if you didn't already read it in my video description box, it stands for Japanese/American Major and Minor (differences).
It's a new series on my channel in which I'll be having chats with you guys about differences in Japanese and American culture, clothing, etc.! Hope you guys like episode one!
This episode, which was supposed to be Pros and Cons, got a bit long so I split it up into 2 episodes, so if you want to know exactly what you'll be facing when you come to a Japanese college, you can just watch the Cons, if you want to know all the amazing things about going to an international college, you can just watch the Pros, it's really up to you!
In terms of the video, I filmed it while I was still in America and just never got around to editing it so sorry about the time difference and mistakes in my wording, as I have already gotten into my new choice college and am back in Japan!
Now onto the Cons of going to a Japanese International College:
1. Living Expenses:
I talk way too much about this in the video but that's because it STRESSES ME OUT. Japanese colleges are so much cheaper than American colleges, but we basically even out the playing field through the amount of money that we have to pay for everyday life. My dorm itself provides me with two meals a day (besides on Sundays), but for people who have to pay for or make themselves all three meals a day, here are some major negatives. a) fruits and veggies are SO EXPENSIVE. as in RIDICULOUS. A box of grapes about the size of my hand can be around $8, an apple $5, and the list goes on. In general it's actually really expensive to eat healthy here. b) If you are incapable of cooking like I am, eating out is another option, however if you happen to crave food that is not traditionally Japanese, such as udon, ramen, tenpura, etc., you could possibly spend up to around $45 or more per meal per day (assuming you are eating decently sized meals from mediocre restaurants or fast food places). If you eat exclusively at the convenience stores, you could get away with about $12~$30 per day depending on how much you eat and what you want to eat, but quite honestly $12 is like one onigiri per meal with a drink. If that. 2. Homesickness: This one is pretty much self explanatory, but if you're the kind of person who wants Chipotle all the time, is almost with family or friends constantly, and/or likes driving around with your window down and music blasting (among various other things), you will most likely experience this. (There ain't no Chipotle in Japan, let alone good Mexican food in general). Of course there are many ways to overcome this and still enjoy living in Japan, but just be aware that this homesickness isn't easy to heal when you're 6,303 miles away from your family. 3. No Family: Again, pretty self explanatory, but if you're usually always with/talking to/asking for help from/spending time with your family, being so far away can be really hard, and plane tickets don't come cheap and you can't make it home in one weekend, so make sure you're ready to take the plunge if you apply for foreign schools. 4. Keeping up with Friends: This is actually getting more complicated than homesickness and family because this delves deeper into the fact that your world is expanding and changing in so many unique ways during your stay in Japan. For me personally, I came back and was absolutely SHOCKED at some of the clothes that girls wore around America, even though I had grown up seeing it my entire life. This is because coming to Japan, it being a super conservative country, you literally see no skin here even in the summer unless you're at the beach. Even then, their bikinis are like covered in frills and hide all the important parts. It's super little things like this, even if it's just tiny changes on your outlook on life or how you view things that can somehow drive wedges into your friendships. Of course, this does not apply to everybody, but definitely make sure to watch certain things you say around your friends. (AKA DON'T be that person who says "NO, you WOULDN'T understand unless you've been to Japan) *cough*amguiltyofthatsometimes*cough* Just because they haven't had the same experience as you, doesn't mean they're ignorant of the culture, and in the end the important thing is that you guys are FRIENDS, so enjoy each other's company while you're back on vacation! 5. Life Goes On Yes, this sounds COMPLETELY opposite of how you may feel when coming back from a foreign country. So many things are happening around you, so many exciting events, you're meeting so many new people and learning about a new language and culture, that when you go back to visit your home country, it seems that absolutely NOTHING has changed whatsoever. BUT THIS ISN'T TRUE. Make sure you check yourself, ask your family and friends how they've been doing, what's been going on in their lives, even if they want to know all about YOUR adventures and you are DYING to tell them, make sure to also ask about how their lives have been going. Did you know your cousin got engaged? Or that your mom just got a new job? How about your best friend's new glasses, they're so cute, where did she get them! There are so many things that you miss out on while you're in another country, so make sure that you keep up with your loved ones lives as well as enjoying your own. As always thanks for watching and reading my ridiculously long blog posts!
XOXO,
MEOWKO |
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