Chilled Plum Blossoms

The title of this post is a bit of a misnomer. Actually, scratch that, it's a huge misnomer, because 1) Kyoto is far from cool at this point in time (it's actually super hot and humid ), and 2) there are no plum blossoms in bloom and there won't be any for a very long time. That being said, let me explain myself: "Kambaikan", roughly translated as "Chilled Plum Blossoms" is actually the name of a building that is part of the Doshisha campus - the school that I'll be commuting to for the next nine months - and I thought it was one of the most elegant and poetic names that a building could have. Isn't is beautiful? It's like a haiku in a name! Now why can't American buildings have names like that?

Now that the initial flurry and hurry of orientatioin week has died down and I've finally moved in with my host parents, Japan and the fact that I'll be staying here for a year is starting to feel more real to me. It's been an interesting week, to say the least, and I've gotten a taste for what's to come - both the trials and joys that will be in store on what looks to be an exciting adventure.

First of all, my host parents are amazing. There are the sweetest couple ever and have lost no time in making me feel at home. My Okaasan (host mom) is a wonderful cook and is so patient with me when I struggle to express myself and my Otoosan (host father) is seventy three and yet still plays tennis, soccer and runs, and apparently when he was seventy he ran a marathon in Hawaii! Crazy! They've hosted ten AKP students before and so they're pretty much pros at what to expect from foreign students and it's great because their house is only ten minutes away from school by bus.

Neighborhoods in Japan look totally different from those in the U.S. American suburbs are really expansive compared to the neighborhoods in Japan. The houses are really close here and the streets are very narrow. What I really like about here, though, is how there are shops and restaurants that are mixed in with the houses, so you never know what surprises you might find around every corner! Like the temple and shrine a few steps away from where I'm living!

Among the many things that are different from the U.S., the sounds in Kyoto are really striking. When you're in a quiet place, like in a residential neighborhood or at "Happy Terrace" which is at the top of 6 elevators in Kyoto station, you'll often hear the soft chime of a bell, or the clack of wooden sandals against the street; even the recycling truck has a sound, or rather a voice (it talks to you, telling you, presumably, to recycle your things and save the earth).

I think one of the most interesting aspects of my time here will be the fact that I'm completely Japanese and yet I'm just a foreign as the rest of the exchange students. It's a double edged sword. On the one hand, I blend in more and so I'm able to observe Japanese culture without the added distraction of suspicious/curious stares. However, on the other hand, I guess you can say that the expectations are set much higher and that I'm held up to assumptions which I cannot meet. For example, when I'm walking with other foreign students, they all get the English pamphlets while I'm handed the Japanese ones; in stores, sales people will address me rather than others (who might be more fluent). While I get a kick out of that, it's also kind of embarrassing when I open my mouth and out comes a halting string of words which may or may not be correct. Oh well. It's kind of funny, though it does make me feel like a poser sometimes! hehe.

So in order to prevent this post from getting too long, here are a few quick bullet points of the pros and cons of Kyoto so far.

Pros:

1) delicious food
2) sitting in chairs and being able to put my feet flat on the floor
3) the "cult of cleanliness" - Japan is super clean, for example, the streets are swept every day (literally with brooms and dustpans) and the subways are vacuumed
4) the plethora of incredibly kawaii (cute) clothing stores
5) Doshisha students (super kind and thoughtful)
6) eating salads for breakfast (which may or may not be a pro depending on who you are, but I personally find it kind of refreshing)
7) drinking cold tea on a hot, muggy day

Cons:
1) there usually aren't napkins at restaurants, and if there are, then they're more like blotting papers than napkins. Also the trash cans are tiny and few and far between. Like, I don't get it, what do Japanese people do with all their trash? And how don't they get food all over themselves???
2) mosquitos
3) the weather