as Tokyo was a first, however, and I got lost on in the train system multiple times. Now I’m used to living in Tokyo though, and I’m loving it just the same as I loved Miyagi!
End of Full Year / Departure
The end of my exchange in Miyagi was difficult. I didn’t know when I would be able to come back to Japan again, if ever, and I knew most of the people I met I would never see again. I didn’t want to leave, even though my host family didn’t like me very much. Rotary had a going-away ceremony for the exchange students, which was the last time that we were all together, no one knowing when they could come back to Japan. However two years later, here I am in Tokyo. I’m leaving this August but I know that I’m coming back by the end of the month to start another year here. I recently saw an old friend from my exchange in Miyagi, and I feel free to stay in Japan or leave when I feel I need to. Although it’s expensive for me to stay here, I know this is where I want to be. I’m thankful for my time in Miyagi for introducing me to Japan in the first place!
Holiday Season
The Holidays in December (Christmas, New Year’s) were interesting for me in both Miyagi and Tokyo. I didn’t go back home for either one. In Miyagi I was getting really homesick, but I had my friends from school around and so we had a Christmas party together. For New Year’s, I went to Tokyo for the first time and stayed with my host mother’s sister. Ironically, one of the first places I visited was Asakusa, which is where I live now! In Tokyo however, most of my friends from school all went home for the holidays and I was pretty much alone. Christmas I spent with a new friend, which was okay if not a little lonely. Japan celebrates New Year’s much more than they do Christmas so my Christmas celebration was nothing special. New Year’s I had a small party with some friends which was more exciting than Christmas was for sure. Being away from home at these times is hard, but eye-opening to Japanese culture, especially with New Year’s, their biggest holiday.
Living Situation
My living situation has changed greatly from when I lived in Miyagi until now in Tokyo. In Miyagi I was still a teenager and lived with a host family who took care of me and gave me a place to stay. Although I struggled with communication with my host family sometimes, overall it taught me a lot about Japanese culture. Now in Tokyo I live alone and take care of myself and pay for my own things. I don’t have a host family to learn from anymore, so now everything is my own responsibility, including furthering my knowledge of Japanese and the culture. I might have went from a 4-story house to a 1 room apartment, but in a way the small apartment is a way of learning about Tokyo life. These two ways of living are very different for me.
Difference in Schools
My school experiences in Japan are just about opposites. In Miyagi I went to a Japanese high school with Japanese classmates and Japanese classes and wore a school uniform. Fitting in was difficult, and understanding my classes and classmates even more so. Now in Tokyo I go to an American University where I understand everything and fit in well. Both experiences have ups and downs, and neither is especially bad. Living in Tokyo has made me realize the difference between how internationalized Tokyo has become in comparison to the majority of Japan. Although Tokyo still has a way to go before it’s really “international”, it’s still a much easier place for foreigners in Japan to live in. However, I learned more in my year in Miyagi than I feel like I ever have here, so in the end both have been great experiences for me, whether I speak Japanese or English at school.
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