My experience in Japan!
I travelled to Japan in June 2008 to take part in EIL's Study Abroad programme and it was one of the most unforgetable experiences of my life. I went with two friends to do a homestay and Japanese classes in Suwa. On our first meeting with our new teachers we ate watermelon and chatted, and then we were collected by our host parents and brought to our new homes. I was both nervous and excited as we drove through Suwa, watching the town and all the beautiful mountains outside my window. When we arrived at the house my host mother, Sachiko, insisted I take a bath as I was very tired and needed to relax. I did, despite the heat of the day and I enjoyed it up until I was leaving the bathroom and accidentally pulled the sliding door completely out from the wall! I was very embarrassed, standing in a stranger's house with their bathroom door in my hands but by the end of the trip I felt like part of the family and over dinner in a traditional Japanese restaurant in Matsumoto we laughed off the incident. My host-parents were two of the kindest people I have ever met and everyone we met - teachers, guides, students - was so friendly and interested in what we were doing. Suwa is a beautiful, quiet place and at the weekend we went to Tokyo to see Harajuku and Asakusa. Our Japanese classes were really helpful, and soon the language barrier didn't seem so high after all. In class we studied Kanji and grammar at our own pace and every day we got to use what we had learned in everyday conversations. I firmly believe that the only way to truly learn and understand a language is to live it - being in a situation where you have no choice but to speak the language may seem scary at first, but it's a lot more effective than anything you can learn from a book. We visited different types of schools where we gave presentations on Ireland to students of all ages. I was so nervous about doing this and found myself wishing for some way to get of it, but everyone was so friendly it turned out to be one of the best experiences of the entire trip and I encourage anyone to do the same. On our last night my friend's host family took us to a fire-fly viewing and it was one of the most magical things I have ever seen. I knew that I would never forget it, and I think about Suwa, my host family and all the people I met every day. The trip did wonders for my Japanese and Japan is one of those countries where you have to live the culture in order to fully appreciate and understand it. I miss Suwa a lot and I hope to return there someday, and I'm so happy I got the opportunity to do this!
- caroline winters's blog
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How much japanese did you know before the trip?
Your trip sounds like it was amazing! I would love to apply for the same trip, but I was just wondering how much japanese you knew before visiting japan? Is it essential to have a good standard? I can only count to ten but I would love to learn the language!
How much Japanese I knew
It's great you want to learn it, it's a fantastic language and really opens a whole new world for you! I had been studying Japanese for about two years before I went, and it does help to know the basics, but the Japanese are very friendly and will appreciate any effort you make to speak their language. The classes are really good because they're small, if not one-on-one, so you can learn exactly what you want and need to. They'll work at your pace and you'll learn loads just from living with a family and watching TV. My host-mother explained things to me when they came up in everyday situations which really helped, so it's a good idea to take note of the new things you learn everyday. I use my notes in class to this day and they're really useful!
How was the food
It makes me want to go Japan! What was the food like?
Food
The food was amazing! I'm someone who never tries new food, especially strange things but while in Japan I wanted to have the full experience so i forced myself to try everything, and it was actually delicious. Japanese ramen is mouth-watering, and if you get the chance a traditional Japanese restaurant is a very interesting experience. I would definitely recommend sushi and okonomiyaki, as well as shabushabu and sukiyaki although these might only be in higher-priced restaurants. For lunch my host-mother made me obento boxes and near the school there's an amazing crepe place called Dipper Dans that my friends and I still get cravings for. There are Western-style restaurants too, and the Japanese make excellent treats and cakes, so I guarantee you won't go hungry!