First Impression of Nagasaki, Japan

I studied abroad in Nagasaki, Japan from September 2023 to August 2024. My first impression of Japan in my first days abroad at Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies (NUFS) changed drastically compared to my final days there, for sure. In the beginning, my ultimate goal was to learn the Japanese language in order to be eligible to work and live in Japan. In order to make this goal possible, I needed to study hard to pass the JLPT N2 and to interact with numerous Japanese people. Overtime however, this goal had changed. 

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Change of Goal

When I first got there, to tell the truth, I was a mixture of depressed and intimidated. I had never gone months away from my parents before (though thankfully I was with my sister), and not to mention I was experiencing a hard time in my life right before I left for Japan. Because of this, I found it difficult to make meaningful connections with others. I found myself unable to speak Japanese, unable to make any friends, and kept to myself while practicing Japanese vocabulary and kanji on my devices. It wasn’t until one night sitting by myself in the dormitory's dining hall, however, that had changed how I tackled my study abroad experience.

 

A fellow American who was also in the study abroad program randomly sat with me and tried his hardest to spark conversation, even though I showed obvious signs of having no intentions of doing so. He even apologized saying that he wasn’t very good at keeping conversation, which baffled me because he approached me first and instantly attempted to do so. In the end I found myself apologizing to him and telling him how difficult I found it to express myself at the moment, even when I might’ve wanted to do so. Other instances later into the first semester, I saw this same person trying so hard to speak Japanese with Japanese people. Even though his speaking ability wasn’t the best during that time, his excitement and zeal attracted many people (both Japanese and non-Japanese) to him. From there, he found himself learning new phrases and new ways of speaking. Watching this person who is now a good friend inspired me to do my best too, and to try to find the fun in the experience in the same way he did.

 

To my surprise, I actually did manage to find enjoyment in it, and found that my goal from that day forward had evolved from no longer needing to be 100% fluent in the Japanese language, but rather having a desire to understand and communicate with people around the world, from their cultural backgrounds to their core personalities. While being fluent in Japanese is still an essential goal to achieve my main goal, it is no longer the main goal. It is because of this change that I found myself extending my study abroad stay from September 2023-December 2023 to September 2023-August 2024.

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Overcoming Culture Shock

When I finally found myself exploring Japan more, a lot of things surprised me in how different it was from the U.S. In the instances when I needed to throw away trash from food or paper, having to store them away until I found a trash can (with several categories of burnable, non-burnable, PET bottles, etc.) several miles away and having to sort it proved to be pretty annoying. Having to wait for what felt like ten million years for a bus or a train to show up and take me to my desired destination was another frustration. Having less access to fruit was also an issue for me, as I found it essential for managing my IBS condition (irritable bowel syndrome). Upon months of living there however, I realized I was able to be more friendlier to the environment by taking into account the trash categories. I also found joy in traveling on foot and taking in the beautiful views of the rural areas and the cities if I didn’t want to wait for the buses/trains. I even found amazing alternatives to fruit such as smoothies from 7-Eleven as well as fruit jello in the convenience stores. Overall, getting out there and exploring the country was truly a gift I realized I was missing out on in my beginning days in Japan.

 

Academics in Nagasaki, Japan

The academics I have to say were the most engaging I’ve ever experienced in my college career. The Japanese professors at NUFS were so excited to teach us their native language, and not to mention how excited me and the other exchange students were to learn it. The classroom experience over there felt so alive. We incorporated our experiences from our home countries into the Japanese classes and from there learned about other students' home countries. In doing so, we learned not just about Japanese culture, but cultures from around the world. At NUFS in particular, students from America, Canada, France, Korea, China, Taiwan, and even Germany came to study the Japanese language and its culture. It was an amazing feeling being able to share this interest and experience with them.

 

In addition, my Japanese listening abilities became enhanced from being taught entirely in the language as well, something I didn’t experience in American classes and found to be surprisingly productive (and less intimidating overtime). We even had classes dedicated entirely to a Japanese skill, from listening to reading to writing to speaking, and even to kanji learning. The most engaging class for me ironically was not a Japanese language class, but a class in which I was a teaching assistant for an English teacher. We taught the English language to an entire class of Japanese students, using teaching aids such as word games as well as singing and dancing to American songs. It felt very rewarding teaching Japanese people my language in the same way I was learning theirs.

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Most Enjoyable Experiences Abroad

The most enjoyable experiences to me were the times I spent with the friends I made and the locals I bonded with. These experiences included traveling to different places in Nagasaki, trying all the different restaurants, celebrating friends' birthdays, and playing video games together (inviting new faces who appeared interested to play with us). As far as the locals are concerned, there was a hot dog bar that my friends and I would visit on a weekly basis, which was managed by an incredibly kind couple. We spoke Japanese to them all the time and often got invited by them to attend events in the area. These events included making sushi and miso soup by hand with middle schoolers, conversing in Japanese and English with Japanese locals in a cultural exchange table, and attending a Bon Odori festival. The main manager of the restaurant (the husband) even shared the same birthday as me, so I baked a pound cake and gave it to him and his wife to celebrate. I was even given a free cup of black tea to celebrate my birthday. Another time I got to bond with the locals was when I was interviewed for our school's "Yukata Day" (see the last picture and link on this page). People in the neighborhood recognized me, which I found amusing.  

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Another memorable time I had was visiting a friend in Nagoya (who studied abroad at Clemson University from August 2022-May 2023) who had graduated from her college in March 2024. It was emotional for me not only to see her again in Japan, but for her to have finally graduated from her college, something she worked incredibly hard to do. Another memorable time was when a Japanese friend's mom came to visit Nagasaki for a day. That day, I got to travel to different places in Nagasaki with my friend and her mom, it felt a lot like traveling with my own family. Speaking of family, traveling to Osaka with my mom and sister was also a very enjoyable experience, as my sister and I introduced and navigated our mom through Japanese culture. I did this again with a friend's family who came to Nagasaki in our final days abroad, helping to introduce them to Japanese culture. Introducing Nagasaki to families of new friends became quite fulfilling to me during my time there. 

 

Overcoming Difficult Experiences Abroad

Aside from the good times, it was the difficult times, believe it or not, that I found my study abroad experience to be the most meaningful part of my life, as I found room to grow tremendously as a person. There were many instances where I found myself unable to verbally speak (despite opening my mouth to try to say something and nothing coming out) and yet my friends treated me kindly and continued to talk and read my phone for my responses, treating me like I was a normal human being. There were other moments when I experienced crying for hours or mentally dissociating into a catatonic state from being overwhelmed. It was thanks to an amazing friend of mine (who was like an older sister to me) whose advice and way of thinking transformed and inspired me to healthily manage these episodes and continue to try my best for others and most importantly, myself.

 

There were even difficult moments that my friends experienced and I shared with. One of these moments was when a Japanese friend was mentally breaking down heavily in tears one night over a romantic relationship he was in with an American friend of mine. That night, I found myself speaking in both English and Japanese to communicate my advice to this friend seeking it, and tried my best to help him with what was troubling him. In the end, he thoroughly appreciated it and seemed rather encouraged after that, bringing us closer as friends. From these experiences, I’ve discovered that learning to understand one another despite the language barrier is the joy in learning a language and becoming friends with someone who comes from a different background from myself. If we could laugh about the same things and cry about the same things, there was no doubt we could form a beautifully meaningful connection.

 

Conclusion

While living abroad, the expectation of language majors is to thoroughly analyze the culture we're living in. This means questioning why the natives do what they do in their everyday lives, and how is their reason and way of doing things different from our own home country. Ironically, the longer I spent in Japan, the less I found myself questioning this "why" in the Japanese culture. The reason for this is because I realized every individual will give you a different answer.

 

For example, an American might ask why Japanese people love onsen, or hot springs. In America, getting fully naked with other people of the same gender can be uncomfortable for many people, as we have nothing of the sort in our country. The thought of getting naked and exposing one's body can leave others to judge their body shape, is what I've heard from those who experienced this culture shock. In the onsen however, no one really pays attention to it because it has been around for so long. The origin of onsen ties back to curing illnesses and body pains. For each individual, however, their reason for going to soak in the spring can be different. Some go to the onsen because they don't have a bathtub in their home, others do it to bond with their friends. I have even witnessed Japanese people who do it for self-love and meditation. There are many reasons why one goes to the onsen other than physical healing. This goes to show that liking the onsen doesn't entirely reflect in their nationality, but rather that person as an individual, is what I realized. Not all Japanese people like the onsen, but not all Japanese people who like the onsen do it for the same reason. 

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Originally, there were instances throughout my time abroad where I was afraid of offending others, especially in a culture where I was taught many are soft-spoken to consider others' feelings. I've discovered that not everyone was like this though, as other Japanese people I've met were very rash and honest without a fault (without drinking). This does not make them less Japanese however, but just themselves, something they taught me when it comes to my identity as an American. While Americans are viewed as loud and assertive, I myself do not fit those qualities. I discovered I'm often loud with my close friends, but quiet towards strangers. I am also a very passive person, always considering others' thoughts and circumstances before taking action. This lead me to believe that being American is not a mentality, but rather a way of life. It is thanks to this study abroad experience and the people I met in Nagasaki that I realized this, and why I would love to work with people from around the world; to understand and embrace their individual way of doing.