First Day of School

As my title suggest, today was my first day at Waseda University's School of Liberal Studies, aka SILS. It was a rough first day, since I had classes from 9 until 4, with only a 50 minute lunch break. What made it worse, was all the rain. I guess there is typhoon weather that has been sending us rain. Anyway, without further ado, I give you...my SCHEDULE!

Japanese 3a (Mon, Tues, Thurs 9-12:10)
Japan Anthropology (Mon 1-2:30; Wed 10:40-12:10)
History of Modern Japan (Mon and Thurs 2:40-4:10)
Art History (of Japan) (Tues 1-4:10)

Yes, I know, it is a lot of classes about Japan but let's not forget that I am a Japanese Studies major. Hopefully by the end of this year (if not by the end of this semester), I'll have figured out a direction I want to go in with my thesis. So far all I got is maybe I could write about social/cultural implications of food. I don't know, that does not really make sense, does it? Haha...I though I would get to take a class this semester that had that theme. It was Waseda's online course syllabus that gave me this idea.


Anyway, back to my day (and maybe about my week?). I woke up at 6:20 so I could shower and be ready before breakfast. I wasn't ready. I left my house about 7:40 and, of course, I did not miss rush hour. Luckily my station is not one of those that hires 'pushers' and by that I mean those men who politely, yet forcibly, push you into the train to make sure the doors will shut. Now, don't get the idea that my train is not crowded, because it is really crowded. Once, I let two trains pass because I was too afraid to get on them, they were so full. I finally managed to muscle my way onto the 'women's only' train. Everything you hear about Japan that sounds something like, "Oh, the Japanese are so polite" and other phrases that follow, you can just throw out the window during the period of 7:30-9:30. I do not know the exact time frames, but you get the general idea. Pushing is not optional, it's mandatory. If you want a place on any morning train, you have to pave your own way. With that said, I would like to say something about being a foreigner in such a homogeneous country...it sucks. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm liking Japan, but people [that don't know me] treat me like an obstacle. In the mornings, people assume I don't know the appropriate way of lining up for the trains, so they cut right in front of me. When I arrive at my station, people try to step around me when I'm walking forward. Once, a Japanese girl asked me where I was going, only to tell me I was, in fact, on the RIGHT train. Thanks!

The fact is, turning this pointless story into one with a point, that no matter how long I am here, I will always be just a gai koku jin, a person from a foreign country. There are plenty of foreigners who have made their lives here, but I am pretty sure that none of them are ever treated 100% the same as other Japanese. Now, I'm sure this happens all over the world, but I have never been on the other end of this. In America I am used to seeing people who do not look like me (Caucasian) and my first instinct is not usually, "Hey, look! Foreigner!" But, again, that's just because I've grown up in a country where I am surrounded by all sorts of different races. I am constantly being told, no matter if it is a psychology class or a pop. culture class, that Japan is an island separated from other cultures by the ocean and because of this they have remained homogeneous. Anyway, I think I'm raining, and I'm sure no one wants to read that.

On to something a little more (maybe not) exciting. One of our last group orientation sessions, we went to Kamakura, which is one of the old Capitals of Japan. If you are interested in it's exact history, please search it on wikipedia, because I've forgotten everything about it! I shall conclude with a few pictures from that day (Friday, September 26th).


I hope I don't sound like I'm complaining a lot. I think it's a mixture of the culture shock process (phase 2: unrealistic observations and other such ridiculousness) and adjusting to a new family and school life/schedule. I am looking forward to my year in Japan. So, please enjoy these pictures of the Kamakura temple and surrounding areas.

Byebye!