Boi 3- Goodbye (｡•́︿•̀｡)

As this experience comes to an end, I am able to reflect fondly on the memories I have made and things I have learned while in Japan. I will be forever grateful for moments I shared with my new friends. During my reflections it is easy to notice the important role food has had during my trip in many different ways, and how a culture can be shared through it. Whether it be memories of relaxing after morning classes in the cafeteria, speculating on the days upcoming events over a warm plate of food (for me, it was always katsu curry), or going out to eat with newfound friends and trying new things, I believe that I will cherish these times forever.

I’m frankly a bit overwhelmed by all of the new experiences I’ve had, but it’s definitely in a good way. I never truly thought I would make it to Japan, let alone spend over a month here (I stayed a little longer, though the last two weeks have been slightly lonely as everyone returns back to Canada). This trip has been much more than a mere learning experience to me, it’s really a dream come true. I wasn’t expecting to feel so at home in such a foreign environment, and even if I’m not the best at handling the Japanese language, day to day life here just felt so natural. I don’t want to get too personal here but being in Japan brought me a great sense of peace and stability. And, truth be told, I didn’t expect I would bond with other people here, whether it be others on the trip or Japanese students, the way I inevitably did. I’ve made new friends and connections that I never anticipated and will be eternally grateful for, and I can only hope to further nurture these connections in the future. 

I felt that I was able to come out of my shell while in Japan, to sing freely with friends at karaoke, and go out to try new exciting foods, things that I didn’t really expect to be honest, I don’t really go out much in Canada. I had the chance to go to Shabu Shabu (Japanese hot pot) with my wonderful and ever amusing roommate, Misaki, as well as try some uncommon (in western a.k.a white person standards) cuts of meat at Yakiniku with Madi and Madi’s conversation partner Ayumi.

I feel like I have grown during my time in Japan and hope that I can carry this growth with me back to Canada, I will definitely try my best to.

I will never have enough words to describe how I felt during my stay here, but the thought of leaving in a few days, while I’m excited to get back home to my cats, leaves my heart heavy. One day I hope to come back, if possible, maybe study here for longer, and of course try more foods while I’m at it.

Until then I’m happy that I had this opportunity, and I’ll never forget the things I learned and experienced while in Japan. Until next time!

-Sarah

Boi 2 - Last Entry

Heyo it’s ya boi, boi2 aka Nicha, back again for the last blog of my Japan trip. As my trip is coming to a close, many things are running through my mind. The memories, the experiences, the things I’ve learned; out of all these new experiences, one of the most prevalent is the food in Japan. In my honest opinion, Japanese food can almost be treated as a delicacy, due to their process and presentation; always with allure and precision. 

I consider myself very lucky to get to experience different cities in Japan and see for myself, the difference in their foods. I am currently located in Osaka, but has been traveling around the area ever since the program ended; namely in Kyoto, Nara and Osaka area. Since my topic is bento, I will be focusing mainly on that for my blog. In my previous blogs, I’ve only written about the bentos in Tokyo, but now I will highlight some contrasting details I see in the bentos in these different cities. 

Although bento is still widely available in the Osaka area (basically everywhere in Japan), there are some differing details I see in the bentos from city to city; in Tokyo, a variety of bentos can be seen, but the most common topping on rice is meat, mainly katsu. But here in Osaka, I feel like the most common topping is tempura, and a variety of those at that, from shrimp to vegetables. Probably because of the abundance of seafood available here in the area. When I went to Kyoto, the most frequent topping I’ve seen is probably fish. But to be fair, I did not really see any food places in Kyoto, if any, they are udon or soba places. Another detail I noticed that was different was that in Tokyo, bentos can mostly be found sold just as is, it’s own separate dish, and to go. Maybe it’s because life in Tokyo is very busy and fast paced, so everything needs to adapt to the same lifestyle. But in the Kyoto-Osaka area, they are sold in sets, as in a sit-down food, with soup and a side to go with it.                                       

Being in Japan has opened my eyes to a whole new side to food I didn't know existed before. In my opinion, Japanese food does not contain a lot of strong taste, but rather, they focus on the depth of flavors instead, as what Japanese people called 'umami'. And one of the most common way to eat a meal in Japan is in the form of a bento; I feel like this is a very smart way to do so, because not only do you get a variety of foods along with their distinct flavors, but you also get a healthy balance in each meal. 

Anyway, this experience has taught me a lot, not just food wise, but I got the experience of a lifetime, and I am so grateful I got to be a part of this group to Japan. Japanese food is something undeniably unique, and I can't wait until the next time I get to try authentic Japanese food again. I will definitely come back again. 

Boi 1 - Last Words (Blog 4)

Hey guys, Boi 1 (Andrea) here to give you one last update on Japan's delicious cuisine. Unfortunately, I'm no longer actually in Japan--I had to come back to Calgary because I felt guilty asking my manager at work for more time off. I left with part of the group on June 8th, and have been missing Japan like no other since then. From the punctual (yet confusing, from time to time) transit system, to the yummy food and snacks that I was able to eat every day, memories made in Japan seem like a distant dream now. I wish I had been able to spend more time in the country and travel more--it would have been a great chance to discover more of the local delicacies that I had researched on previously. However, given that I am no longer in Tokyo, I guess I will have to make do.

Given that our topic is food, I think I will focus on that for this last blog entry. There are many things I could say about Japan, but alas, I will have to leave such praises for another time.

First of all, I'd like to comment on how ridiculously cheap food is in Japan. Immediately after coming back to Canada, that was the first thing I noticed. If you know where to look, you can get a whole meal for no more than $7 (CAD), and for this reason, I ate as much as I could while I was in Tokyo. For this reason, Senshu University's cafeteria became the love of my life (and while I am not able to go to it now, it will forever live in my heart). A plate of katsu curry rice was as little as 400 yen! Ramen, udon, and meal sets ranged from as low as 280 yen (I recommend the tanuki udon--the noodles are soft and the broth flavorful), and I never saw a single meal go over 600 yen. As a struggling university student, I was instantly hooked. Meals were cheap, but never tasted bad. This was a pattern that I noticed throughout my stay in Japan--very seldomly I found meals to be poorly made.

This brings me onto food quality--even the cheapest meals were almost always made with the utmost care and skill. Japanese cuisine seems to focus heavily on presentation, as I found to be the case when visiting anything from ramen shops to cafes. The food is always arranged nicely and in an appealing manner--it's almost a shame to ruin the chef's hard work! Taste was always flavorful and different. In Japan, I tried many meals that I am not normally able to find in Calgary, in terms of both taste (Japanese people like to play around with flavor more, it seems) and actual food type (e.g., in Calgary I have yet to find a cafe that is able to compete with Japanese parfaits).

Sadly, I do not think I will be able to indulge in food this good for a bit now. Currently, I have no plans to go back, but I know that I will jump at the first chance that presents itself. Given that the spring course was only a month long, it makes sense that it would be packed with classes and activities, so the next time I go, I am determined to explore different areas. But for now, this is all I have, so with that, I bid you adieu!

This has been Boi 1, signing off for the last time. May we meet once more!

Boi 4 will surely miss Japan

Hi hello, for possibly the last time. It's ya boi 4, Lucia, back at it again with... just some parting words. I don't have much to say in terms of new insights on fruits in Japan. I think I've already covered what I wanted to cover in my previous blog posts. Sorry if you were dying to find out more about the riveting differences in the culture surrounding fruits.

I think this entry will be more of a reflection on how this whole trip has been. I think it's pretty fitting that I write this entry now, given that my flight back home is tomorrow. In sooth, I deeply feel attached to Japan now. A part of me doesn't want to leave, and thinking about going home triggers some mixed feelings.

Without a shred of doubt, the food in Japan is pretty outstanding, but I miss my parents' cooking. I miss my family and friends back home. I'm not used to being away from them for so long, but...
I've had a wonderful time here in Japan. Not only have I made incredible friends in this program, but I genuinely feel like my Japanese skills have improved, even if just by a little. I find that my listening comprehension has improved most significantly, but I also gained some confidence.

Speaking of confidence, in class, we were to identify what kind of personality we thought we had and to share what our aim was for this semester. I said that I was somewhat of a shy person and that I was hoping to gain more confidence. At the time I shared this with my peers, this confidence was more in reference to my Japanese conversational skills. I didn't want to be hindered by acknowledging my limitations. I wanted to brave human interactions in Japanese and be experimental with my grammar and... and just get a little bit closer to becoming fluent.

And, indeed, I do believe a part of that dream was fulfilled throughout this trip.
But more so than that, I feel like I gained confidence in other areas of my life as well. Back at home, I don't hardly ever eat out because I get anxiety when talking to cashier or waiter/waitresses. In fact, I feel like I seldom leave the house at all. I've gotten better over the last few years or so, but... but in Japan, it's totally different. I find that I can order for myself and for my friends, and there's... very little stress.

The other day, I was dressed in a yukata for a farewell ceremony. but I was super hungry. Another friend was also hungry so we trekked to the cafeteria in another building and ate curry. When I was paying for it, the cashier lady commented on my yukata and I readily told her it was for a farewell ceremony. I think at that point, literally on my last day, I realised how far I had come on my journey of learning Japanese.

Just yesterday, I was buying something for my mum and after the standard exchange between cashier and customer, the cashier asked me if I was living in Japan. I told him I wasn't, and he complimented my Japanese. I guess I have been hearing similar compliments throughout my time here, but the giddiness of being called 上手 doesn't fade. I think Japanese people somewhat admire the foreigner's effort to pick up the language, and I appreciate this somewhat of admiration.

Ah, but perhaps I'm being a little biased. On the day I left the dorm, another dormmate, an RA, tried talking to me. I couldn't pick up 100% of what he was saying, and even if I understood his question, I wasn't equipped with the vocabulary to properly reply. After a bit of struggling on my part, he said, "Thanks, Lucia." I thought this didn't fit the conversation at all. When I asked him why he thanked me, he said that he appreciates me always trying to communicate. He thanked me for my effort. That... made me quite happy. I have a long way to go, but as long as I keep going, I'll get there eventually, ね？

Japanese fluency, watch out! I'm coming for you.

Boi 4, out.