Pack your bags, grab a ride to the airport, make your way through customs, and sit down for a long sixteen-hour flight to the other side of the world. Arriving at your destination, take in the advertisements and people around you. All the people don’t look the same as you, and you can barely read the signs. Why? Because you are a college exchange student who has just arrived in a different country, on another continent, with a different language, all the way down to the alphabet. If you can imagine that, then you’re well on your way to understanding the shock that Japanese exchange students experience in their first few days in the United States.
This year at Western Carolina University, we have ten exchange students from all over Japan. These students have made that long sixteen-hour flight to spend a semester or two learning in Western’s relaxing and peaceful atmosphere free from the daily distractions present in the rushed life of Japan.
At first, it may not seem like such a huge change, coming from Japan to America, but in fact, there are very few similarities. From speaking with Kanako Hata, and Moe Tamaki, I gathered that the only resounding constant between America and Japan is the technology. Both countries rely greatly on different devices to drive the daily lifestyle and use them in the same way. But really, that’s where the differences begin. The differences between societies create what is called “culture shock,” which basically means a disorienting feeling stemming from being suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of beliefs.
In Japan, being modest and humble are high orders of society. Greetings require a courteous response, and extra attachments to statements and phrases are meant to show respect to people who are higher rank than you, or people you don’t know. Adding “gozaimasu” (go-za-e-mas) to the end of “thank you,” or “good morning,” makes the phrases polite. You also don’t allow conversations to end without expressing interest in the subject, as it is seen as impolite. Instead you add “I see,” or “is that so,” to show that you understood what the other person was saying, or that you want to hear more. Going from Japan to America can be such a rude awakening because of this.
Here, conversations are cut short, many greetings are a simple nod of the head, and no one regards others as their betters in most day to day interactions, throwing politeness and humility out the window more often than not.
Food is also very different. in the words of Kanako Hata: “American food contains a lot of fat, and there is a lot.” A Japanese diet consists mostly of fish and rice, supplemented by fruits and vegetables in very small portions that are usually not finished. An American diet is mostly red meat, grains, and dairy in largely over-sized portions. This leads the Japanese to often be much healthier than most, especially Americans. There is even a saying I have found: “A Japanese woman grows neither old nor fat.” This stems from the fact that the food they eat is properly balanced and portioned leading to longer, better lives.
The differences even extend into school life. Kanako Hata’s commute to school is almost two hours long by train in Japan every day, while every American is within driving distance of the school they attend (around thirty minutes), or living on campus if they’re too far away. The classrooms even work differently.
In Japan, class time consists of sitting quietly in your seat, taking notes while the teacher lectures. The difference in America, which both Kanako and Moe agreed on, is that students are encouraged to speak up in class with their thoughts and opinions.
So why visit somewhere so different, and how do you adjust to the shock that comes with being immersed in a new culture? That varies for each person. For Kanako, keeping small habits that she did in Japan while here, such as the traditional Japanese saying “itadakimasu,” (e-ta-da-kimas) before eating, and “gochisoosama,” after eating (go-chi-so-sah-ma) which both mean “thank you for the meal,” makes the adjustment a little easier. Moe, however, has more easily adjusted to American culture, and in attempting to adopt it, says that she is trying to express her opinion more often: “when I first came here, I didn’t miss Japanese food because I really like pizza and hamburgers.” It also helps that both are really attempting to understand how Americans do things in the classroom so they can use that to their advantage when they return to Japan to teach English to Elementary and Junior High Japanese students.
Both Kanako and Moe have enjoyed their time at Western, learning more about life here each day. Both said they would recommend America to their friends looking to study abroad, as “people are very kind to [them].” Kanako even recommends it because the quiet countryside provides a relaxing area to study with little to no distractions, something that is vastly different from her average day in Japan which consists of waking up at 5 AM for classes, and working two jobs.
It’s always a bit of a shock to experience a new thing, especially a new lifestyle. It’s one thing to move from one state to the next, or across a country, but to spend five months of your life in a new continent, being constantly bombarded by vastly differing social norms is difficult. Perhaps the secret is to slow down, and adjust at your own pace, like Kanako. Conversely, maybe it’s to get out, make new friends, and experience new things such as football, like Moe. But, I think when it comes down to it, all you need is an amazing experience to overcome even the strongest of culture shocks