Time for JAMM Episode 2! This time, let's talk about things that weren't really shocking enough to be culture shock to me, but that definitely piqued my interest.
First, lets talk about gender equality in Japan. As an American-born woman, I was definitely used to woman being treated equally as human beings, and not only that, but women being considered even stronger than men in certain situations. Coming to Japan really reminded me how that is not true everywhere in the world. It isn't that they are extremely sexist or anything like that, but there is definitely the prejudice that women are supposed to be weak, quiet, cute and helpless. As I really do not fit that stereotype, I often get comments such as, "Oh Miyako, you should leave that to the guys," or, "That's not womanly." In the video I mentioned this as guys being misogynistic, however it is not only guys who force that stereotype on women, but also the women themselves here who reinforce the stereotype. It isn't a bad thing, however I do hope in the future that women will come to be seen in a more equal light.
As you guys might have seen on my other channel, on my face is Igari face makeup (although I kept saying Agari in the video ._. )... But this makeup style is super popular in Japan, and a lot of times, more so than shown in my video, the cheeks are even BRIGHTER exactly like a cartoon character, which surprised me when I first came here because in America it is definitely all about blended contouring and natural blushes and highlighters. In terms of fashion in general, guys wear purses here, which is something new to me. Women also dress like they're stuck in the 60s with long skirts past their ankles and scrunchies in their hair. It's cute but definitely not what I'm used to seeing in the US.
In my video, I talked about several new vocabulary words that I learned about through experiences while in Japan with Japanese friends. The first one is people who are ura ga aru 裏がある, which in other words means that they have two sides to their personality. Due to the Japanese society really encouraging politeness and consideration, people are also encouraged to hold back their true feelings so as not to be rude or hurt others' feelings. In turn, it makes it so it is really hard to gage what exactly their opinion is towards you. Next is burikko 振りっ子, which is basically a girl who acts cute by pretending to be innocent or weak. Usually this is done in front of guys. I have definitely seen this in America as well, however it is much MUCH more exaggerated in Japan, and I took notice of it.
Another trend that I noticed was that words that are used a ton in anime as a joking insult, can actually be taken super seriously if used in real life. Prime example of this is the word baka バカ which means stupid. I don't want to say you CANNOT use this word jokingly, because you can if you are with super good friends. HOWEVER, I would still be very careful when using this word, because it is basically the equivalent of telling somebody with confidence issues, or a mental health problem, that they are stupid or retarded. It just isn't the nicest thing to say. Along with that are words such as shine 死ね, which means go die. It is basically the equivalent of telling somebody who is depressed and suicidal to go die. There are tons of other words like these, but I would say as a basic rule if you learn an insulting or cuss word in Japanese, do not use it until you ask a Japanese person on whether it is a bad word or not, or until you know the true meaning of the word. These words have a lot of weight, and I definitely would not recommend for anybody to use them unless you know for sure that you are best friends with this person and they aren't the type to get mad easily.
Moving on to more positive things, another thing I noticed is that EVERYBODY DRESSES UP HERE EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! When I was applying for college one of the things I was looking forward to was lazing around all day in sweats with no makeup on. I'm not joking that was actually one of the things I was anticipating. Unfortunately, coming to a Japanese college, that is considered strange, and people will stare at you if you aren't wearing nice clothes. Or makeup, for that matter. Most girls will come wearing facial masks and glasses if they don't have makeup on, which I definitely laughed at when I first came here.
The last thing that surprised me when I came to Japan is that some things that happen in anime are actually true! Being honest, although I do love anime, I am a hard-core advocator against people believing that everything that happens in anime is exactly how Japan is, because it is not true. HOWEVER, when I actually came to Japan I was very surprised to see that somethings in anime are, in fact, true! The example that I love to tell people is that the first time that I came to Japan for a trip, I got off the airplane and at the same airport as us was a high school group that had just come back from a trip. All of the 'popular' girls had their skirts rolled up super high, dyed, curled hair, a ton of accessories and blinged out phones, while all the 'not popular' girls had large glasses, long skirts, and braids. It was definitely the biggest shock when I came to Japan.
Thanks for reading this super long post guys! Until the next one!
This is probably the most asked question that I have had so far since starting my YouTube channel! Disclaimer: everything in my YouTube video and blog post are purely my own opinion and by no means represent the college or the people who attend each college. Now on to the reasons I transferred! 1. I explained this pretty thoroughly in the video, but there are 2 Kasumigaseki cities and the one that TIU is in is located in Saitama. Saitama is the prefecture above Tokyo, and to get from TIU to the closest city in Tokyo, Ikebukuro, took around 45 minutes and ¥480 one way! That for me is just way too expensive and a waste of time. On the other hand, my current college Waseda is in the middle of Tokyo, Takadanobaba, and places like Shinjuku are only one stop away which is absolutely amazing! I have absolutely fallen in love with the convenience of living in the city.
2. Living in Japan in general is just really expensive, however for me even if I transferred colleges, I would have roughly the same college tuition+living expenses. Therefore, cost was not a super big concern to me when transferring.
3. I didn't do much research into Japanese universities before I applied, let alone go and visit them! Even in the US, it is always better to visit a college first just to see if you like the atmosphere there. When I arrived at TIU, the overall atmosphere of the school itself was just not what I was looking for in a college and I could not see myself being there for 4 years.
4. I just had way too much free time! As TIU has a more relaxed and less pressured feeling academic-wise, I felt as though I was being unproductive all day, and that just made me very uncomfortable personally. Of course we all like to have our R&R days but all day every day is honestly just too much for anybody.
5. Waseda and TIU have very different class structures, and for me personally I found that the style at Waseda suited me better as a student. This is completely an individual thing as a student.
6. Although TIU is truly like a family in terms of friends, I just felt like I didn't fit in a lot of the time and I couldn't really find a lot of people that I enjoyed the company of. We just had different values and priorities which can sometimes make large gaps in relationships.
7. Waseda just has so many international students that I could talk to and make friendships with. Everybody definitely finds their own niche within the school. On the other hand TIU has fewer international students and the atmosphere is more like one large family.
8. When you find a group of friends at TIU or decide to join a club, most if not all of your activities regarding friends will be with that group or club. This is not necessarily a bad thing but for me in general I really hate being limited to what activities I am invited to or able to do just because of which group I associate with.
9. It is definitely harder to meet up with friends at Waseda compared to TIU just because there are so many people at Waseda that unlike at TIU, they can't just got in 2-3 international dorms, so everybody is spread out throughout Tokyo.
If you guys have any other questions definitely leave a comment below and make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel!!!
I actually heard of Kiddy Land for the first time from my best friend's little sister and have thus done research on it and fell in love and wanted to go there myself. Here is the video of me going there myself. How to get to Kiddy Land: JR Yamanote Line go to Harajuku go out to Takeshita Street exit, and walk down the huge street with all of the crazy shops and stuff, it is literally straight outside of the exit. Walk all the way through, turn right until you reach the street lights, turn left and cross the street, then turn right and cross the street again. Kiddy Land should be on your left. What is Kiddy Land? Paradise. Of stuffed animals. You can literally buy anything you want related to your favorite character here, and it is amazing.
Just because this video is super super self explanatory, just watch the video below :) As always, leave some comments if you also have the same aspects about you/your life and if you like the video like and subscribe!! <3
Hey guys! It has been a while (I know I always say this) but honestly it has been so hectic not only with the holidays coming up but FINALS! Pros: Learning a New Language: Now this one might seem ridiculously obvious for those who apply/are looking at applying to International colleges, as it is most likely one of the main goals of going to a foreign country. It is a lot easier to learn a language when you are constantly surrounded by it IF you put the effort into it.
International Student Life: One pro that I definitely did not even think of when I applied for international colleges is the OTHER kids who also decided on my same path and applied for international colleges. There are kids from all around the world, even from countries that I had never even heard of before that come to my school, and they have taught me so mucha bout their countries and cultures. Have you hear of Zimbabwe? Because I hadn't, but now I have two friends from there, how cool is that?! It is definitely one of my favorite perks of going to an international school, and if I ever visit any of their countries, I know I'll have somebody to show me all the local specialties!
Exploration: This one is pretty self explanatory.
Open Mindedness: I've talked to so many study abroad students about this and we all say the same things where even when we go back to the States or wherever we came from, we're able to deal with a ton of different situations and people with a more level-headed mindset than we were able to before just because while we were in an international college we were exposed to so many different ways of thinking and living. Of course this isn't a benefit JUST from attending international colleges but I do believe that doing so definitely expedites the process :)
So alot of you guys may be wondering what JAMM is... 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!
It has been a ridiculously long time since I posted a video and yes I have excuses: Currently in the middle of midterms Computer having a plethora of problems A lens adaptor got stuck on my lens so if the quality is off... that's why. Anyways, a ton of you guys have been asking me to upload videos (I won't be uploading any of me dancing to save my own dignity haha but instead here is the rest of my dance crew) or for more information regarding the dance crew that I was a part of while I was still at Tokyo International! So here it is. UGG stands for UnderGround Groovers (yes, same acronym as the boots, no, I don't know why they made underground two words.) and it is a Tokyo International University official circle. What is the difference between a circle and a club you ask? A general overlook: Clubs: -Officially recognized by the school -Often receive an allowance from the school -Usually daily practices, including on weekends -Audition their members Circles: -Can or may not be officially recognized by the school -Do not receive allowance from the school (everything is funded by the circle&members) -Practices are set by circle presidents, not necessarily set date or time -Are technically not allowed to audition members Despite this, clubs and circles are often mixed about in what you call them and how they even refer to themselves, the definitions are very vague. The best answer I got when asking about differences is that circles are just more "chill". Before watching the video, please consider that UGG is indeed a circle, and therefore let anybody in without auditioning. It is purely a circle for fun (although people end up falling in love with dance anyways) and many of the members are, in fact, beginners (coughmecough). Recently they had their annual Fall Festival at TIU and, as mentioned in the video, this is the LAST time the 3rd years will be performing with the group officially before they start job hunting (but I see a ton of 4th year senpai coming to practice anyways in their free time, they are just no longer official members of the circle and do not perform with the circle on stage) This is a very emotional event, as many put hours of training and choreographing into 3 full years in this circle, and are, sadly, leaving the circle on the day that I filmed. If you look closely at the video, many of the current choreographers passed on or gave solo time to the new choreographers during the dance, to show a passing on of legacy. These are just a few short clips out of the hour and a half worth of footage I took, so please enjoy :) Dance Number Order: Jazz Lock Hip Hop Girls Special (this changes every year, last year it was hip hop, this time it is lock) Punking Break 1st and 2nd years secret performance for the 3rd years 3rd years secret performance for the 1st and 2nd years If you have any more questions leave it in the comment box below or on my YouTube channel! Which performance was your favorite??
