It’s crazy to thing that I have been in Japan for almost two months and that I am about halfway through my exchange semester. It feels like I just got here but it also feels like forever since I’ve been home. The biggest difference I’ve noticed as I adapt to Japanese culture is how there is a lot more formality and unspoken rules. When speaking to someone that’s older, in a higher position or that you don’t know very well it’s important to use the proper formal grammar and polite manners as a sign of respect. Body language such as bowing is a large part of this. Generally, in public spaces people are very quiet and considerate of others. This is very different from the US where we are extremely casual in our interactions, even with strangers.

In Japanese university there is a lot more trust in students to study independently. In the US there are a lot of small assignments with hard deadlines throughout the semester. At my exchange university, professors assign in depth readings for us to study and prepare discussions with. This took some getting used to but now I appreciate the opportunity to learn for myself rather than for the sake of submitting an assignment.

Now that I have settled into a routine in Tokyo, I’ve been planning trips around the country. Most recently I visited Kyoto, a city known for its traditional houses, temples, and gardens. It was a three-hour bullet train ride, and I stayed in a “pod” hostel which was just large enough for a bed and my duffel bag. The highlight of my trip was visiting the historic Kiyomizu-dera temple. The temple sits on a large hill and to reach it I walked through Nineizaka and Sanneizaka, two long series of pedestrian walkways lined with street food and shops in traditional buildings. I took my trip during Golden Week, a week in May where each day is a national holiday, so the city was packed with people enjoying their week off. Next, I’m looking forward to spending time in Osaka, Nagoya and hopefully making the trip to the islands of Okinawa.