My Community

I am having a fantastic time in Japan all in all.
Going, on your own, to live in a foreign country is meant to be hard. Going to live in a foreign country where you can only speak 3 words of the local language, where the language is COMPLETELY unrelated to your own, where you cannot read the script, by rights ought to make the experience that I am having near impossible, and well, a downright awful. Sitting in my flat in a pit of misunderstanding, unable to communicate with other human beings (the most significant aspect of my life I think). And it could have been that my time in Japan WAS like this.

But, it`s not. And the reason is a social group. I arrived in Hitachi to find two other JETs in my town. One of these JETs had been living here for two years previously and therefore has a group of friends here, and I think that base fact, has made the biggest difference to my experience in Japan.

Being here for such a time enables you to really become part of the community. The community of internationals is of course an important primary group of people for any foreigner in Japan. Principally because there aren`t many of you! You stare at each other in the street because you are so shocked to see a non-Asian face. Your job is also a likely source of common ground between you because I think it is fair to say that most foreigners I`ve encountered are English teachers – or at least used to be English teachers. So, on arriving in Hitachi I easily became part of the gaijin crowd here. We go out for meals. Certain restaurants here are well-known popular gaijin haunts, and we become regulars. It`s a nice feeling, ALREADY, to be able to go to the places – with people who are such great friends with owners. The sense of community I have by being here is the greatest, most unexpected aspect of my life here as a foreigner in Japan, but, definitely the best thing. The community which surrounds the Gyouza bar is wicked. The owners are extensive (size-wise!) Japanese men who obviously love to eat Gyouza! Every so often they have parties – complete with LOTS of food, and LOTS of drink. When I first arrived they had a beach party. And coming up is the camping party in NW Ibaraki.

But, equally and perhaps more important than the international community here is the Japanese part of our group. When we go out we are typically half and half Japanese and foreigners. Some of the Japanese people learn English with one of the English teachers who has been out here for 10 years now, so I feel very lucky that I can communicate with people like Maya and Tomoko who are FANTASTIC.

It was great to get to know some of the girls as I had been feeling slightly male dominated. But, Tomoko and I tried flamenco classes together, and now Maya and I do Yoga together every week. It is so good to go with a friend – and more than I ever expected for my first months here.
Yesterday evening we went to Yoga, and then Maya had suggested we went to eat at a café that she knew. It was a wicked little place. Right on the ocean-front with the waves crashing very loudly next to us. And tiny inside. Full, though. With people informally playing live guitar music and singing – Japanese songs, and then for my benefit – the Beatles. We all joined in, there were instruments for everyone - I had such a great evening – with this chilled out bunch of Japanese people – in a tiny café in the dark, by the ocean. SO, SO, COOL.