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How
to make the best of your trip to Japan?
Travel
to Japan can be a memorable experience
By Emily Davis
| I went to Japan last year on a school
exchange program and I loved it like there was no other place. I am really
hoping to go there next year or the year after on a scholarship and stay
for the whole year.
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Now my views on
discrimination in Japan since that is a question that has
come up several times. No one in Japan bagged me. I felt very welcome when
I was there but I am still in school and will be doing my final year next
year if I'm not in Japan, so things might be different in the work place
or anywhere else.
I was popular in Japan
I remember people did stare at me a lot when I was in public - on trains,
while trying to cross the lights, but it really didn't bother me as I was
only there for 3 weeks and was really enjoying myself. I actually felt
like I was famous and when I went to Haga Junior High school in Tochigi
for 2 days, this girl even asked me to sign her work.
When I went to Gakugei High school in Hamamatsu all the kids would just
smile and they would actually get really excited when I greeted them back.
It was apparent that it was rather exciting for them that a gaijin
was at their school as they would hang out of the windows from the fourth
floor when I was outside. I was one of the 30 students to go to Japan and
there was only one girl who had a really terrible time but I will get to
that later.
I remember when I was at Hamamatsu Park. It was a Sunday in September and
it was very hot and humid. As it was the beginning of Autumn and my
student was practicing for an athletics performance. I was really tired
from everything that happened the week before (after the September 11
incident in the United States). I left for Japan 4 days after that. So I
fell asleep under a tree at Hamamatsu park. This lady with her 3 year old
child came over to me and were just staring at me with big smiles on their
face so I just smiled back. The Japanese just get excited when they see a gaijin.
All the guys at my school said that I was pretty and especially the girls
would want their photo taken with all the Australian guys.
Now one of my friends had a really bad
host family. She had to pay for
things that they were supposed to pay for, like lunch, train fares,
etc. I think that this family was just being really horrible to her.
But that was only one person out of 30 or so students from Australia.
Discrimination in Japan? Not
me!
So as far as discrimination goes I didn't
experience any. I was enjoying myself so much that I didn't care what
people were saying. If they have a problem so be it! It just means
they have a problem with life. People discriminate people all the time,
not just in Japan. Coming from Australia, we don't have a lot of
discrimination but it is there like it is everywhere else. I'm sure Japan
is like that too. Not everyone is racist but you will find a racist person
in Japan too. I'm sure you will because they are everywhere. I
wasn't in Japan very long to notice these things.
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I know that a few years before going to Japan I was worried about things
like earthquakes, but once I was in Japan I was having too much fun to
worry about them. It will be the same thing for people going to Japan who
are worried about discrimination, but once you get there just be yourself
and you will realize that it is way better than what you thought it would
be. Just be yourself and you will be fine. Sure you have to do things that
Japanese people do like taking your shoes off when you enter a
house. People will respect you if you be yourself. Sure, you can't
be rude because there will be things that are perfectly normal in your
country but could be considered rather rude in Japan, for example, eating
while walking down the street. It doesn't mean you need to change
completely because I didn't try and act like a Japanese. I am an
Australian and am proud to be an Australian. I come from one of the best,
safest places in the world, so why would I want to change?
The best advice I could give anyone who wants to
go to Japan or any other
country is just to be yourself and to enjoy your time there. Observe the
people and participate in activities that they want you too. Trust me it
is so much fun. I could tell you a billion stories about my time in Japan
and none of them are bad either. And I was only there for 3 weeks.
Recommended links: Experiences in Tokyo Japan
How to
fight discrimination in Japan? Culture
shock in Japan Kiyomizu
Suggestion
on enjoying Japan What
to expect on your trip to Japan? Discovering
Japan Trip
to an onsen with family
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