My friends and I went on a two day ski trip to Nagano to kickoff our springbreak a few months ago. It was, to date, the best trip I have gone to! The scenery was beyond words, the snow was beautiful, and I earned the record of most falls on the slopes!
I grew up in a tropical country so obviously I haven’t been killing it on the slopes since I was five unlike all the little cute Japanese babies we saw but hey, it was a great trip! Here’s a quick video I made of our quick getaway!
Yup. You read that right. I have been living the gaijin life for 8 months now. Off the top of my head, here are a few thoughts and, well, I guess an update as well about me and my life in Tokyo so far!
1. I still suck in nihongo.
I have been studying the Japanese language for a total of two years now but I never took it seriously up until a few months before flying out here. I mean, of course I have gotten better compared to when I was in the Philippines but it’s still pretty bad. But you know what, I still have less than a year left here so let’s hope my future self won’t slack off.
2. I’m way more quiet now than before.
My friends here would definitely disagree but that’s only because they didn’t know me when I was in the Philippines. I don’t know, man. When it’s dead silent around you, there’s just no other way to go but to conform. You don’t want to be that obnoxious gaijin who knows nothing but disrupt the social norm and order of things.
3. I’m drinking like it’s 2010 all over again.
Yes. I’m ‘bout that life again. If you knew me personally from 2010 until roughly early 2013 then you would know how much I loved drinking and partying. Well, I’m back at it! Why? In Tokyo, it’s either you party until midnight and catch the last train or party until sunrise. Plus, nomikai and nomihoudai. You must be wondering what that is, right? Well nomikai is pretty much a drinking party while nomihoudai is something offered by izakayas or bars wherein you can have unlimited drinks for a fixed price! How can I say no to that?
4. I have wasted a lot of money in arcades.
Those cute plushies just waiting to be masterfully picked up by me in the claw machines are just so damn hard to say no to. I’ve gotten lucky a few times but I’ve lost 10000x more. It’s a trap, guys. Don’t be like me.
5. I can’t shop like a local yet.
Which is why I hate grocery shopping here. I just can’t help but compare the huge price difference! A small pack of chicken wings (which has like four pieces btw) costs about what one whole chicken would cost in the PH. Don’t even get me started with the fruits and vegetables! It’s quite frustrating but it is what it is. So what do I do? I buy everything that’s on sale because unlike the Japanese, I don’t mind freezing my meat way past the expiration date (yes, meat here have expiration dates.) But don’t get me wrong, fam. I ain’t broke. It’s not like I can’t buy it. It’s just my stingy side acting up.
6. I have learned to live small.
At first I couldn’t stand how small apartments are in Tokyo. Like in the grocery store, I couldn’t help but compare. The rent I’m paying in the tiny apartment I’m living in right now could get me a three bedroom condo in central Manila. But then again, the biggest perk of this place is how close it is to my uni plus it is quite big in Japan standards. I hated it at first but now I’ve gotten the hang of it!
7. Patience as an art form.
With how fast-paced life in Tokyo is, it’s quite normal to feel frustrated and impatient at times. But living here made me realize that following the social order actually makes things easier and more efficient for everyone. May it be waiting for the train to arrive at exactly 10:24am or the specific time you can come in a sushi bar based on your queue card, it all works. The sense of order here made me more patient than I have ever been before. Instead of just thinking of myself, I follow the proper flow and order which, to be honest, works way better than bumping heads with everyone.
8. I’m not sick of Japan yet.
A lot of gaijins have warned me about seeing Japan lose its charm the longer I stay here but so far, I still love living here! There is still so much to see and do in this beautiful country. I have barely scratched the surface. If anything has changed, really, I think it’s my thirst for more adventure and further immersion in the Japanese culture and way of life.
That’s pretty much what I’ve got for you guys for now. It was great to sit down and reflect for a bit about how much progress and change I have gone through ever since moving here. How about you? What changes are you going through right now?
