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ctcullum17-blog · 7 years ago

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Day 1: Kia Ora and Welcome to Auckland!

Date of Reference: Sunday, 6/10/18 New Zealand (even though it was the middle of the afternoon on Saturday 6/9/18 US Central Time when I landed. Moving forward, I will use dates and times from the perspective of the local New Zealand time to keep things easier for me to keep track of. Isn’t time weird? Thanks celestial body movement and relativity!)

15 hours passed. I awoke to the gradual light that filtered its way from the front of the plane to the back. As I peered out the window, I continued to see darkness. All was calm. Then, the slight chime of the intercom filled the room like a soft alarm. It was the steward. “Kia Ora and good morning.” Kia Ora is a phrase New Zealand English has adopted from Maori culture (the Maori were the people that lived on the islands we now know as New Zealand long before European Colonization). Its literal translation is “be well/healthy”. The warmth of this phrase is infectious, and is a recognizable symbol of the warmth of my reception into the country, even if it was in the midst of the winter season at the time. I appreciated this change of temperature, however. Memphis had previously hit 89 degrees Fahrenheit each day. Being in a place that would maybe hit 60 degrees Fahrenheit at its highest was refreshing, to say the least.

As the plane touched down in Auckland, I disembarked down a ladder and onto the tarmac. After this, a courtesy shuttle pulled up next to the plane to transport me to customs. This happened to be similar to my connecting flight from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Akita, Japan. After the short 3 minute ride, I swiftly picked up my bag and got in line for customs. The most pressing questions I was asked was whether or not I had any food, animal goods, or outdoor equipment I would like to declare upon arrival. I mentioned that I had a pair of leather hiking boots. The customs official, while completely friendly and polite throughout our conversation, informed me that I must go through an additional biosecurity screening. I would soon learn firsthand that New Zealand takes biosecurity VERY seriously. I suppose this would make sense, as New Zealand, a small island nation, is often visited by foreign travelers for its pristine outdoor environments and activities.

Biosecurity took over an hour to get through, simply due to the number of international visitors arriving from various planes at the same time. Well… this, and the fact that there were only 2 customs officials manning the biosecurity tables/scanners initially. In retrospect, I’ll give the New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries the benefit of the doubt. It was 6AM on a Sunday, after all. My training as an Industrial Engineer leaves me somewhat sensitive to situations like this, which can be frustrating at times. The line was long because of the disproportionate level of staff members to total queue length. This realization, coupled with the long flight, tried my patience. In spite of this, I maintained composure and worked to ensure I remained respectful and replied to the various instructions being received. Effectively, all I was really required to do at biosecurity was walk up to a 7-foot long metal table, open up my checked luggage, pull out my boots, and allow the customs officer to inspect the bottoms of my boots. Thankfully, they were still relatively clean (I can’t remember the last time I took a hike! This needs to change…). Had they been filthy, customs would have cleaned the boots before having me repack the bag. The only thing left to do was place the bag on the conveyor belt x-ray security machine and I was cleared to leave.

Auckland Airport resides in a southern subdivision of Auckland-proper. I was recommended to purchase a roundtrip ticket on the Skybus to get to the condo reserved downtown. After about 10 minutes of searching for the kiosk that sold SkyBus tickets, I managed to purchase a ticket and get on the bus. I was going to meet my girlfriend, Helen, and her family at the Airbnb condo from here, about a 26 km (a little over 16 miles) one way, which translates to roughly an hour of total travel time. As I got off the bus, I was standing in the midst of downtown Auckland near the bay. I could feel the gentle sea breeze chill my face as I followed some saved images from google maps to direct me to my destination. I am very glad I thought to do this while I was stateside. The airport only gave 45 minutes of complimentary wi-fi, and while the Skybus advertised free Wi-Fi, I was not permitted to access it as the cell number I had at the time could not receive texts originating from New Zealand according to the login authentication.

As I stumbled through some side streets, I came across a tall tower. The quiet of early morning vanished, and I heard someone shout “Chris!” from above. Helen’s mom happened to spot me walking up the street and flagged me down. I had arrived! I was actually surprised I managed to find familiar faces without access to the internet. This experience definitely reinforced the best practice of always having a backup plan for directional guidance. After rendezvousing with the Stritzels, I managed to drop off my bags, have breakfast, and then quickly turn around to the day’s main activity: visiting Waiheke Island.

As I mentioned earlier, downtown is quite close to the port, which has several ferries departing to the nearby islands. We quickly walked from the condo to the port, purchased tickets from Fullers for one of their ferries bound for Waiheke Island, and we were off in a flash. The map earlier in this post actually shows Waiheke. It is northeast of the downtown area and takes roughly 45 minutes to sail there. Waiheke is well known across New Zealand for its beautiful nature trails, award-winning olive oil, and picturesque wineries, all of which I was able to experience in one day.

We started the morning on the island with a hike. The original intention was to go to Whakanewha Regional Park. Though the hike we actually did included some wonderful trails that circled a lake wrapped by dense forests, we later learned that we were adjacent to the park while not technically being in it. To get to the forest, we disembarked from the ferry at the Fuller port located on the western part of the island. Then a bus pulled up and shuttled us more towards the center of the island. A breath of fresh air and some walking was welcome after previously being scrunched up in a metal tube for hours on end, followed by all the movement afforded me by the combined transit just mentioned. Though some would say we might have gotten a little turned around, I agree more with the popular adage: “Those who wander are not lost.” Admittedly, I think I was still ecstatic to be in a new place seeing flora and fauna I’d never seen before. Thin thatch filled evergreens blanketed the space as you can see, peppered with vibrant flowers, allowing the trail to feel like a whimsical meandering adventure!

The trailhead emptied us out close to Rangihoua Estate. As I would come to learn, Rangihoua grows olives to create high-quality olive products, including some delicious olive oils. While visiting the estate, the proprietor offered us free olive oil tastings. As the proprietor explained each type of oil available to sample, she also spoke more about the thought process that goes into developing olive oil. One of the facts that stood out was that only a few nations in the world have the right climate necessary to grow the olives necessary to craft rich oils such as these. Of those nations, Italy, New Zealand, and the United States (Texas) made the list. The estate is so intentional in its mastery of the craft, in fact, that their blends are award-winning. The Waiheke Blend (pictured above) actually won a gold medal at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney, Australia. Rangihoua was also featured in the world renowned 2017 Flos Olei Italian Guide to the World’s Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil. If you’d like to find out more about the estate, feel free to follow this link:

https://www.rangihoua.co.nz/

It was getting to be around noon, and with the growl of the stomach came the search for lunch. The proprietor recommended we go to nearby Batch Vineyard. What I did not realize was how long the approximate 2 km hike would feel, especially since it was all uphill. The views at the end of the hike, however, were breathtaking…

Helen’s family decided to take in the views briefly before departing back towards the Waiheke port. They had already reserved a slot for a wine tasting downtown and had just enough time to still travel to where they needed to be. Helen and I decided to stay and enjoy lunch while taking in the views. The restaurant is actually directly behind the vantage point of the above scenic overlook. Our view from our table was spectacular to say the very least. While the food was decent, being able to sit down and take in the 360-degree views from atop Waiheke Island made this moment truly special. It may be difficult to see, but Auckland is visible in the distance around this area… (see below)

After lunch, the bus picked us up to return to Waiheke port. I was certainly tired from all the walking and exploring that just took place, and was a bit relieved to begin returning to the condo. The bus slowly meandered down the hill and around various curves. After a few stops, we made it back to port. I managed to snag a coffee while we waited for the ferry. Caffeine was welcome to help stave the allure of sleep. It was beneficial for me to stay awake to get myself better adjusted to the local time as soon as possible.

The ferry back to Auckland was peaceful. It was interesting to watch the various islands roll by my window. I found it interesting that there was a lone tree sitting in the middle of a field. It kept my attention until I lost sight of it. The gentle roll of the waves nearly soothed me to sleep. Good thing the caffeine kept me awake! We met back with the rest of Helen’s family at the condo and decided to have sushi at a nearby conveyor belt shop. This brought back warm memories of the many times Helen and I devoured a whole school of fish at Kappa Sushi in Akita (definitely not exaggerating here!) Feel free to read my earlier posts during my study abroad in Japan to see and hear more about conveyor belt sushi restaurants and other interesting Japanese things.

Well, that’s all for now folks! Day 1 was filled to the brim with fond memories and served as an excellent springboard into the rest of that wonderful week spent in New Zealand. Stay tuned for more posts soon!

#waiheke #auckland

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ctcullum17-blog · 7 years ago

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New Zealand! Day 0: Just An Ocean Away

Date of Reference: Friday, June 8, 2018

Memphis International Airport (MEM) is growing to be my favorite airport. See, what was once a hub for the now defunct Northwest Airlines has now lost significant traffic (and thereby passengers) running through the modestly sized facility. As a result of all of this, I was able to park my car, check in, walk through the security checkpoint, and find my gate in about 10 minutes. Let's see anyone do that at ORD or LAX!

MEM is currently undergoing a renovation that will effectively downsize the airport and update the concourses with more modern amenities. The New York Times recently wrote in more detail on the current status of Memphis' humble airport recently. I'll leave a link to that article and MEM's ongoing renovation intentions below, respectively:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/23/us/memphis-airport.html

http://www.flymemphis.com/modernization

New Zealand is the first nation to greet the day on the other side of the International Date Line. It is 15 hours ahead of US Central Daylight time (the time zone I live and work in.) My route to New Zealand takes me from Memphis to Houston, which is just over an hour flight. From Houston, it takes 15 hours to fly direct to Auckland, New Zealand. Currently, the Houston, TX, USA to Auckland, NZ route is the 7th longest flight in the world. Easy as pie! I can do that in my sleep... hopefully! Maybe I will be able to count the thousands of New Zealand sheep in my head as an attempt at sleep (more on New Zealand agriculture later…) Jet lag was something I definitely had to manage throughout the week.

I arrived to the airport a few hours before my 7 PM flight. Coming direct from work has its advantages in beating the 5 o'clock rush on the I-240 loop. While I awaited my flight from Memphis to Houston, I found some fun local paintings from students across the various high schools around the Memphis metro area.

The painting below was a fun fusion of the recognizable template of Egyptian hieroglyphs (a nod to Memphis, Egypt) while enfusing the many treasures Memphis, TN has to offer. See if you can find all the images that are associated with Memphis, TN! (I’ll put some details of images and locations underneath the picture)

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Moving around the picture clockwise, starting with bottom left:

1.The Pyramid - Located in downtown Memphis, the Pyramid used to be a basketball coliseum and concert venue. After a few years sitting vacant as a result of the arrival of the newer FedEx Forum just off of Beale Street, Bass Pro Shops (a hunting and outdoor apparel department store) has moved in, converting this icon into a store, restaurant, bowling alley, hotel, duck museum, and skyline/Mississippi River observation deck, which is accessible by the largest free-standing elevator in the US.

2. Memphis Grizzlies Logo - The logo for the Memphis Grizzlies, the city's own NBA franchise.

3. Tiger - the mascot of the University of Memphis.

4. Corky’s BBQ logo - Corky’s is a popular regional franchise restaurant known for their fall-off-the-bone dry rub pork ribs.Seeing the pig in the chef’s hat is almost as synonymous as the wafting smell of smoked meat and charcoal.

5. Memphis In May International Festival Logo - Memphis In May is a month long festival of music, BBQ, and other various arts. It is Memphis’ largest event of the year, drawing several thousands of people into the city throughout its duration.

6. M - in reference to both the City and University of Memphis.

7. Gibson’s Donuts Logo - a highly popular local donut restaurant that's notorious across Memphis and is recognized by this logo.

8. Gibson Guitar - Memphis is the home of the famous Gibson Guitar company, where countless musicians have honed their craft strumming the smooth strings of this legendary instrument, assembled right here.

9. Music notes - Reference to Memphis as the home of the Blues and Rock and Roll (both BB King and Elvis Presley got their first big break recording at the Memphis studios).

10. Pharoah Elvis- I found this one very clever, as the pharaoh (king) in this painting depicts the “King of Rock and Roll”, Elvis Presley. His home, Graceland, can still to this day be visited in Memphis.

11. Memphis Red Bird Logo - Memphis is also home to a minor league baseball team known as the Redbirds. It’s an excellent chance to see some great talent play, many of whom go on to play in the Major Leagues. The Redbirds are also a scouting team for the MLB Franchise, St. Louis Cardinals.

12. Stax Museum Logo - While Memphis has many great stories of Rock and the Blues, it also has a rich history with Soul. Many of the hits found in the Soul genre were recorded at the Stax recording studio. While the studio is still in operation, it also functions as a well-curated museum.

13. The M Bridge - The M bridge is an icon of the downtown Memphis cityscape. It spans the entire length of the Mississippi River, connecting West Memphis, Arkansas to downtown Memphis, TN.

I arrived in Houston just in time to transfer to my 10:30 PM flight to Auckland. I was glad the flight was at night, as this encouraged me to get some much needed rest. Beyond the horizon, waiting for me on the other side of the world was a multitude of adventures I will certainly remember the rest of my life…

Stay tuned to this feed for more posts regarding my adventures in New Zealand! It was a phenomenal trip, and I look forward to sharing more stories and images of that beautiful place with you soon!

Chris

クリス

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ctcullum17-blog · 8 years ago

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Sendai – Japan’s Northern Capital

Near the end of my time abroad in Japan, I traveled with a group of friends to Sendai, in the nearby Miyagi Prefecture. The journey to Sendai was a bit different from the previous weekend excursions, as we chartered a bus from Akita City to Sendai. This provided its own set of challenges, as I attempted to determine how to acquire bus tickets. Flying domestically in Japan is much easier for foreigners as major airlines provide simple websites in both Japanese and English. Since Sendai is in Tohoku alongside Akita, only local charters made trips between the two. After a bit of research and conversations with friends that have already traveled there, it was determined that tickets could be purchased at local quick marts. Luckily, one such mart, Lawson, was located across the street from Aeon Mall, which was easily accessible by bus from AIU. This was the end of the ease however, as the machine that handled purchase and printing of tickets was all in Japanese. This was remedied by the tremendous kindness of the shop clerk, as she came over and assisted in getting the appropriate tickets. She was so kind in fact, that she handed us free donuts because the process took longer than it would for most. This was definitely another great display of the generosity and kindness that the Japanese people seem to assume on a daily basis.

Since the group interested in going had different Friday schedules, we decided to travel at different times and meet at Sendai. As such, Helen and I left Akita City around 1 PM on Friday, December 8, and would meet up with friends later that evening. The bus trip was smooth and quiet, as we were whisked through a snow-capped mountain range that separated the prefectures. The bus dropped us off in the middle of the city, where we walked to the nearby Sendai Station to grab a train to the Air BnB. Around dinner time, as Helen and I explored the local neighborhood, we noticed a restaurant two doors down labeled “Pizza-la”. Seeing this as our only legitimate chance to have actual pizza, we jumped at the opportunity. As we entered the establishment, I mustered enough Japanese learned over the semester to successfully convey the type of pizza we wanted. 30 minutes later and we had the now-vaguely familiar collection of savory cheese, meat, sauce, and veggies overcoming our noodle and rice-wearied pallets.

The next morning, December 9, we traveled outside of the city by train to visit the ZAO Fox Village. Yes you read that right. Just outside the city, situated atop a mountain is a Fox refuge, where guests may walk among foxes and even hold the most domestically-inclined furry critters.

Since we were at the top of a mountain in December, there was plenty of strong cold winds blowing across the refuge. Several of the foxes seemed to huddle close together curled to preserve body heat. Helen even let me borrow her knit cap to help with the frigid temperatures. That said, this doesn’t mean that some of the foxes didn’t attempt to sneak up behind the group in front of us, hoping to snatch some snacks out of their backpack. One of the instructions the handlers gave before entering the refuge was to always stand ground against foxes and step towards them if they approach. The idea is that this establishes dominance and dissuades the fox from attempting to snatch items away from guests.

After the fox village, we returned to the city by train. By the time we arrived, it was around noon, so we walked from the station to a nearby café. The special offered that day was a steak with spaghetti. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity for more western food, I was happy to oblige my hunger for familiar food. At this point, anything other than a noodle dish was preferred, but a heavy protein was a welcomed change of pace.

This café also stood a half block away from the Pokemon Center servicing the Tohoku region. I couldn’t resist stepping in to check out everything being offered there. The token item at this store appeared to be a Pikachu plush garbed in Mario or Luigi overalls, an excellent blend that shows the close relationship to The Pokemon Company and Nintendo.

After this, we traveled by bus to another section of Sendai that housed the Zuihoden Mausoleum. This mausoleum was the site where the remains of Date Masamune were kept. Though the original mausoleum was fire bombed during WWII, the structure that stands today is a close recreation of the final resting place of Sendai’s ruling lord during the Edo Period. Some may ask what made Date Masamune so important. The quick answer was that under his rule, Sendai recognized a tremendous amount of rice collection from its fields, making it one of the richest states of its time. In short, those that controlled the most amount of rice typically had the most money and power. Date Masamune effectively set Sendai on a prosperous course that would enable its growth and prominence in Japan to this day. The mausoleum itself can be characterized by a beautiful multi-colored web of arches that pairs well with the stark black and gold lining the structure.

One of the chilling realizations of the mausoleum were the pagodas surrounding it. Each pagoda represented a cluster of servants under the lord that committed suicide upon his death. This forced death is referred to as junshi (じゅんし) and was a samurai custom that the servants of a great lord would die along with him. Seeing so many pagodas helped quantify the amount of power and influence that Sendai’s lord commanded during his time of power.

Adjacent to the mausoleum was a museum that housed several artifacts of the original structure during the Japan reconstruction efforts of the mid to late 20th century. It also served as a fantastic repository of information about Date Masamune, who is often referred to the “one-eyed dragon” due to both his ruthlessness on the battlefield and his lack of one eye. Below is a picture of a long sword found buried near his grave.

As the sun set, we traveled back to the Air BnB, which happened to be close to a karaoke bar. Since this was the last major trip planned before finals week, what better way to blow off steam than with a few rounds of melon soda ice cream and butchering today’s popular Japanese and English music?

December 10 was devoted to visiting nearby Matsushima, about 40 minutes north of Sendai by train. Matsushima is one of the most unique locales I believe I’ve ever visited. In short, it rests on the eastern coast of Japan and harbors several miniscule islands populated with pine trees. One of the islands was close to the mainland, and a long bridge connected the two together to allow visitors to catch better views of the scenic landscape. Even though we went on a cold, dreary day, the natural beauty of Matsushima still shone through the frigid snow.

We had just enough time to stop off for taiyaki (waffles that are typically filled with red bean paste) before catching the train back to Sendai and then the bus back to Akita. My western pallet still hadn’t develop an appreciation of red bean paste, so I got mine filled with sweet cream instead.

As always, thank you so much for taking the time to read. Until next time!

Proverbs 14:4 Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, but much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.

#studyabroad dawgsabroad japan sendai tohoku

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ctcullum17-blog · 9 years ago

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Osaka City, Kyoto City. Big City, Traditional City

Sorry for the delay everyone. As the end of the semester approaches, I’ve been swamped with various tests, papers, and group projects. While everything seems to be running smoothly, these have unfortunately decreased the time I have to blog. However, in the gaps between deliverables, I’ve finally managed to talk a little about my time spent in both Osaka and Kyoto. Hope you enjoy! On November 10, I traveled with Helen to visit Osaka and Kyoto. There was a delicious dish of curry rice had at the airport while we waited for the flight to depart. I was a little stir crazy about making sure we didn’t miss our flight, so we actually sat around for nearly an hour and a half before we finally boarded. We flew from Akita airport to Osaka Itami airport, arriving in the evening. We stayed at a hostel in Tennoji Ward called Backpackers Hotel Toyo. This hostel was wonderful, because each person received their own room.

Day 1: Osaka/Kyoto

On the next day, November 11, it was time to explore the city. This was no small task, given that we only had 2 days to see both Osaka and Kyoto. To start, we went to the Namba District.

Namba (as we soon found out after arrival) is a popular shopping district, with several high end retail stores in the areas of apparel and jewelry. There was also a significant number of entertainment venues, such as karaoke bars, clubs, and movie theaters.

After our brief visit to Namba, I realized that I somehow forgot to pack my glasses back in its carrying case in my backpack. Shout out to Helen for being so understanding, as I stressed over its location until finally returning to the Hostel to find it laying in my room. This speaks volumes of Japanese culture, as the glasses could have and most likely would have been stolen had we been in another country. After an unnecessarily stressful time and a strict word of caution in the future from my conscience, the rest of the day could now be enjoyed. Below you can see a picture of the Abeno Harukas, the tallest commercial building in Japan (and only 2 blocks from the hostel).

From the hostel, we traveled to Osaka Castle. Perhaps this image would appear familiar to many, as it is one of the most popular reconstructed buildings modeling the Edo daimyo castle, namely because it is the most accessible. Though the original castle burned to the ground in 1868 during the Meiji Restoration, was rebuilt by the city of Osaka in 1928, and then bombarded heavily by allied aircraft during WWII (it was used as a substantial armory for Imperial Japan during that time), the structure we can see today was thanks to city restoration efforts that came to fruition in 1997. The intent was to provide a life size model of the castle, restored to its former Edo-period glory. Today, the Castle houses a museum with so many interesting artifacts chronicling Osaka during Edo Japan, with a focus on the resident of the castle, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Lord of Osaka domain under the Nobunaga shogunate. Below is a sample of some of the artifacts that are held within.

Each floor of the castle was filled to the brim with artifacts to peruse, after reaching the top, there was an outside overlook completely wrapping the tower, providing a beautiful panorama of the surrounding metropolis.

From the castle, as the day turned into midafternoon, we decided it was about time to take the roughly 2 hour train journey to Kyoto. Though it felt like an eternity to Kyoto, the travel was relatively easy and inexpensive. We arrived into Kyoto after the sun set, emerging from an underground train station into the Gion District, the entertainment arm of the city. It is here where one can see the famous kabuki plays, walk along the aqueduct, and take in the bustling crowds of cars and congested tourists. We stopped by a small bakery for a very tasty sandwich type meal. After meals and meals of rice and noodles, it was nice to have something with bread. Afterwards, we saw the nearby Yasaka Shrine before some much needed rest. It would be well utilized for the busy schedule to take place the next day.

Day 2: Kyoto/Osaka

On November 12, we spent most of the day in Kyoto. After a good night of sleep at the hostel, we took a short walk to the Nishiki Market. We were there before it officially opened, though some vendors were selling fresh produce and a vast collection of fresh fish. After the brief visit to the market, and one orange subsequently consumed, it was time to take a bus from the Gion District (east Kyoto) to Arashiyama (West Kyoto). The trip took around 30 minutes. While in Arashiyama, we were able to see and feed monkeys. The monkeys were quite rambunctious, and they were very demanding of food. I couldn’t help but laugh the whole time as they held out their hands to receive the fruit I had purchased from the monkey park shop.

After the monkey park, we visited both Tenryu-ji and a bamboo grove. While at Tenryu-ji (a United Nations World Heritage site), we were asked by a few Japanese pre-teen students to practice English. It was quite fun to get to help them practice, as I always appreciate the efforts others have made to help me practice speaking Japanese.

The leaves were just starting to change colors in Kyoto at that point, and the gardens of Tenryu-ji provided a plethora of colors to enjoy.

Couple this with a slow walk through the bamboo groves and the late morning turned into a very relaxing time of adoration of the natural beauty that surrounded us.

We stopped for lunch at a small food truck selling, of all things, Mexican food. The wafting smell of tacos, enchiladas, and nachos, filled the air as a kindly Japanese man tried to pitch us on trying his food in broken English. While we waited for the food to be prepared by his partner, I surprised the owner with a little Japanese. He seemed quite shocked that I knew more than just the simple konnichiwa or arigatou. I suppose that’s not too surprising since Kyoto is filled with people that look like me and don’t speak much of the native language. If nothing else, it was nice getting to be in the position where I felt like I somewhat surpassed expectation.

After lunch, we took another 30 minute bus ride to north Kyoto to visit Gingakuji. One look at the above picture will explain why the Japanese refer to this building as the “Golden Pavilion”. Once the home of the Ashikaga shogunate, this structure sits perched on the shores of a small lake and surrounded by quaint nature. It’s very difficult to not feel at peace here.

Before we hopped on the train to return to Osaka, we took one last bus to the Imperial Palace grounds. Once the home of the Japanese Emperor, the grounds have now been turned into a park, largely due to the fact that the current Emperor lives in the palace in Tokyo (see my blog on the Tokyo trip for more pictures and details). The park was a nice break from the crowds and a scenic spot to take a breather from all the walking done that day before making the 20 minute walk back to Gion to depart from Kyoto.

On the way back to Osaka, we got off the train briefly to visit Fushini Inari Taisha, a Shinto Shrine characterized by its fox (kitsune) statues and “thousand gates” up to the top of a mountain. For my video game friends out there, this was the location that legendary Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto mentioned he visited frequently and drew inspiration from when he created the Star Fox series of games. It was certainly unique to see the dozens of gates coupled and lined together in passageway fashion. The amount of work that it took to carve them must have been quite substantial!

The train ride back to Osaka seemed to last forever. Perhaps it was due to the fatigue from the full day. Maybe it was also due to the delay we had at one of the stops. Either way, we got back into Osaka after the sun had set, and were famished. After asking the front desk clerk at the hostel in Osaka for recommendations, he directed us to a small hole in the wall down one of the plethora of city alleyways. What a meal to have for our last night of the trip. I would rank this food as perhaps the best meal I’ve had in Japan. This is known as ‘okonomiyaki’, or ‘savory pancake’. Okonomiyaki is traditionally an omelet type dish, filled with yakisoba noodles and soy sauce. Since we were both extra hungry after the long day, we added bacon to the mix and watched as the owner of the quaint establishment mixed the ingredients atop the flat grill. The rich aroma of savory meats, noodles, and sauces coalesced into a blend of pleasantness that perfectly coupled with the delicious taste of the food. If I lived near that restaurant long-term, I’d most likely frequent the restaurant weekly!

Day 3: Return to Akita

The last day we travelled by bus to Osaka Itami from our hostel. Travelling to Akita is always a full day affair, since there seems to only be two or three planes making the trip in the morning. After all, it doesn’t seem as though many people are wanting to travel to Akita Prefecture, considering the more rural characteristic of the area where I’ve been studying. While we flew, we happened to catch a clear view of Mt. Fuji. It’s a little hard to make out, but look close enough, and it can easily be seen that Fuji towers over the other ranges. Considering the travelling I’ve done this semester, I would consider Kyoto to be my favorite place to visit. It had so much rich history, being Japan’s capital prior to the rise of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo (we now call that city Tokyo). Mix that with the beautiful fall colors and kind locals, and the experience was one I will certainly remember for the rest of my life.

Again, apologies for the delay in getting this out. I should have at least three more blogs about Japan coming up in the next week. As always, thank you so much for reading.

ありがとうございます。

Proverbs 4:23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.

#dawgsabroad japan

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ctcullum17-blog · 9 years ago

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October Happenings

Hello once again everyone! A considerable amount of time (about a month) has passed since my last main post about life here in Japan. There were quite a few amazing events that have proven quite interesting:

Japanese Home Visit:

Throughout the first few months in Japan I had the opportunity to get connected with a Japanese host family through the Akita International Association (AIA). AIA is an organization set to connect the citizens of Akita Prefecture with both short and long term international residents to facilitate cultural exchange. Through various email correspondence, I was matched with the Ishikawas (石川). After a back and forth string of messages, I was invited to visit them at their home in Akita City. They were so warm and inviting, and I thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to spend the day with them and play with their children. Their hospitality was unmatched, as I felt very much at home during my visit. They were also gracious in offering me the opportunity to sample one of the local Akita dishes, kiritanpo.

Kiritanpo is a delicious collection of pounded, formed rice cylinders, vegetables, and noodles all soaked in a miso broth. I can understand why this dish is so popular, especially given the fact of how cold it has been getting here recently.

After lunch, I was invited to travel with the Ishikawas to a children’s park that was actually relatively close to AIU. My preconceptions of this park was a standard grass field with maybe a few swing sets and slides. This was not the case, however, as the park was filled with very sizable obstacles that I can only describe as a hybrid between my preconceptions of a city park and a summer camp ropes course in the US.

Throughout the stay, I found it difficult to convey myself in Japanese, which is an indication that I still have much to learn about the language. I hope my proficiency increases each day. I also learned through this visit that I need to listen to more fluid Japanese conversations, because for the most part, I could only respond with “mmm” without giving any definitive answers to the children’s inquisitive questions (I can only gather from context).

AIU Festival:

Each year in early October, AIU hosts a substantially large festival celebrating the diversity and talents of the various clubs that meet weekly here on campus. This particular festival took place on October 9-10 with October 10 and 11 having classes cancelled for participation and cleanup, respectively. To give scope on this festival, there are dozens of vendors that set up both student run and local business run, with live performances taking place on an outside stage. At the end of the first day there was also a large bonfire, and a fireworks show on the second and final night. AIU even cancelled class these on both Monday, October 9 and Tuesday, October 10, so that students could be free to fully participate in the festival with the various happenings.

**The following is my interpretation of cultural aspects of this type of festival, deriving from various conversations with Japanese friends**

The AIU Festival was a very sizable event, far greater and more expansive (from a community involvement standpoint) compared to what I see at Mississippi State. So the main question pondered in the weeks prior and the actual days of this event was simply “Why?” I believe there are a few striking reasons for AIU to put on this festival yearly:

1. First and foremost, it is cultural expectation. In Japan, high schools and colleges have put on festivals for the community to enjoy yearly for an extensive amount of time that it is now engrained in the culture. For AIU to continue this tradition could be viewed as adhering to an unspoken community requirement.

2. It is a way to serve the community. Oftentimes, universities (regardless of country residence) can take a lot out of the community they live in. They are hubs that attract individuals from all over the world (literally!), producing more heads to rest and mouths to feed. With the increase in population, facilities are also necessary to keep the increased population lively (exercise areas, meeting spaces, entertainment venues, etc.) It is important that such institutions work to give back to the community. Having this entertaining event is a way for AIU to say thank you to the Akita Prefecture community for the work they’ve done to help ensure AIU’s success.

3. It is a way for students to show initiative and practice their management skills. For the most part, the AIU festival was student-run. Each of the clubs was responsible for various aspects of the festival, whether it was performance groups working to fill a schedule to provide entertainment for most of the day, planning committees to provide spaces for the community to engage with students, or sub committees organized to provide unique vendors for purchase of international items (such as a flea market for ‘foreign’ items or food stalls with various country-specific delicacies).

photo credit to Yulin Chen

All of this being said, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to participate in the AIU Festival. I had the opportunity to help with the Intercultural Affairs Committee as they hosted “IAC Play Time”, a space for families to bring their kids to play games and practice their communication skills, both in Japanese and in English. While each session spent with IAC Play Time was taxing (kids have so much energy!), it was very rewarding. If nothing else, I hope it made the parents job a little easier as maybe this was an opportunity for their children to constructively expend excess energy.

Yurihonjo (由利本荘市)

On October 16, I was itching to do a bit more regional travel. After considering our options, my girlfriend Helen Stritzel and I took around a 45 minute train ride south to Yurihonjo City. What’s in Yurihonjo you may ask? Well… it’s a city, with a train stop, a fancy library, and a river! Okay okay, so there was not too many adventurous or historical significance to this trip compared to others (to my current knowledge at least). However, this does not mean we still didn’t have a good time. Yurihonjo was an interesting place, especially after getting to see the city from the crest of the Ozaki Castle Ruins Park (尾崎公園). There was also see Mt. Himayama towering on the horizon behind the expansive city. We also stopped off at the Yurihonjo City Cultural Center. Inside this fascinating work of architecture, we were able to have lunch and visit the library. This building also houses a concert hall and seems to be a popular spot for residents to meet and hang out.

I have not posted much about Japanese food. Sufficed to say, Japanese cuisine is quite delicious. And before you ask, no, common Japanese food ain’t a man behind a flat top grill tossing knives around, trying to flip chunks of egg into your mouth! Common dishes I have for a regular meal include what can be seen above. This particular meal consisted of oyakodon (親子丼), paired with a bowl of udon (うどん) noodles. Oyakodon is very delicious, but the name may be unsettling to some. In Japanese, oyakodon literally translates to mean “parent and child bowl”, a reference to this dish’s inclusion of both chicken and egg atop a bed of rice. One fairly uncommon dish that came with this meal also was salad! It seems that green vegetables are not as common compared to their more carb enriched counterparts, so having some greens definitely did wonders for my body’s morale and satiated my hunger for minerals.

To finish the trip, we took a stroll along the riverside. It is amazing how well Japanese cities are ingrained with the countryside in Akita Prefecture. It is a testament to a fine balance the communities maintain: to have people coincide with the natural beauty of the land. This integration is something I hope to hold onto when I return stateside.

Midterms/Academics:

October has certainly ushered a busier academic schedule, as all of my classes (minus Japanese) have had me writing various papers and essays for midterm grades. I can say without a doubt that this semester has had me write more than any previous semester, and quite possibly will have had me write more than all the previous semesters combined by the end of this semester. This is not to say that I don’t think I am capable of stepping into this writing role. After all, every class I’ve taken here has been of my own choosing, so I find enjoyment in considering the subject matter and subsequently organizing my thoughts on the topic at hand.

Alongside my studies, I also volunteer with AIU’s Language Development and Intercultural Studies Center (LDIC). The LDIC provides various opportunities for both Japanese students and international students to develop their secondary languages. I lead informal conversations in English for anyone interested in practicing, and I attend sessions that Naoki Tachibana leads to practice my Japanese. I definitely appreciate his patience, especially since I’m weakest in speaking Japanese, when compared to reading it and writing it. Also, I can still only convey basic sentences. I hope that as I continue to partake in this language exchange, I may be able to help others as much as I am receiving help in improving my understanding of the Japanese language.

Sushi:

What trip to Japan would be complete without the opportunity for fresh sushi? On October 21, I went with Helen to a local conveyor belt sushi restaurant, “Kappa Sushi”. There were a wide variety of sushi options, from raw seafood to tempura, and even some vegetarian options. My favorite of the night had to be the salmon roll, with the squid roll being my least favorite (both depicted above). The salmon roll was well seasoned and the fish seemed to be very fresh. The squid was very…. chewy, and it was a little awkward when I realized I was trying to get through the toughened suction cups on one of the legs. I can’t wait to go back to this restaurant again, all the food was delicious, and was fairly inexpensive (most rolls cost around 103 yen for 2 pieces – a little under $1 in the States.).

Oga Peninsula (男鹿半島):

On October 22, I went on the second AIU sponsored bus trip to Oga Peninsula with my university friends. Oga Peninsula is among the most popular places to visit in Akita Prefecture, because it juts out of the Honshu island, providing spectacular views of the sea of Japan. It was crazy to consider how that this portion of Japan is on the same latitude as part of North Korea, and almost north enough to share the same line as the southeastern most expanse of Russia. On this trip, there were four main stops: the GAO Oga Aquarium, Nyudozaki Cape, the Namahage (pronounced “nah-mah-ha-gay”) Folklore Museum, and Mt. Kampuzan.

The GAO aquarium was a fun place to explore. Even though there were many varieties of animals I’ve seen before (either in the wild or in various other aquariums/zoos), there were some species that were completely new. Namely some of the jellyfish variants, and these interesting “eel-like” fish were equally strange and beautiful (both depicted above).

Nyudozaki Cape was a beautiful place to have lunch. Earlier in the day, I picked up a container of noodles from an Aeon grocery store to eat while overlooking the Sea of Japan. It almost felt like I was standing at the edge of the world as I surveyed the crashing waves alongside the crags of rock that towered above the watery depths below.

Perhaps my favorite part of the entire trip was getting to visit the Namahage Folklore museum.

***Disclaimer: The following description of the Namahage is solely my opinion towards their identity, as this tradition is so old that there is no unifying consensus amongst the Japanese as to their true identity, or when the act of dressing up like them began***

The Namahage is a long standing tradition unique to Akita Prefecture, and even more specifically to the people that reside in the Oga Peninsula. The basic premise of the Namahage is this: long ago, their lived these beast-like beings called the Namahage, and they lived in the Oga flats before man drove them to the mountains. What they are largely depends on who you talk to, as some claim that they were ogres, while others believed them to be spirits. Perhaps they were just people that were so far detached from “civilized” Japan that their “barbaric” appearance was feared amongst the Japanese people, and further exaggerated to “lesser” human proportions.

At the folklore museum, a demonstration is given several times every day that showcases the New Year’s tradition of the Namahage. Throughout all the communities of Oga, community members (typically men) dress up like Namahage and stalk the town, making loud noises and banging on exterior walls, until finally asking for permission from the head of household to enter (asking first to make sure there has not been a traumatic event to strike the household, such as a parent or child death for example). In traditional custom, the Namahage are then usually permitted to enter the household. The entire family is demanded to sit before them, particularly the children. Think of the Namahage almost like an inverse Santa Claus. Each year, they come to check in on families to see if the children have been behaving. Most often, they list the deeds that they need to improve upon (obeying their parents, studying harder, being consistent with chores, etc.). The head of household then bribes the Namahage with food and sake so that they don’t steal the children away to the mountains. Even though this event is most likely traumatizing to little children, the general consensus on the tradition is that it strives to make families more respectful and productive. Some also see them as good luck for the coming year.

The museum demonstration actually had the Namahage peer into the crowd and asked the head of household if we had been good. At one point, they asked if we had been keeping up with our studies and been respectful students (as the actors had prior knowledge of the audience since a majority of the tickets for this show had already been reserved well in advance by AIU). When I realized this (with my limited understanding of Japanese), I chuckled a little bit after a short bow to the persistent Namahage as they looked in my general direction.

After the Namahage museum, we ended the day at the summit of Mt. Kampuzan. At the peak, there was a fantastic view of the peninsula, communities, and rice paddies below. It was certainly a picturesque way to end a very fun day.

That’s all for now. I actually am writing this after just returning from a trip to Osaka and Kyoto this past weekend (11/11/16-11/13/16). So please be looking out for a separate post devoted completely to that trip, as there was quite a few places visited in that short period of time!

As always, thank you for the time you took to read this. Until next time!

Proverbs 16:21

The wise in heart will be called understanding, And sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.

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ctcullum17-blog · 9 years ago

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October Happenings

Japanese Home Visit:

AIU Festival:

**The following is my interpretation of cultural aspects of this type of festival, deriving from various conversations with Japanese friends**

photo credit to Yulin Chen

Yurihonjo (由利本荘市)

Midterms/Academics:

Sushi:

Oga Peninsula (男鹿半島):

Perhaps my favorite part of the entire trip was getting to visit the Namahage Folklore museum.

As always, thank you for the time you took to read this. Until next time!

Proverbs 16:21

The wise in heart will be called understanding, And sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.

#dawgsabroad MSUStudyAbroad

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ctcullum17-blog · 9 years ago

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Tokyo or Bust: An Adventure to One of the Largest Concrete Jungles in the World

Day 1 The bus pulled into the Shinjuku bus terminal slightly past 8 AM. Twelve hours on a bus goes by quickly when you sleep soundly, a rather surprising feat on what was to be an assumedly uncomfortable mode of transportation. Willer Express certainly knows how to make a budget means of transport feel cozy. After hopping off the bus, a sudden realization hit me, I was in one of the largest cities in the world. Moreover, I was standing in a building that not only served as a bus terminal, but as a train station and shopping mall! Sufficed to say, this building was massive and filtered what seemed to be a never ending flow of people both into and out of its borders seamlessly. After a quick refresher, and coffee at a nearby Starbucks, I caught my bearings, alongside the other members of the travel group: a collection of international students from AIU. At this point it was time to begin the many miles of walking in the city. To begin, we walked a few blocks south on foot to Yoyogi Park. We utilized a phone application by the name of “citymaps2go”, which proved very beneficial throughout the entire trip. What was so great about this app is that it allows the user to download a map of any major city in the world for offline use, and relies on local GPS to show which direction the phone is facing. It was also useful because landmarks and intended places to visit can be saved to the map, and are pinned to show relative distance away.

Yoyogi Park/Meiji Shrine Grounds

Yoyogi Park is federally protected land that houses the Meiji Shrine, a large Shinto Site that Emperor Meiji signed into federal protection as a cultural historic site. Yoyogi Park was fascinating, as tall and thickly compacted trees made me feel almost like I wasn’t walking through one of the biggest cities in the world. I’m still relatively ignorant to the machinations of Shinto religious customs, but as it is a religion indigenous to Japan, Emperor Meiji saw it necessary to protect certain sites in the midst of growing nationwide western influence that exploded during the Meiji Restoration. As a short history lesson, the Meiji Restoration is a commonly viewed event that brought Japan into the modern era. This was also when Japan began to industrialize. For context for my friends stateside, think of the Meiji Restoration as you would post-Civil War Reconstruction, an instance that issued the country into the commonly perceived Modern Era.

Shibuya Crossing

After visiting the park, we continued further south on foot to Shibuya. I started to realize at this point that I had inadvertently assumed a navigator role. I did not intend to take such a task on, but with the accessibility and simple UI of the app, I found strolling through the busy sidewalks of Tokyo to be almost effortless. I was greatly anticipating the reaction that would take place upon arrival to Shibuya Crossing, heralded as one of the most (if not the most) busy street intersection in the world. What a site to behold. What is at one point a mix of cars zooming in all directions becomes filled with an expansive mosh pit of people briskly and succinctly moving in all manners of direction. So is life in the storied and bustling life of the Shibuya district, a crossroads of major transport routes, stores, restaurants, clubs, and towering office buildings.

At Shibuya, I explained to the group of the convenience of obtaining a Suica card, a prepaid money card that can be used at train stations to cover train fairs. I learned of this convenience six years ago as the local missionaries explained the same information to me. An added benefit of Suica is that it is accepted at most major cities of Japan. I will certainly make use of this same card again when I travel to Osaka and Kyoto. With as many times that I relied on the train in 2010, it became quickly evident that it would be a major time saver instead of having to stand in the ticket line at every single station.

Imperial Palace Courtyard

From Shibuya, we traveled northeast to Chiyoda District, where the Imperial Palace resides. Upon arrival, we stopped off for lunch at the train station, a delicious combination of chicken curry, cabbage salad, and miso soup. After lunch, it was time to tour the Imperial Palace grounds. What we soon learned was the Japanese Government sponsors a guided tour past the gates of the residence of the Emperor, free of charge. It was amazing to get to hear about the structures that reside on the palace grounds, as well as have the opportunity to walk up to the palace courtyard where the Emperor always gives a new year’s public address. It was rather strange to be granted access to such a place. After all, in premodern Japanese History, the emperor was always treated and addressed as a god, and subsequently, only high ranking public officials were allowed to visit the Imperial Court. To see the openness and commonality about allowing tourists to visit indicates that times truly have changed. Also, the Emperor wears a business suit during his addresses, not an ornate kimono, which was a rash generalization I formulated before the tour.

The Imperial Palace Grounds tour took up a significant majority of the afternoon. At early evening, it was time to transition from Chiyoda District to Chuo District. At Chuo, Tsukiji Market funnels the largest crowd of fish merchants in the world. Unfortunately, we were not permitted to enter as a guard explained that the market was meant for official business only. Who knew fish could be so well protected?! In any case, the group made the best of the situation before turning back towards the train station.

Little sleeping nook at Oak Hostel Fuji in Asakusa

At this point, it was getting to be early evening, so the group transitioned from Chuo District to Asakusa District, where the hostel was located. Oak Hostel Fuji was a very nice place to stay. Though the room was shared with eleven other people, having a bunk sectioned off by ply board and a curtain at the foot of the bed allowed me feel as though I had my own room, at a heavily discounted rate compared to that of a conventional hotel room. After check in, this was a wonderful time to rest after the long day of walking and sightseeing. Before bed, the group made a final outing for food, at which point we stumbled across a very tasty Chinese restaurant. The portions were three times the size of what I usually get at the cafeteria, and the spice soba with dumplings was an interesting change from the typical Japanese cuisine I’ve had up to this point.

Day 2

Amidst the market in front of Senshoji Temple

At the dawn of a new day, it was time to explore around the Asakusa district. Asakusa is one of the oldest sections of Tokyo, when the town was a small fishing village long before it would become the new and highly modernized capital it is today. As such, there is an intriguing religious history associated with the district. During the late days of the Yamato Confederation (the loose association of clans that resided on the islands of what the world now calls Japan) Empress Suiko appointed a regent to look after the interests of a young nation looking for reform and expansion from an international perspective. The regent, Prince Shōtoku, sent missions that organized groups to Imperial China, the renowned “center of the world” in the sphere of East Asia. One of the “novelties” brought from China was a new and highly structured religion that we now know as Buddhism. One of the largest Buddhist temples in Japan can be found in Asakusa, Senshōji Temple. It is peculiar to see such a dramatic structure amidst the bustle of a modern city, but the clash of old tradition and new life take place alongside each other.

It is always somewhat bittersweet for me each time I visit such a location. While the architecture is fascinating and unique, I also recognize that this is a space for people to place their faith in an entirely different collection of teachings. To put it another way, as I have established my faith separately from those that practice and observe Buddhist rituals at sites like Senshōji Temple, my status as a foreigner is further amplified, not only in status of residency, but also in status of faith. This isn’t to say that the ‘uncomfortableness’ that sets in is bad. I find it motivating and a challenge that drives to curiosity to learn what others do and how others think. It is as much of a learning experience towards the study of psychology/people at sites such as these as it is in any classroom.

In any case, after some time spent at Asakusa, we traveled to Harajuku District, a popular shopping center, to meet another group of students from AIU. Throughout both this day and the previous day, rain continued to fall. Upon arrival to Harajuku, the rain was falling at its heaviest. Sufficed to say, walking in rain all day left clothes rather soaked. Couple this with the fact that I somehow only brought one pair of socks made for a very soggy time. There turned out to not be much to see in Harajuku unless one is interested in shopping for more modern/western style clothes or gifts.

Akihabara Electric Town

After some time spent following friends around Harajuku, it was time to visit Akihabara Electric Town. What a glorious place Akihabara is. Electronics, anime, and manga stores as far as the eyes can see. I even counted three Sega Game Fields (6 story arcades) all along the same 2 blocks, with various other brands of arcades and “geek-culture” shops stretching down what seemed to be an endless amount of streets. Truthfully, upon arrival to Akihabara, I wish I was somewhat travelling alone, as I feel I could confidently spend at least half of a day perusing the contents of the various shops. I didn’t want to take advantage of the other group members’ patience however, so I tried to limit my excitement and curiosity so that they would not have to follow around as I geeked out at all the lovely things there were to see. Perhaps, for my wallet’s sake, it was good I was only there a few hours. In any case, Akihabara looks perhaps similar to what most would imagine Tokyo to look like, a highly modern, brightly colored city filled with robots, electronics, and cosplayers.

Tokyo Skytree illuminates the murky sky

At this point, the sun was beginning to approach the tips of the western situated skyscrapers, indicating the necessity to return to the hostel in Asakusa. After some time spent off the feet, dinner was had in a small casual diner before we decided to visit the Tokyo Skytree, which is only a few blocks walk away. Tokyo Skytree is the tallest freestanding broadcasting tower in the world, standing at 634 meters (roughly 2080 feet) high. Though it was possible to go up to the observation deck at the top, the ticket price 2100 yen (around $21) was too steep for me to justify. たかいです! (“takaidesu”: It is expensive!) All was not lost however, as the structure connected to the Skytree had fantastic views of the cityscape of Asakusa, as well as plenty of shops to peruse.

Pokémon Center inside the Tokyo Skytree!

Speaking of shops, there was a Pokémon Center at the Skytree. Each Pokémon Center is centered on a particular theme. At this particular shop, the theme was Rayquaza, the sky-high Pokémon. Rayquaza is the green dragon in the above picture. Naturally, the sky-high Pokémon should be the focus of such a tall structure. I purchased plush Pikachu hugging a light blue Skytree as a souvenir, as well as a few gifts to bring back to the US.

Day 3 The last day in Tokyo was primarily spent travelling from Asakusa to Haneda Airport. One of the nice things about being an international traveler is the number of discounts airlines set up to entice business. ANA had a deal that permitted me to fly from Tokyo Haneda to Akita for a little over $100. Flying back was definitely nice after a fun, albeit busy and tiring trip to such a large city.

Final Thoughts

I can say without a reasonable doubt that Tokyo is one of the most interesting city I’ve visited. It is filled with a deep cultural history before it became the new capital, and displays that history alongside the new and highly “westernized” way of life. The culture of respect/cleanliness is also greatly appreciated. People (for the most part) just don’t litter, which means the city does not put up many garbage cans. Likewise, most people are courteous and are not obnoxiously loud. Those that are loud tend to most likely be がぃがくじん (“gaigakujin”: foreigners). I cannot wait to visit this place again!

Proverbs 22:1

A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold.

#dawgsabroad #japan #tokyo

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ctcullum17-blog · 9 years ago

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すみません, 英語で [sumimasen, eigo de?] (excuse me, do you speak English?)

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.

Hello again everyone! After I posted the last blog, I realized I somehow forgot a very important aspect of each entry, the now routine proverb. As a way of apology, I’ve decided this post will include two! Sorry for the forgetfulness! In any case, Proverbs 17:17 actually sums up my week well, as there were several adverse occurrences to take place: Last Sunday (9/11/16) was, of course, the 15th anniversary of the blatant attack by Islamic Extremists upon both towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. As I awoke that morning, I definitely felt burdened and convicted while thinking of the families that suffered loss that day. Vivid images from the news broadcasts that day still haunted me, as I remembered the same images I just could not begin to grasp as 1st grade boy. I still don’t. Man’s desire to cause harm due to religious/political variance is an evil that can only be explained as a blemish of the imperfection of man. Why some will escalate this blemish to violence is beyond me. I long for a day where this bickering and suffering will cease.

Of course, life moves on, and we keep moving forward. As the day progressed, I managed to work through this heartbrokenness through prayer and meditation. It was also easier to move forward as my attention was required to shift to the day ahead. After worship at ABBC, it was finally time for me to obtain a Japanese cell phone. The primary factor in encouraging me to obtain a domestic phone was due to a requirement that the homestay program has, which asks all participants to have a local number in the case the host family needs to get into contact with the student. A representative from service provider au came to AIU to present a few cell phone plans his company had arranged specifically for International Students. Basically, I had the ability to sign up for a plan that would allow for me to receive as many calls and texts at no additional charge than the $16/month service fee. If I were to make a call or text, a fee would be applied per minute and per text respectively. What made this particular plan enticing was the fact that it does not have a set contract term. Naturally, I wanted to go this route, so after returning to Aeon Mall from church, I set out on a short twelve minute walk to the au store in Goshono, the nearest community to AIU. As I arrived, I was greeted by a saleswoman with a curt “konnichiwa”. I returned the greeting and asked the following “eigo de? (can you speak English?)” she smiled at me before shaking her head no. I gave a short chuckle before continuing with “daijobu desu (I understand.)” For the next 40 minutes, the transaction was carried out in Japanese, and though my responses were fairly broken utterances of “arigatoo”, “daijobu desu”, and the occasional “sumimasen, wakarimasen (I’m sorry, I’m lost.)” I was finally able to understand and provide everything she asked for. The crowning achievement of this exchange is shown in the picture below!

Monday through Friday was a standard week of class for me, so I will spare you the boring details, with focus more on the interesting happenings: On Monday, in History of Pre-Modern Japan, Dr. Sean organized a bus for the class to visit nearby Yayoikko Village, a National Historic Site that once was home to a Jomon/Yayoi era village. The Jomon era was the earliest recollection of people living on the islands that would one day become what we call Japan. This village was an archaeological playground, as many clay pots and figures were discovered here. The village that stand there now are mere recreation of shelters that would house dozens of people at any given period in time. Being able to experience history in a more tangible way such as this certainly cemented interest in further studies and readings that come with the class.

Japanese class progressed quickly as I relearned the complete first alphabet of Japanese, hiragana. International security focused primarily on explaining the three major paradigms of international relations: realism, liberalism, and constructivism. Japanese Business Culture expanded on the principle of life time employment with a single company for many Japanese, as well as explained the presence of a family feel for the company, an idea where the company takes care of its employees so that the employees will take care of the company. On Saturday, September 17, AIU sponsored a bus trip (free for students!) to the nearby town of Kakunodate (pronounced kah-kue-no-dah-tay) and Lake Tazawa (pronounced tah-zah-wah). Kakunodate was built during the Edo period to house various samurai families. It was fascinating getting a tour of one of the samurai houses, and getting to see the well preserved artifacts that the samurai’s descendants have taken care of several hundred years. Lake Tazawa is the deepest lake in all of Japan, and its deep blues contrasted with the grays of the looming mountains surrounding the entire body seemed to jump out of a surreal painting. Another example of the natural beauty that Japan sports on a daily basis.

The next week of classes turned out to be fairly uneventful and filled with various lectures to further expand upon each focus area of study. What is notable came Thursday, during the first day of fall. See, in Japan, the autumn equinox is considered to be a national holiday, one in which AIU observes by not holding classes. Seeing this as an excellent opportunity for travel, it was time to travel with some friends down to Tokyo! To get down there, we heard about night buses that runs down to Tokyo from the Akita train station. This turned out to be a great means of travel, as its economic pricing and overnight nature made it less cumbersome financially to travel, as the price can be seen as both a night rate for a place to sleep while we spent around 11 hours inching further and further south.

As the details of the trip will take a considerable amount of space, I will post a separate blog all about it specifically. I look forward to sharing all of the amazing memories had while in Japan’s “Eastern Capital”. (In Japanese Kanji, “to” = East, “kyo” = Capital).

Proverbs 15:17 Better is a dish of vegetables where love is than a fattened ox served with hatred.

#dawgsabroad experienceJapan

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ctcullum17-blog · 9 years ago

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だいじょぶです [daijobu desu] (I understand!)

I’m fairly sure I’ve spoken the above phrase to my Japanese Professor, Hiwatari-sensee, around 50 times just in the first week. This is a reiterated affirmation when prompted with だいじょぶですか [daijobu desu ka] (do you understand?) Here’s a short Japanese lesson: in most cases, you may simply add the character か and your phrase instantly changes to a question. Also, in order to render the appropriate respect to your teacher/professor, the ending ~sensee is generally accepted, as well as expected. This is something I greatly appreciate with the Japanese language, as even though the alphabet may be completely different, there are general rules such as these that is most likely to be followed. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, but the intention remains the same. This week has proven to be an exciting introduction to the class work in pursuit for this Fall 2016 semester. Not only will I be taking Japanese 101 (comparable to 3 semesters’ worth of potential credit state side), but I also will be studying History of Premodern Japan, Japanese Business Culture, and International Security. This slightly differs from my original course schedule, but I think the changes will prove most useful in the years ahead.

Here are a few highlights from class that perhaps will be an enjoyable read:

In Japanese 101, throughout the week, nearly all of the first alphabet of Japanese, Hiragana, has been taught. Also, there have already been three assignments turned in, as well as two quizzes. Yes, this may seem potentially extensive, but I welcome the quick pacing of this class. After all, the more I learn in the beginning, the more that can be applied when off campus.

On Thursday (9/8/16) in International Security, which is occupied with nearly 40 students, three of which are international students, a Japanese student asked the professor a question regarding the difference between Japan and US regulations involving personal ownership of modern firearms. Naturally, the professor directs the question to me, being that I am the only representative of the United States on hand. That was a very interesting learning experience, as I was quickly made aware that personal ownership of modern firearms is typically banned in Japan. I proceeded to disclaim that the following was my personal opinion, as the topic of second amendment rights vs. gun control is still a hot debate topic still going on: I explained that as Americans, we safeguard the right to own firearms as a way of self-defense. It is also a failsafe should, for some reason, we be required to take up arms to defend the liberties we’ve come to expect (explained as status quos in the class) whenever threatened by both foreign and domestic threats.

Japanese Business Culture will be an interesting class, as the professor has had experience working in both Japanese government as a financial consultant, and in the private sector with General Electric in the US as a project planner. I greatly appreciate learning from people with experience outside of that of academia, as this will potentially give me a closer perception into the mentality of Japanese companies and entities that provide various products and services other than education.

History of Pre Modern Japan will definitely require a considerable amount of processing when it comes to digestion of source material. I already was asked to make a formal short response as to whether or not I thought the name of the class was adequate in describing the subject matter being studied. Let’s just say I got quite existential with that post, even growing to the detail of considering the definition of the word “name”, and clarifying this detail as necessary to support my argument that the name of the class was, and I quote, “adequate enough”.

Of course, life cannot be all drab with the daily to-dos of classwork, so why not join clubs? This week, I joined several clubs, including Rock Band, Aikido (martial arts), Intercultural Affairs Committee, and Bible Study. With rock band, initial impressions have me see that it is a loose association of members that form various bands to play different types of songs. I joined up with a fellow statesmen and someone from Thailand. This was an interesting time, as on Saturday (9/10/16) during practice, I needed to provide male vocals while we ran through “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men. For those that know me well, I’m typically reserved, so stepping into that role was more challenging than I initially realized.

Aikido will be very challenging for me, given that this is my first attempt at learning martial arts. Aikido requires reading the actions of your opponents to then properly shift their momentum against him/her, typically ending in being able to force a pin to the ground or some form of sharp pain that demands submission from your opponent. I should also mention that aikido has a mix of both unarmed and armed (wooden sabers and staffs) combat. I’m clumsy as is, so getting the timing and directions of counters has proven difficult. However, so far, Sensee seems very patient with me and happy to teach. After all, he does this out of his own kindness as a volunteer. I greatly appreciate his willingness to relay what will most likely be a tremendous means of self-defense!

Intercultural Affairs Committee is focused on building friendships between international and local students with the hopes of bringing a common understanding of varying cultural backgrounds with the hopes of not only providing learning experiences to the members, but relaying this knowledge to members of the communities through open houses that frequently see younger students visit AIU’s campus.

Bible study was interesting to say the least. Everyone from the group seemed to have a longing to come together and worship God. The leaders’ generosity in providing a meal, studying the content intently (we talked about Samson in the book of Judges), and facilitate an environment of study was greatly appreciated. Studying the Bible with others in English will be nice, as it will parallel studies of the Word in Japanese on Sunday mornings, an excellent depiction that faith transcends any cultural and language boundaries.

Finally, at the end of the week on Saturday (9/10/16), an event was held at FM Tsubakidai, a local radio station less than a minute walk from campus that was structured to build relationship with AIU and the local community. Children from a nearby school sang various songs in both Japanese and English. Among the most notable, It’s a Small World (both Japanese and English), If you’re happy and you know it (English), and Head, shoulders, knees, and toes (English). At this point the head of the radio station requested for international students to stand up and sing songs. Of course with my luck, I was selected as the second student to sing. After explaining in Japanese that I was from America, the pianist (teacher of the children’s choir) exclaimed “Oh America, sing ‘Amazing Grace’?” I of course obliged, but again, I’m not a good singer, so this was definitely setting out unto uncharted waters.

This event further cemented that the Japanese people are very warm and inviting, an atmosphere in which my gratitude cannot be adequately expressed. Words cannot express this generosity, but I hope that when I return to the US I learn to provide this same warmth with international students as well.

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ctcullum17-blog · 9 years ago

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Week 1: Fireworks, Typhoons, and Powerpoints: Oh my!

こんにちわ once again everyone!

This past week has been quite eventful. Last Saturday (8/27/16) was a great opportunity to explore Akita City. It also just so happened to be the one day of the year that the largest and most prestigious fireworks competition of Japan took place in the nearby community of Omagari (大曲). This day was also advantageous because a free bus route was made available, shuttling students from campus into downtown via several stops. This is much appreciated, since AIU is a little over 14 km (that’s a little over 5.5 miles for us U.S. standard units users) away from Akita Station, nestled in the heart of the downtown district.

Akita Station is also a major transportation hub for the city and region as the Shinkansen (bullet train) and various smaller train routes pass through every few minutes. I misgauged my time and actually missed an earlier bus a few of my friends agreed to meet up at, so I greatly appreciated their patience in waiting for me to arrive and meet them. After the meetup, we walked to a pop up ticket vendor to buy tickets directly to Omagari. At this point, it was around 11 AM, and the competition did not start until around 5:30 PM. Since there was a train leaving around 3 PM, the opportunity presented itself to spend some time sightseeing around the downtown area. There happened to be a street fair filled with food and drink vendors approximately one block north of the station. Of course, some of the best foods to sample come from these sporadic pop up vendors, and this circumstance was certainly no different. I had shumai (Japanese pork dumplings) with what I thought would be yellow mustard. It wasn’t yellow mustard… no, this is Japan, so what’s a meal without a little surprise, especially if it is wasabi?! This was another circumstance where food ignorance got the better of me. The initial bite of shumai with wasabi mustard was unexpected, causing the typical eye-watering that naturally combines with this powerfully seasoned ingredient. Luckily, after identifying what I was actually eating, it became easier to enjoy what was otherwise a delicious meal!

After lunch, it was time to do some sightseeing! First up, the Akita Museum of Art. Pictures do not do this building justice. Designed by world-renowned architect Tadao Ando, exploring the crooks and crevices of the building served as equal aesthetic delight as the artwork currently being showcased. Shout out to Caleb Fearing for showing me some of the details he considers when applying this knowledge to his school work in the pursuit of being the next great architect. Primarily, Ando utilized a gray concrete facade as a means to emphasize the impact that the curvature and markedly sharp corners of the building possesses in encouraging a dichotomy of fluid transition, which was then markedly contrasted with the sudden end points of the exhibit. Perhaps this was eluding to the effect that the artwork could have on man’s mental transition state as each piece is “consumed”, where in similar fashion, the status of mental focus is fluid when each piece is considered, then markedly shifted to consider a vastly different, yet similarly beautiful piece. Though most of the artwork was restricted with regards to photo opportunity, there were a few areas where pictures were permitted (displayed in the “Japan – Fall 2016” photo album on my Facebook page).

Enough of my sub-par philosophical ramblings. After the museum, the next stop was Senshu Park (千秋公園). Senshu Park was very interesting, as it was the site of the late Akita Castle. Though the Castle has been reduced to ruin, there are a few buildings standing within the park’s perimeter, including (but not limited to) a Shinto Shrine, a lookout tower/armory for the samurai guard to protect Akita’s Lord during Edo period government, and the original house of the Guard Captain. The house is significant, as it is the last original structure of Edo period architecture to still stand. In other words, when samurai and various noble representatives shuffled up the hill to meet with Lord Yoshiaki Satake, they would walk by and observe this exact same structure as what I had the pleasure of viewing and resting in. Most likely, they’d also have to go through some kind of security screening before entering the gate of the castle. Good to know this part of history will most likely never change. After some time spent in the park, there was a brief visit to the Akita Citizen’s Market. If you want a fresh $80 fish, that’s definitely the place to go. In all seriousness, the Citizen’s Market had a distinctly local feel, a place where perhaps at one point, many trade barters took place. This market sold everything from fresh fish to spices to everyday household items like paper towels. Think of it like an indoor, year-round farmer’s market.

Upon leaving the farmer’s market, it was time to begin the one hour train ride from Akita City to Omagari. Omagari is a smaller community that would otherwise go unnoticed beyond the local inhabitants most days. At the last Saturday of August, that all changes as thousands of people descend upon this humble town in anticipation to be dazzled by a truly unique presentation of the best fireworks the Japanese have at their disposal. What a great exposition it was, whether it be stark blue, purple, or red smokes to trail the explosions of the day competition or the grandiose fireworks in an assortment of shapes, sizes, and durations of the night competition, the Omagari Fireworks competition is without a doubt in contention for the best fireworks display I’ve ever witnessed, which is considerable when comparing it to Independence Day fireworks at Washington D.C. or even daily presentations before the close of any Disney Park.

Sunday (8/28/16) was the first opportunity I had to meet face to face with members of a local Christian church, Akita Bible Baptist. Their warmth and hospitality is greatly encouraging during this short stay far away from home. Moreover, their hospitality in allowing me to share a meal with them was an unexpected joy. It truly warms my heart to meet believers in a land where the language starkly contrasts with that of my own. I find encouragement in that, though I may not understand all the minor details of the Japanese language, I can rest in the fact that we shared the same belief that God resides everywhere, and that there is much to be grateful for, especially when considering His goodness. (As a side note, perhaps singing hymns and other worship-based songs in Japanese will improve my Japanese speech speed.)

During the past week, there were various orientations regarding varying aspects of campus life and school regulation, each of which accompanied with a PowerPoint. Of course! These sessions were informative and helpful in adjustment to a different cultural expectation, but certainly more formal than perhaps with what I’ve grown accustomed to while at State. Most of the content presented during the AIU sessions would be comparable to topics covered either in handouts from the MSU online school portal, email, or learned as the semester progressed.

I should mention that on Tuesday (08/30/16), Typhoon 10 hit Japan. While Akita was fortunate to be sheltered from the brunt of the force of the storm, other parts of Japan unfortunately sustained massive flooding, requiring a considerable amount of air evacuations. I liken what I experienced that day to a very strong thunderstorm, without the thunder. We received very high circulating winds and plenty of rain. I’m certain the rice appreciated the extra water…

Did I happen to mention rice is everywhere here? If not, well, it is! I can count only a handful of instances where rice was not a part of a meal for me (breakfast included!). I feel right at home when travelling into town. To paint a picture the Akita countryside with words: picture golden rice farms intermixed with condensed communities with a sizable mountain range in the background, with clusters of forest interspersed along the edges of the foreground. To say the scenery here is picturesque would be an understatement. There will definitely be more pictures to come that will attempt to show off the beauty found in Akita’s agrarian landscape.

Thursday (09/1/16) was matriculation ceremony. Before that day, I have never heard of such an event. Basically, it was a mandatory business formal event where the President of AIU welcomed us and officially admitted us as students. There were also several dignitaries from the government of Akita Prefecture, as well as every head of the schools that comprise the university. So technically, while my colleagues at State began taking classes in early August, I still was technically not a student until September 1st. During the ceremony, each student was asked to stand at the call of his or her name and respond with “yes” or something equivalent to “yes”. After much debate, I decided to respond with a hearty “はい” [hai]. After the formalities, there was an amazing violin and piano duet, followed by a presentation by the AIU Kanto Team. I still don’t understand all the specifics behind the traditional Kanto festival, but it is a special event held only in Akita during early August. The Kanto team balance a long (5 to 12 meters) pole bearing many lanterns. Part of the team takes turns balancing the poles in various, impressive stances while the other part of the team keeps the tempo up by playing the Taiko drum and flutes, alongside traditional Japanese chants.

On Saturday (09/3/16), I was invited by some friends to travel to nearby Shimohama (しもはま). Shimohama is a small community affixed right on the coast of the Sea of Japan. What a wonderful day at the beach it was. So the Sea of Japan is much cooler than the Gulf of Mexico, which was refreshing when contrasted with the hot September afternoon. This was truly the best time to come, since apparently the major Fall cool down that usually hits Akita Prefecture will begin to show itself in the next few days. I’m definitely looking forward to cooler temperatures, and eventually snow!

Finally today, Sunday (09/04/16) is the day before the start of classes. After a fruitful morning of worship at ABBC, I spent the rest of the afternoon compiling notes about this past week and envisioning what actually school in Japan will be like. I hope this semester will prove fruitful, especially in my study of the Japanese language. I’ve already met my Sensei and he already seems to have significant structure for the course progression. Perhaps when this is all said and done, I will pick up on speech patterns more easily and maybe even learn some Kanji!

That’s all for now. I will do my best from now on to post once a week, so you can expect me to have these reads available every Sunday in most circumstances. As always, thank you so much for the time you took to read this. Your time and attention is greatly appreciated!

ありがとうございました

Chris

クリス

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ctcullum17-blog · 9 years ago

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Week 1: Fireworks, Typhoons, and Powerpoints: Oh my!

こんにちわ once again everyone!

ありがとうございました

Chris

クリス

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ctcullum17-blog · 9 years ago

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行こう [yukō] – Let’s Go!

こんにちは [konnichiwa] everyone!

I am happy to report that I have made it safely to Akita International University. Even though this is only my fourth day living on campus, I have already experienced the tremendous hospitality of the Japanese people! What astounds me is that even though some may not know the English language, those that I’ve come into contact with worked far beyond expectation to see me through to the final destination. I was especially thankful to finally arrive at the Hotel Plaza Crypton near AIU to finally rest my head and get some much needed rest. After all, from Memphis, TN to Akita City, Japan, I was in transit for just over 24 hours from start to finish!

With that being said, it is worth considering that time is relative. Currently, I am 14 hours ahead of US Central Daylight Time, and even as I am writing this at 8:02 PM, I feel like I could easily go to bed due to the jet lag. Part of the adjustment, however, is encouraging the body to conform to the new standard schedule by attentively postponing sleep to a time better structured to the coming school semester, such as 10 or 11 PM.

The trip, from a macroscopic view, was very smooth and easy going. On August 22, I flew out of Memphis to Chicago [ORD] for a short 1 hour 45 minute flight. Then, there was a 3.5 hour layover due to the plane’s late arrival. Though ANA did not explicitly explain the cause of the delay, I learned (via in-flight news broadcast), that a typhoon moved through much of the east coast of Japan, Tokyo included. My hypothesis is that my plane was grounded to allow the weather to clear before travelling to Chicago. I discovered that Chicago actually has a foreign currency exchange, which was conveniently placed about four gates away. Not only that, but the arrival gate was only two spaces away from the departure area. With this time, it was possible to transfer some US Dollars into Japanese Yen, make some much needed family calls, and be prepared for boarding. The 13 hour flight from Chicago to Tokyo Narita Airport was very smooth and surprisingly quick. With the time change, I arrived in Japan midafternoon on August 23. After a brief delay in immigration, I was permitted to enter the country, collect all of my bags (a blessing in of itself) and move on to the next stage of travel: getting from one airport to the other to make a connection…

Tokyo is unique since it has 2 airports. I flew into the Narita International Airport after spending roughly 13 hours in the air. Narita International is located in Narita City just outside of Tokyo. For reference for those that may have travelled by air: in most cases, it would be easy to make the next connection after some time spent walking or taking some on-property transit to the next flight. After all, most connections are typically made within the same airport. However, this was not so in my case, as my connecting flight to Akita was out of Tokyo Haneda airport, which services mostly domestic flights within Japan. In order to actually get to Haneda, I had the option of either taking the train or the limousine bus. In Japan, a limousine bus is another way of saying a charter bus. It is comparable to Greyhound in the United States. Though I was encouraged by study abroad staff to take the train, I decided rather to take the limousine bus. I made this decision primarily because the train option required a transfer. Since my mind was not as sharp as compared to the start of travel due to fatigue, I wanted to take the bus to avoid any sort of error, given that this option would take me directly from Narita to Haneda with no stops. The trip lasted around one hour and ten minutes total, all while technically still being in Tokyo city limits. After all, we are talking about the largest metropolitan area in the world! Anyway, from my limited understanding, Haneda was actually the old airport for Tokyo, but as more and more direct travel interest developed from western countries such as the US, the need for more plane space presented a need to expand Tokyo’s capacity to house grounded flights. Expansion of Haneda could only go so far since it is already so close to the downtown area. The next option was to just build another airport to fulfill the need, explaining the creation of Narita airport. Even after the construction of Narita, Haneda seems to be over crowded, as I was taken out onto the tarmac via bus and directed to walk up a mobile staircase to board the flight to Akita. There were rows and rows of planes residing undocked on the tarmac awaiting passenger arrival before departure: a very unique experience for sure! Before I continue this blog, I wanted to express gratitude to a fellow AIU colleague I met that just so happened to be on the same flight as me. His proficiency and understanding of the Japanese language far exceeded my limited understanding, so I greatly appreciated the opportunity to travel with him and efficiently make our way through the airport and to the hotel via taxi. Earlier, I mentioned how thankful I was to at last arrive at the Hotel near AIU. I was greatly surprised by the accommodations available to me upon arrival. I’ll do my best to upload pictures onto Facebook when I find some more time. On August 24, I woke up to a new day on foreign soil. The signs were all a mixture of the three Japanese alphabets: Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji (with some English notes sprinkled about here and there to help me get my bearings). There were even more buttons on the toilet than I knew what to do with, and I could not have felt more excited! As I descended the elevator to the main lobby, I was greeted by a steward and ushered into the dining hall. A friendly Japanese waiter greeted me with a hearty ”おはようございます”[ohio gozaimasu] (good morning) before presenting me a large platter of food. The food primarily consisted of small plates of rice, eggs, bacon, and other dishes that will continue to remain a mystery for the time being. I scooped up what looked to be raspberry jelly with my chopsticks and placed it into my mouth….. it wasn’t raspberry. いいえ! [iie!] (NO!) what I had filling my mouth was none other than fish eggs! It took every ounce of muscle in my face to prevent gagging from taking place. What was expected to be a sweet end to breakfast was actually a very salty fish taste! After breakfast, I had some time to pack up my belongings in the room before a 10 AM pickup by an AIU shuttle. For all the students and staff that aided us internationals with luggage and more immigration paperwork, thank you for making that transition as painless as possible!

August 25 to the present has been marked with several orientation sessions to help get acquainted with the size of campus (which I would say is perhaps one sixth the size of Mississippi State, and the average class size is 30, with a typical max size of 50), campus life, school regulation, and academic orientation. More orientation sessions are still to come, but I am definitely ready to jump back into my studies. I cannot wait to learn more of the Japanese language, and depending on how registration goes, I will be interested to see what other subject matter I will have the opportunity to study.

As always, thank you for your time! ありがとうございました

Chris クリス

Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.

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ctcullum17-blog · 9 years ago

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I'm covered, right?

Hello again everyone. These past few days have been interesting as I attempted to understand the complexities that shroud Japanese International Student insurance in a veil of comparison. It's perplexing enough to read about the seemingly endless offerings of domestic insurance, but throw in different expectations from a 'foreign' country, and the task becomes much more involved. I'll do my best to convey my very limited understanding (underline that word 'very') of Japanese expectation when it comes to insuring students. Regardless of your political opinion, today, the United States has joined other countries (Japan included) in establishing national health insurance through the 'Affordable Care Act', more commonly recognized as ObamaCare due to the POTUS's tremendous enthusiasm and spearheading behind the legislation. Japan differs slightly from the US, however, as all international students are required to purchase the National Health Insurance (NHI) and Personal Accident Insurance for Student Education and Research (SPER) packages. NHI covers 70% of all medical expenses while in the country minus rescue and repatriation. SPER covers physical injury due to accidents during school endorsed activities. I should also mention that neither of the above packages are considered traveler's insurance. A separate traveler's insurance package is additionally required and expected of all students to arrive with. Personally, I don't anticipate getting into any serious injury while abroad (who does? am I right?) and luckily, the fees associated with NHI and SPER will be refunded if I don't use them. However, I can't help but feel a little overwhelmed with insurance consideration. My personal insurance already covered comparable medical services that NHI does, and yet I was still required to purchase it. I will not judge their requirements, being that I signed up to be a student in Japan on my own accord. I respect their policies and will abide by any mandates set before me. But... (and this is just my American opinion)... I feel like since personal insurance was comparable to the package set forth by Japanese law, there would have been consideration towards that. To require everyone to purchase the exact same package, while I can see the benefit of knowing everyone is on the same page, somewhat seemed as though it didn't matter if coverage had already been previously arranged. This is a heated debate still going on to this day in US politics with the Affordable Care Act. On one side, you have men and women applauding it for making health insurance available to everyone. That is certainly admirable. I believe everyone should have access to base medical services. However, others are concerned that federal involvement will extract previous customers of the health insurance marketplace from previously established businesses, forcing said businesses to close up shop due to low revenues. A question I've pondered, should the market mold into 100% government control... would hospitals and clinics lose incentive to provide quality service in the scenario where all patients would be basically paying the same standard fee? This, of course, won't be answered for quite some time. There is no solid indication as to how the Affordable Care Act will mature. I certainly hope not, but we will find out after a few years, once the legislation has had time to interact with the market. Please take all of this with a grain of salt. I am by no means an expert on health care or politics, both domestic and international. My opinion definitely carries little weight, and I count myself very fortunate to even have the opportunity to go to Akita to study there for an entire semester! The intent behind this post was to give a glimpse into one of what is to certainly be a plethora of interesting encounters. These encounters will force me to compare preconceptions and opinions fostered by the environment I grew up in alongside those of an environment I have very little understanding of. Hopefully, my understanding of the Japanese environment will grow tremendously at the conclusion of this coming semester. As always, thank you for reading! I am honored that you would expend your time to consider what I have to say. ありがとーございました Chris クリス Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

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