Emily Lay (University of Auckland) at Waseda University, Tokyo

I'm Emily, and at the moment (June 09) I'm a few months (practically moments) away from coming back to New Zealand. I'm in the Intensive Japanese Language Programme at Waseda University (also known as BEKKA), and believe me, it lives up to its name. I was put into the Waseda University International Student House; not the flashest of places, but the cheapest of the dormitories offered by Waseda. Surprisingly, the room I ended up with is even larger than back home. With the Waseda housing it's really pot luck, and I'm quite lucky that my dorm is about 5 minutes from campus. A down-side is that these dorms are designed for exchange students only, so it’s hard not to revert back to English all the time.

Living in Japan is an experience like no other. Japan is like a world in and of itself, so here's a few things to get you guys on your way.

Firstly, learn up about New Zealand: interesting facts, places to see, or even every-day things. I guarantee that you'll be interrogated a few times. Next, unfortunately sad but true, be prepared to be mistaken for an Ozzie - a lot. But most importantly, be able to explain the difference between us. No, New Zealanders don't ride kangaroos, we're better at rugby, and we don't say “feesh and cheeps”. Try to bring a few souvenirs from New Zealand when you come; kiwis or sheep are great. It's a good reminder to let them know that we don't call ourselves after a fruit, and that yes, apparently, we do have more sheep than people. Another cute thing to bring along would be our little buzzy bee, and if you're a fan, introduce some people to marmite too.

Travel as much as possible. Japan is not only about Tokyo, there's so many aspects of Japanese culture to experience. If you get the chance to, I highly recommend participating in a home-stay programme. My home-stay had to be one of the highlights of my trip. My home-stay family was absolutely wonderful, opening up their home to me. I was pretty far out in Sado island, which gives you a totally different sense of Japan you just don't get from Tokyo. As a nice little bonus, my Japanese improved a fair bit from the trip as well.
Me and my homestay family in Sado Island.            

If all that travelling leaves you short of cash, part time work is not hard to find for native English speakers. There are a lot of people looking to learn, or even just practice English.

It's best (though pretty hard) to try to tone down the Kiwi accent a bit. Trust me, it does get in the way of communication at times. “When” sounding like “win” is a biggie - you've really got to watch out for our short 'e'. Working can get pretty tiring though, so I'm so thankful for the Sasakawa Fellowship fund for that extra help. Unfortunately my trip was badly timed, and the exchange rate was somewhat unforgiving. If you're thinking of getting money sent over to Japan, have a check around the banks because the fees for receiving international transfers can vary greatly from bank to bank.

Of course, another way to save cash is to shop around at a few supermarkets and little grocery stores. There's a pretty big range of things to buy, but don't expect to be buying in bulk.  Almost everything here is individually wrapped and packaged; sometimes to the point where it seems practically meaningless. Cooking at home obviously saves cash, but at the same time, I would really recommend going out and making the most of Japanese food while you can.

One of the great things about Japan is the huge variety of Japanese food there is. And of course, if you do manage to get sick of Japanese food, there's still plenty to choose from. Sadly though, I've not seen a proper mince and cheese pie since I've been here. But just be warned, even McDonalds and Wendy’s will be served in Japanese-sized portions. For those big eaters out there, be on the look- out for 食べ放題(all-you-can-eat) or バイキング(buffet). If you're really keen, there's even little guides in some bookstores introducing places around Tokyo. A similar but somewhat alien concept to us is 飲み放題(all-you-can-drink). And yes, I do mean alcohol. Like 食べ放題, these have a time limit, and depending on the place, is usually 90 min or 2 hours. You can usually choose to do this at most Izakayas, but beware of service charges or conditions they have. It's best to have a local show you how it's done the first few times.

Good food, Good drink, Great friends.

Another thing that would be good to have a local help you out with is buying a cellphone. There are some rental plans offered for exchange students; but think carefully about how much you think you will use a cellphone and sometimes buying one (even though short term) could turn out to be a more cost effective option.

Lastly, if anything, grab every opportunity with both hands. I know this is a somewhat obvious thing to say, but it's really not as easy to follow through with. Being shy, embarrassed or afraid is natural, but some of the best memories come from the hardest experiences. For example, the 100km hike from Saitama to Tokyo, and conquering Mt Fuji for the sunrise will be a couple of the toughest but most memorable journeys of this trip.

Sunrise on Mt Fuji! Notice the NZ flag?                   

99 kilometres to go...

Engross yourself in Japanese culture - joining a university club is one of the best ways to do this. There is a club for basically everything so you'll be spoilt for choice. At first it may seem awkward; but it's one of the best ways to improve your Japanese, and really get into a close knit group.

Our ski trip to Naeba in Niigata with 'Nijinokai'

At the end of it, be prepared to come back with a few Japanese characteristics. There will be times when Japanese words will run through your mind; or you will use Japanese gestures (such as pointing to your nose); or even bow while you're apologizing on the cellphone. There's absolutely no way you can come back without picking up some of the little things in everyday life. That's even without noticing, and really you'll come back home with a deeper understanding not only of Japan, its culture and its people; but of New Zealand, our culture, and yourself.