My Japan Study Abroad Experience- Part 3

Part 1: http://japantherapyneworleans.blogspot.com/2015/08/my-japan-study-abroad-experience-part-1.html

Part 2: http://japantherapyneworleans.blogspot.com/2015/08/my-study-abroad-experience-part-2.html

My Japan Study Abroad Experience

Part 3: Tomodachi

My Study Abroad Experience- Part 2

Part 1: http://japantherapyneworleans.blogspot.com/2015/08/my-japan-study-abroad-experience-part-1.html

My Japan Study Abroad Experience

Part 2: School Life

Program:
UNO-Japan: Study at Doshisha University
Studying in Kyoto, Japan
To Learn more go to inst.uno.edu/Japan or contact them at UNOJapan@uno.edu or (504)280-6388.

It's exciting to travel to a new country to see and experience new things, but when you're studying abroad you still have to go to school. I went on this program because it was already affiliated with the university I was attending. The good thing about this program is that it accepts students all over the country. In my last post I mentioned I had a roommate. Well, she was coming from California. My program year also had students from Utah and Ohio. The reason why my roommate decided to apply to this program was because it was the cheapest she could find online. And this program is not only limited to students. My program year had a girl who attended that was no longer a student. The girl just went to the two required classes she needed to take to be on the trip but didn't have to stress over what grades she got. This program is literally for just about anyone (there are restrictions though so look that info up).

My roommate and I eating out in Kyoto, Japan.

Now, I said something about required classes. Let me explain that. This program is a study abroad program. There will be a selection of classes you can sign up for. It is required that you take two classes during the program of the listed classes they supply you. I took a Japanese 2001 class and an English class focused on geisha and samurai. My roommate took a Japanese 1001 class and a Japanese history class. I repeat, two classes are required and it doesn't matter what two. Next order of business, these classes are taught in English by professors from the University of New Orleans or Tulane. The classes are small and attendance is mandatory. The program direct and teachers understand that you are in a new country so your classes are not extremely hard. You still have to work hard at your classes but there's typically no homework. In the Japanese classes you take online tests. For the other classes (like English and History) there will be about two papers to write during your six week stay in Japan for the program. The classes change every year for the program, so depending on which teachers will travel will determine the type of classes for that program's year.

Two classrooms we used on campus in two different buildings.

The university I studied at was Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. We only used the campus for classes and lunch. The campus was so beautiful when I went, and it still is. Each building was designed differently, and the designs reflect the function of the building, in my opinion. The campus wasn't too large so it was easy to get around. In order to get onto the campus all the study abroad students on the program received student passes. The passes were needed because the campus entrance was guarded by security. I didn't need to purchase a printer because the student pass that I was given gave me access to the computer labs. There were two that I knew of, so there was always space in the labs to print my papers before class. If you weren't feeling in the mood for cafeteria food there would be the option of convenience store food or restaurants near by. During the program the students had the chance to go to three club activities on campus. I got to participate and meet the students of the flower arranging club and the calligraphy club. The other club was the kendo club.

The building I ate lunch in. It was crowded during lunch hour.

Group photo of the program students with the flower arranging club (Ikebana).

The campus was always so lively with students everywhere. The study abroad students had the opportunity to gain new friends with the Japanese students. But that'll be discussed next time, so look forward to it.

Part 3: http://japantherapyneworleans.blogspot.com/2015/08/my-japan-study-abroad-experience-part-3.html

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My Japan Study Abroad Experience- Part 1

My Japan Study Abroad Experience

Part 1: Beginning the Journey

Program:
UNO-Japan: Study at Doshisha University
Studying in Kyoto, Japan
To Learn more go to inst.uno.edu/Japan or contact them at UNOJapan@uno.edu or (504)280-6388.

I always wanted to go to Japan since high school. Once I reached college I had the opportunity presented to me, literally. I was in my Japanese class when I first saw the program director of the Division of International Studies department. She came into the class to recruit students for the summer of 2010 program. I listened to her presentation, took a flyer, and really considered it. And it was even in that class that I was like "I gotta go on the trip." She also popped into my music appreciation class which is when I was thinking to myself that I needed to go on this program. I told my parents that I needed the Japanese class they were offering which was true but I just really wanted to go to Japan. I applied for the program online and got accepted. The application form was easy to complete. I registered for two classes (a requirement for the program) and filled out the questionnaire about why I should go on the trip. Knowing I was going on the trip made me the happiest person I knew. By the time I saw the program director again in my Anthropology class I was already going on the trip and was encouraging others in my class to come along which I ended up recruiting a guy from my class that I was becoming friends with.

The 2010 program was the Japan study abroad program's second year, so it was still in the forming process. By that time the program director made a Facebook page so the attending students could get to know one another before the trip. It worked out really well because I made friends with some of the attendees before the trip even started. I even got a roommate through that Facebook page. Not only that but for people in the New Orleans area got to attend a introduction meetup. It was meant to introduce all the participants to Japan, the faculty who would teach us, our curriculum we'd be following, and all the other students who'd be participating. It was very fun and my parents got to meet the director of the program which put their minds at ease. They were also happy to see that I was going to be with friends since I recruited two guys from my classes to go on the trip with me.

When the time for the trip got closer, about 4 months closer, I booked my flight according to one of the teacher's flight. I shopped around for gifts I could give my lunch partner that I would be assigned to when I got to the college. My birthday was a few weeks before the study abroad trip so I asked for money to help with my spending fund. I knew I needed spending money because I wanted to do as much as I could. I didn't know if I would ever get the opportunity to go back to Japan. I pretty much went into this trip thinking it was my last time because I didn't know what the future held for me, I was only 19 and a freshman in college. I was nervous just because it was going to be something completely new to me but I was mostly excited to get into that culture and experience life in a new way. I started packing my bags a few days before the trip: clothes, snacks, school materials, and the necessities.

On the plane to Japan and walking through the Japanese airport.

It was a morning flight. I didn't get much sleep due to my excitement, but it didn't matter because I was up and ready to go. Before going through security and the bag checks the study abroad group for this flight was gathered to meet up with each other. All the students were still chatting with their families, spending the few minutes they had together because flying across the world. My parents and husband (boyfriend at the time) were very sad. They were happy for me, doing something I really wanted to do, but they still didn't quite get why I wanted to go to Japan. They probably took it as me leaving them. After all the students arrived at the airport we said our goodbyes to the people who were seeing us off and set our sights on Japan. We took a flight that went from New Orleans, Louisiana to Houston, Texas to Tokyo, Japan to Osaka, Japan. We got off the plane exhausted, ready to settle into the Keishikan (our dorm rooms). But we sadly had to stay up a bit longer in our drenched clothes from the rain we walked in to listen to the quick introduction to the program before bed. We were just starting our study abroad adventure.

My room I stayed in with my roommate.

To be continued in part 2: http://japantherapyneworleans.blogspot.com/2015/08/my-study-abroad-experience-part-2.html

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Get into a Japanese Community

Now I don't mean to find a literal Japanese community full of Japanese people, even though you can. Those are usually Japanese families who have started a community for themselves. No matter where you live or where you're from you can always find people like you who appreciate the Japanese culture, language, or whatever else you're into that's Japanese. You can either attend Japanese language, history, or literature related classes or you can join related clubs to meet people. But don't just join random clubs or classes, you still need to have interest in whatever you join.

What communities did I join?

I've joined some classes and clubs in my college days and met some of the greatest people through it. I've even found that I've bettered myself because of it. I have enrolled in Japanese language classes, studied abroad in Japan (I'll talk about that in detail another time), joined a Japanese culture club, and started a Japanese language club with friends who wanted to improve their Japanese. I would have joined my college's anime club but it wasn't the club for me. It was just a bunch of people watching anime on a Friday. I was looking for more of an intelligent discussion on anime which sometimes the culture club would cover. I loved the clubs I joined so much I took officer positions in them. Once I was done my Japanese classes I took the opportunity to tutor a friend who was just beginning the first level of Japanese classes. I was very involved with Japanese things in college, as you can see. In high school, not so much. There was only a few people who likes Japanese things and they weren't too open about it. All I did in high school that was Japanese related was draw anime characters in a notebook, bring manga to school to read, wrote a story in a notebook that was inspired by all the manga I've read, and go home after school to watch anime. It wasn't that exciting. I'm so glad I got to freely express my love of Japan in college. It has literally changed my life.

What did I get to do in the clubs?

Let's talk about the club I started with my friends I came back with from the study abroad program. We came back from Japan wanting to keep up with the Japanese we learned. Half of us were done with the Japanese classes we needed while the other half continued in their studies. We all decided it would be great to study together and form a Japanese conversation club. We called it Renshuu Douraku which roughly means leisurely practice in Japanese, and that's exactly what the club was. We would have our president go to the board and teach us sentence structure and use it in our own sentences. Once every month we'd play a game that I would make up that involved Japanese. I remember I translated the Game of Life board into Japanese so we could play in Japanese. That was pretty awesome. Sometimes we'd go on outings like going Japanese restaurants or local Japanese concerts. The club was pretty much just friends though. Not many people at my college were interested in learning Japanese.

During Renshuu Douraku club and outing to see a Japanese concert (Aural Vampire).

Now for the culture club. This was probably my favorite club. The president of Renshuu Douraku joined the culture club, Nippon, first. He already established himself with the people of that club and was already a good member. I joined the club because the president of Douraku wanted me to help out with a charity event Nippon culture club was putting on. I didn't know any of the people in the club and had never met them before but I knew one thing, I loved Japan. So I joined Nippon, the Japanese culture club, and my life changed for the better. The members of Nippon welcomed me with open arms, like I was already friends with them. I first attended meetings and helped organize the events but then they discovered my talents and passions. I began to give lectures at the meetings, perform at events, and recruit for new members at school events. I loved the responsibility and leadership Nippon provided me. I was extremely active in the club, even after I graduated from college. Nippon was one of the best times of my life.

Hosting a lecture about horror in anime at a Nippon meeting and performing at a Nippon event.

I recommend getting involved in a Japanese related club if you really like Japan. You will learn so much and make great friends out of it. If there are no clubs at your college or even at your high school you can always start a club like my friends and I did. It takes time and dedication to start a club but it's well worth it. Joining a club brings about a lot of opportunities that you wouldn't get anywhere else. I have no regrets about my involvement in the Japanese community at my college. I hope you all get to experience what I have one day.

I hope you enjoyed this post. It was very personal and I loved sharing this with all of you.

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The Best Ways to Learn Japanese Casually

There are three kinds of people learning Japanese. First, there are the hard core learners. These people have their heads in the books like crazy trying to learn the language. Some even take a big step forward and move to Japan in order to learn and surround themselves in the language. The second kind of people are the ones who took the introduction classes to Japanese in school but never pursued it further, so the only Japanese they know are the extreme basics. This also goes for the people who only watch anime and just retains the basics. And then there are people like me, the ones who casually learn Japanese. These people are not fluent in Japanese but they shouldn't claim to not know Japanese because they've retained and gained more out of the language than most people.

Today I'm going to be discussing my learning process in hopes to help those of you in my situation and for those who simply would like to learn some Japanese easily and with no stress.

Let me explain my situation first. I'm in my mid-twenties right now. I've graduated from college and have a full time job that has nothing to do with my major. I'm happily married and have a ton of friends I still keep up with from college. I've had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad in Japan for a summer and to go back to Japan for my honeymoon. So here's the question, how am I going to learn Japanese? I'm not planning to move to Japan because of my developing life here in America, so I won't learn that way. I can't take classes because it'll cost money that can be better used for life stuff and actual trips to Japan. There are my old textbooks from my Japanese classes I could use, but who has the time to sit down and focus on studying? I wake up, go to work, get home in the evening, blog (my life goal is to become a writer), take care of our dog, spend time with my husband, and then go to bed to do it all over again. One weekends we can substitute work with hanging out with friends since that's the only time I get to see them. I have no time to look at textbooks and learn Japanese that way. I have other ways of learning Japanese and I'd like to share it with you!

Japanese Dramas

Hana Yori Dango
"Boys Over Flowers"

I know what some people are already going to say. "What about anime!?!" There are two things wrong with anime. 1. Anime mostly has casual speaking that can be considered very rude, and if there is polite speaking in an anime it's a soldier of some sort speaking to a captain. This is not useful. 2. Anime is getting so imaginative lately that the vocabulary in them are useless to people wanting to speak Japanese. Now dramas on the other hand are great study guides. With dramas, you are watching real Japanese people speaking Japanese that you should be learning. Listen to their pronunciation and what they're saying. Pause the drama and try to repeat what they said. Watch the same episode of the drama again to get a feel for the vocabulary being used. You'll start to get a grasp of what the actors are saying and you'll be able to say it too.

Maiko Fujita, a J-pop singer.

Japanese Music

I love listening to Japanese music. Not only is it fun but you can learn Japanese this way too. Listen to the words and how the singer is naturally getting his/her words out. Repeatedly listen to the same song over and over again and try to sing along to the music. Then look up the lyrics to the song and sing along with the lyrics in hand. Once you've got the song memorized go back to the lyrics and try to translate them yourself. Look up the real translation and see how you did. Then you can go on to another song and start the process over again.

Phone Apps

Screenshot of the apps on my phone.
And yes, that's my doge.

I finally found an important use for my phone. There are phone apps available to teach you Japanese! Yeah, there are some that are not too good, but I found a few that are actually worth using and that are free!

AnkiDroid- this app is used like flash cards. there are a ton of downloadable flashcards to practice Japanese with. I use the flashcards titled "Human Japanese." These specific cards help me with vocabulary and sentence structure. And just like flashcards if you don't know the answer you can put the card back in the pile to try to answer it again later.

Obenkyo- This is another great app I use. It's a study guide app that let's you test on the material you studied. The tests are multiple choice. The app even takes your score and shows you your progress on the tests. You can test yourself on hiragana, katakana, kanji, numbers, vocabulary, and particles.

Japanese Manga

Japanese and English manga side by side.

This is definitely for the more advanced. To study this way you have to know how to read hiragana and katakana and you have to have a lot of vocabulary down. I have Japanese manga of manga that was translated already in English. What you do is you read the English manga first to get a feel for what kind of vocabulary you'll be using. Then grab a notebook and pen to write your translation of the Japanese manga. Once you're done translating, you can go check yourself using the English translation. I have used this way once so far. It's difficult so only study this way when you are confident about your Japanese reading skills.

I hope these methods help you study Japanese. They're fun and non-traditional ways to study and learn Japanese. These are the only ways I study due to my schedule and I find it helps me retain the Japanese I've learned so far and gain a little more. Remember, if you don't use it you'll lose it. So keep studying and have fun with it.

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My Top 5 Anime for Beginners

Let me start by saying the key to introducing anime to newcomers are getting anime that represents the anime world as a whole and length. The anime world is full of everything, from mechas, to high school life, to the supernatural, and much more. This creates a world of fantasy, and if done well it can be a beautiful thing that is enjoyable to watch. But you shouldn't overload on these qualities on newcomers. You want to ease their way into the anime world by showing them anime they can somehow relate to whether it's through character development or anything typical in a story. Regarding length, you obviously don't want to overwhelm them in episodes. Choose anime that don't go over 100 episodes. You can show them anime with around 12 episodes, but these anime typically don't have enough time for story development which I feel is an important thing to have in anime for newcomers. The anime I choose are about 26 episodes, with two being an exception.

These top five are in no particular order. They are just five anime I feel are perfect for beginners. I'm talking about friends or loved ones who are not anime fans and seem reluctant to give it a try even though it may be important to you. I'm suggesting these five anime from personal experience from a male friend of mine who had no interest in anime even though he as a child he watched Dragonball without knowing it was anime. My friend was so set on not giving anime a try until I showed him these five anime. They each have their own qualities that I feel can reach out to a wide range of audiences.

Let's begin!

1) Ouran High School Host Club

This anime is about a commoner girl who has earned a scholarship to an elite high school full of rich kids. She enters the school with little concern for her appearance as she dresses in the boys uniform due to costs. In the first episode she stumbles upon "the host club, an elite club of rich and handsome boys who have too much time on their hands that entertain young ladies who also have way too much time on their hands." After the girl breaks an 8 million yen vase that she can't repay, she ends up working for the host club as a male host.

The reason why I believe this is a great series for beginners is for the comedy. The characters and the situations they put themselves in are entertaining to watch. If you or your friends like to have good laughs, then this is the anime to watch. Ouran High School Host Club has 26 episodes and is licensed by Funimation. The dubbed and subbed versions can also be viewed on Hulu for free.

2) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

There are two versions of the anime, both excellent in their own way, but for the purpose of my friend's experience with anime I will be talking about this one. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood follows the original content from the manga series. There are these two brothers trying to bring back their deceased mother using alchemy they've picked up from their father's studies. After their horrible failure in resurrecting their mother, one brother loses an arm and a leg while the other loses his whole body. Luckily, the oldest brother attaches the younger brother's soul to a suit of armor. These brothers set out to find the philosopher's stone, a stone that is said to enhance the powers of an alchemist. While on their journey, they start to uncover secrets of the philosopher's stone.

This series is 64 episodes of intense story and diverse characters that keep you locked into the series. The series is licensed by Funimation and can be watched on Hulu with all episodes subbed and dubbed slowly being released.

3) Cowboy Bebop

This series takes place in the distant future where bounty hunters roam the solar system. The series follows two bounty hunts on their journey to obtain bounty rewards as they come across characters who add a little crazy to their lives.

This classic is a good example of what anime can do. Every anime fan knows this series and is the number one must watch anime on almost every list. It's the most well-known series in the industry for its unique setting and great, memorable characters. This series of 26 episodes is licensed by Funimation and can be streamed on Hulu with all episodes in sub while dub is becoming available.

4) Fruits Basket

Even though this anime is labeled as shojo, it offers a fun and emotional story that can be enjoyed by anyone. Our main character lives in a tent on the property of the Sohma family because her mother passed away and she doesn't want to inconvenience any of her family members. The Sohma boys living on the property takes the girl in and she ends up discovering their family secret: the members of the Sohma family who are cursed change into an animal of the Chinese Zodiac when hugged by the opposite sex. As hilarious as this can be, at moments you can see the struggle of these characters and their situations. 

My friend was doubtful about watching this series purely on it's dvd covers, but once he watched a few episodes he was hooked. I remember my friend even asked to bring my dvds home because he didn't want to wait to watch the end. This anime is also licensed by Funimation and can be found on Hulu in subs and dubs of all 26 episodes.

5) Death Note

This anime is about a high school boy who comes across a notebook called the death note. He uses the book to escaping his boring life and to get rid of all the crime he's surrounded by. The book can kill anyone whose name is written in it. The boy starts to play God with this new found power of the death note. All the suspicious deaths the boy is creating attracts the attention of a genius detective.

This is probably not for a younger audience as there's a lot of violence. It's a thriller anime that has become iconic for the years. It deals with the concept of what a hero is. This anime is licensed by Viz Media, containing 37 episodes. It can be found subbed and dubbed on Hulu.

That's it for my top 5 anime for beginners. I hope this helps with people new to anime or people who want to get others involved in anime. Leave a comment if you'd like of the first anime that got you into the anime scene.

Thanks for reading. Until next time!

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Karaoke in Japan

In Japan, it is not common for young people to hang out at each other's houses. Young adults usually go out somewhere if they want to hang out. One of the most common places for people to hang out at are karaoke venues. Karaoke is not only a way to socialize but it is a way to experience night life without the bar hopping or club going.

Karaoke has everything you need. It has food, drinks, and good times.

The screen for a Japanese song at karaoke.

Of course you're in Japan so there are Japanese songs.

If you know Japanese or have a song from an anime or drama you already memorized then you're good to go.

If you are like me and know what the song is supposed to sound like and know hiragana, then you're also good to go.

If you don't know any Japanese songs or how to read Japanese, don't panic, there are English songs available to pick from. So you are also good to go! You can go back to the 80's or choose a more modern song. They'll have it.

My friend Kaji picking a song from the electronic menu.

When you first get to the karaoke venue you'll pay for your karaoke time (meaning you pay for hours). I found two hours to be sufficient enough. After you pay, the attendant will bring you to a karaoke room that is just for your group. Feeling thirsty? There's a button on the wall for you to press to call an attendant to take your order. Get the party started by grabbing the electronic menu to select the first song. The song will pop onto the monitor and you can begin singing into the mic that's provided in the room. Time goes by fast when you're having fun so make sure you're using the time wisely.

Hope you get the chance to experience karaoke in Japan. It's very fun and a great way to get out the house or hotel.

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