First Observations

Being in Japan is really cool. Many things just look different. I like that I can walk down the street or notice little things that make it obvious that I'm in Japan.

I realized this the first time I was in Japan, but many cars tend to have a more compact, small, or boxy shape. Also, it's clear that everyone hangs up their laundry to dry, judging by all the different types of hangers that can be seen in stores and on balconies.

In Japan, bicycles are treated as vehicles. We got a whole briefing during the orientation about bicycles and how to go about them. Students may buy one to make it easier to get around. Bicycles are common. Helmets are not.
Japan takes bicycles seriously. You need to register the bike in your name once you buy it to prove ownership. Japan is the safest industrialized country, but bicycle theft and umbrella theft do happen. You are also required to apply for a parking sticker for your bike to be able to park it in the university bicycle parking lot. Otherwise your bike could be impounded. It's illegal for someone to ride on the back of your bike. It's also illegal to ride a bicycle while you're drunk. If you're caught doing this you could go to jail for a maximum of three years and pay a huge fine. If you're caught using a cell phone while you're riding your bike, you could also go to jail for a maximum of three years and pay a fine.
We also learned about traffic and safety. Bicycle accidents do happen, whether the bike is hit by a car or the bike hits a car or the bike hits a person. Each year there's at least one death in the greater area because someone was hit by a bike. Also, years ago a student was killed trying to cross the street on her bike. They really emphasized bicycle safety.

Another thing that was emphasized was being quiet. We live in a residential neighborhood and noise travels easily and far. We can't be too loud, especially at night. Otherwise the police might be involved.

Japan is also one of the cleanest countries in the world.

There are vending machines everywhere.

Garbage separation is required in this city. It's quite specific.

I may have forgotten several things, so I'll mention them later.


My time in Japan has been totally different from my experience in Korea.
I'm glad I'm here. This is what I wanted and I'm having a good time.
I've met a lot of people right away and have people to hang out with, which was usually not the case in Korea.
I noticed that since I was in Korea for one semester, I was really envious of the people who had done a year because I would have loved to do that too. But here I'm not jealous of the people who are doing a year. I don't care. I'm fine with doing one semester. Not that I would dislike studying abroad here for a year. I have to say the class offerings are great and sound interesting. Some of them are unique.

The programs are different as well. At Korea University we were fully integrated into the university academic-wise. We were just like the normal students, except most of us only registered for the classes taught in English (which are limited).
This did cause problems, however. Since students and teachers are forced into taking and teaching classes in English, they're sometimes not qualified or able to do it. Many exchange students complained that they were the only exchange or international student in their class full of Korean students, and that the teacher spoke in Korean anyway or eventually stopped teaching in English in classes officially listed to be taught in English. (Fortunately I didn't have this problem.)
Here there's a separate Asian Studies Program specifically created for exchange students. That means that it's much easier to find out what the classes are about and that the teachers can actually teach in English. We're even on a different calendar. I heard that in the spring, the Japanese Kansai Gaidai students started their semester around the time the Asian Studies Program students were taking mid-terms. This year in the fall, we start classes on September 2 while the normal students start on September 11. There are some Japanese Kansai Gaidai students in the Asian Studies Program each semester because they're required to do it before studying abroad. Also, there is an opportunity for exchange students to select a class taught in Japanese.
Here on this program, everyone is required to take the Spoken Japanese class for five credits. Those who don't know anything about Japanese writing or have never learned Japanese before must also take the Reading and Writing in Japanese class, which would otherwise be optional.
A lot of people I've met are anime fans or like J-Rock or Japanese fashion or other parts of Japanese pop culture. I've met many people who are enthusiastic about studying Japanese. Really, I've met a lot of great, nice people here.
There are activities organized by Kansai Gaidai students but what I don't like is that we have to sign up and places are limited. By limited I mean that only 3 or 15 students out of hundreds can participate. KUBA at KU was terrific and flexible.
I have the feeling that things here are more close-knit and that many people have similar interests. I also think this university program does a lot of things to take care of us.
Seoul is awesome and being at KU was easy and fun, but this program here seems better academic-wise (from what I can tell, since classes haven't started yet) and enjoyable as well.
I like being in Japan.