The Importance of Language: A Japanese Student in Japan

When you’re about to embark on an international adventure, so many aspects can be overwhelmingly stressful: the plane ticket, the hotels, the transportation -- I could go on forever. But let’s not forget the most inevitable road block of them all. What tends to get lost in the pre-departure plans is, of course, the language barrier. New countries are full of culture shock, even if you have travelled internationally before. What flies in one country may not in another. Taking some time before you leave to investigate and teach yourself more about the culture and language of the country you’re visiting could save you some headaches during your travels. Now, if you’re heading to places like the United Kingdom, I wouldn’t worry so much about language issues, but it would still be in your best interest to check up on some cultural differences to escape looking a tourist and more like a seasoned local. If you are headed somewhere completely new, with little English speakers, I suggest you try and get a little self-study in before embarking! I promise you that it will enhance your experience ten-fold!

For my global seminar, I headed to Kyoto, Japan. Kyoto was originally the capital long before Tokyo took its place and could be considered the quintessential city of all things “Japanese.” As one of the oldest and largest cities in the island nation, Kyoto is a living, breathing history lesson. It also turned out to be the perfect place to test out my two years of Japanese language course! Let me just say, I was absolutely amazed at the progress I had made in two weeks alone. Initially, however, I was not that confident. Despite having taken Japanese five days a week for two years, I was incredibly embarrassed to ask for anything on the plane ride over. My flight was operated by ANA, All Nippon Airways, and it was easily one of the best flights I had ever been on. Everyone was incredibly personable and worked hard to make sure each passenger was comfortable during our 11 hour odyssey. 

So, why was I nervous? Well, for starters, languages are hard. You never want to mess up and make a fool of yourself. Your hope is that you can form sentences coherently and convey your feelings to a native speaker without any trip-ups. Well, that’s just not the reality! You will mess up here and there, but practicing in an environment where you are culturally immersed is the best we can do as foreign language students to try and be better. While I was staying in Kyoto, I found myself more willing to take charge, to help my classmates, and I was even joking with several of our tour guides and other people I ran into throughout my day! Even if I did embarrass myself or say the wrong thing, I was able to grow as a foreign language student and gain confidence in my abilities!

Now, I’m not saying you should make sure you have years of language under your belt before going anywhere. My hope is that people will be inspired to learn the basics before going to new places. Being able to connect with people in a foreign country only helps to personalize your experience! Simply saying "hello," "goodbye," and "thank you" go a long way no matter where you are headed. I even found that the services offered to me improved! Everyone around the world wants to feel appreciated and recognized. Watching foreigners appreciate your culture as much as you do is a mutually gratifying experience. When I was purchasing my first ever kimono, a vintage set from the 1990s, the sweet lady that owned the shop was shocked at my ability to speak, laughed, and gave me an extra item as a present! In another case, I was dressed as Luffy, a popular anime character, while on a Go-Kart tour around Tokyo (very touristy, I know) and while I was passing by people going about there day, I decided to smile, wave, and say his popular Japanese phrases! Unsurprisingly, I made many friends while riding around. People took photos, videos, selfies, and even asked me questions while I was at the stop lights. Being able to communicate in these instances improved my experience by tenfold. I felt truly connected and, even though I was a foreigner, I didn't feel out of place.

TL;DR? One way to make your global seminar experience even better than it already is? Pick up some popular or useful phrases and watch yourself flourish! Being able to connect with others in a new country will be something you won't forget!