During the Fall Semester, I had a class in which I had to record journals in Japanese regularly, so I ended up chronicling most of my experiences in that journal for the past couple months. Here are pictures of these journals
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It's almost Christmas here in Japan, but I can't help but feel the extreme amount of difference between here and back home in the States. Lately, I've really been noticing the differences in American and Japanese h your family. I also never noticed the mood change that occurs in America, and the overall "holiday season" feel that comes along with it. Here, there isn't much of a change in people's behaviors, or the appearance of storefronts and such. I never noticed the overall change of landscape that the holiday season brings, but the lack of it is making me feel somewhat homesick
It has been about one month since I arrived in Japan, and classes have gotten underway. Once all the exchange students arrived, we all took a placement test to determine what class level we would be placed in. I scored a lot lower than I expected, and I am in the lowest class level by myself. Having essentially a private teacher for 8+ hours a week really helps my Japanese comprehension. Focusing and re-learning some methods of studying takes some time and mental backtracking, but I think it will be helpful in the long run.
It was quite a hectic journey, but I managed to make it to Kitakyushu. After arriving in Germany, my mother and I realized that our plane tickets were actually standby tickets, and w were unable to board our plane. We booked a hotel for the nigh, bought tickets for a plane on the day after, and tried again. Then, upon arriving in Kitakyushu, we took the wrong bus, because we have never used public transportation, and we thought that the bus that arrived was the bus we needed to take even though it arrived at a different time. Thankfully, the staff at UKK were understanding and even waited outside the monorail station. Right now, I'm just glad that I made it to Japan and that I don't have to sleep on a plane anymore.
I've checked my bank accounts, I've packed my bags, and I've booked my flights. In less than 24 hours, I will begin my 2-day journey to the city of Kitakyushu. It is going to take 2 days because I am travelling around the OTHER side of the globe, instead of flying directly to Japan. I am flying with my mother because she works for a German company, and she gets discounts on flights. However, this means that we have to fly to Germany to get the most of the discount. Altogether, the estimated total flight time is 23 hours and 55 minutes, not including layovers. So, it will be quite the adventure for me, considering I've only ever been on a commercial flight once, and that flight was only half an hour. For now, everything is in order, and we are ready to go! Our flight leaves at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow, and I'm eager to get going! Although, I probably won't enjoy the flights after the first hour or two.
As I've been reviewing/studying my Japanese, I discovered a new method of approaching the daunting task of studying Kanji. It is based around a series of books written by James W. Heisig, titled: "Remembering the Kanji". Albeit, this method somewhat contradicts traditional classroom methods of Kanji learning, as it focuses on the meaning of kanji, rather than how to read them or vocabulary. Despite this, I've heard that it can help ease the overload that many people face when learning kanji by tying the characters to familiar aspects, as opposed to unfamiliar or multiple readings/vocabulary words. The method is also heavily focused on self-study, which is perfect for the remaining time that I have before I leave on the 15th. So, I've purchased the books, and I will work my way through the 1st, and possibly begin the second over these next few months. Hopefully, I will be able to use this to supplement my classes while abroad and further enhance my learning. In preparation for my expenses during my study abroad, I have been mapping out a personal budget and saving as much as possible. I also began a full-time internship on June 4th, and I have been working 40+ hours to meet those savings goals. Using the average cost of living in Kitakyushu, I have been able to map out a rough estimate of what my total expenses, and I accounted for all other kinds of expenditures in spreadsheet form using an Excel workbook. Now, I have reached my last day of work, and I have exceeded my goals by a considerable margin! However, I need to take note that I still need to watch my money numbers closely, even for this next week, despite the fact that I am not working anymore. I need to remind myself that while I have exceeded my goals, that my supply of money is not unlimited, and I can't spend it haphazardly. After all, a lot of my numbers are based on estimations on how much I will spend, I need to take care and have enough spare savings to make up for that possible margin of error.
As I finish the pre-acceptance stage of my study abroad process, I need to take some time to lay out various questions I may want to consider during the different stages of my upcoming semester. During the outset, I imagine that my primary focus will getting myself situated in terms of moving in, locating important places (train stations, convenience stores, etc.), and trying to find pathways to realize the goals I have set for myself. As the semester progresses, it will be imperative for me to "check-in" with myself, and measure the progress I feel in multiple different aspects of not just my academic goals, but my life in general. I will have to make sure that I am keeping my body in good health, along with dealing with mental and emotional stress. Other times, I will measure my social progress, and determine the state of my social life, and even identity, as I may adjust aspects of my outward expression to fit my new lifestyle or social groups.
During my future trip to Japan, my short-term goals include the more simple things, such as making an effort to connect with my classmates and experience the local culture, such as the night life or any historic monuments nearby. In the long-term, I want to gain multiple contacts in Japan for later social or career networking. I also want to focus on improving my Japanese Language skills, and I want to become more engrossed in Japanese Literature. For these things, I need to prepare myself mentally by building up my language and interpersonal communication skills as much as possible so I can fully absorb my surroundings and fully comprehend my learning opportunities. Is there something I can do, specifically, that can increase my connection to the Japanese Language, but also leave a remembrance on my respective host university and classmates? Where can I find the tools to build the foundations for my "castles in the sky"?
Hello, World! This is Trevor with my first post on my study abroad experience.
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AuthorMy name is Trevor Bogna, and I am currently a 4th-year student at CSUMB, majoring in both Business and Japanese Language & Culture. Archives
February 2019
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