So I've been here for nearly a week in Japan already, and have gone through the whole gamut of emotions, ranging from euphoria, excitement and happy deliriousness to confusion, depression and denial. lol
Arrived in Tokyo last Sunday. It was a cool day and would continue to be for the next 3 days we were there.
On the plane, it felt like a dream. Can't believe I'm going to Japan to work AND live!! This is just crazy, I remember feeling. The transition was happening too fast, and I think I wasn't prepared for it. Which led to dire consequences later on, haha.
Don't remember much about what happened at the airport, just that there were pink-shirted JET volunteers who guided us through every step of the way - fantastic planning and logistics, I must say. Walked A LOT. Narita must be huge. Took a bus to Keio Plaza Hotel, checked in (absolutely painless, good work JET!!) then went out with some SG JETs to eat... Japanese styled spaghetti! Super yummy. Then, depression hit. Walking back to the hotel, all I could hear around me was Japanese. And I DID NOT UNDERSTAND A SINGLE WORD. Never felt like such a foreigner in my life. I emphasize with Singapore's foreign talents now. Such a humbling and helpless experience.
Slept badly, and would sleep badly for the next 6 days, till last night. I kept waking up 5 or 6 am Japanese time EVERYDAY, and some days, even woke up in the middle of the night yes, feeling confused.
On Monday, 1 August, orientation started. Another shock. There's English, then there's English-es. lol. Not that I didn't know that, but it was strange hearing it ALL THE TIME. Canadian English, British English, Irish English, South African English, Trinbagonian English (from Trinidad and Tobago), Australian and New Zealander English and of course, American English. We SG JETs pride ourselves on being the only 'proper' Asian country represented. And then we had to put on accents to make ourselves understood. Hahaha.
A JET Alumni, a really funny guy, spoke about Internationalisation. He also described the four stages of Culture Shock, and I realized I was in Stage 2 already. I wanted to sleep all the time. I was depressed. I wanted to go home. I had gone from Happiness (Stage 1) to Hostility in a matter of HOURS. lol. Next I hope to find Humour (Stage 3) and then hopefully, not too far away, I want to feel at home (Stage 4) in Japan.
That night, I refused to go out, but Bao Zhen, nice nice girl that she is, said that I should just go, so that I could get out of the culture shock thing. She was right. I felt so much better. We went to the Metropolitan Building where were saw the night skyline of Tokyo.
From left to right: Jie Yi, Minzy, Shi Ying, Jeremy (from Canada), Clarissa, Zhi Ying, Bao Zhen, me, and Wendy (New Zealand)
Then we took a walk, led by Shi Ying, to Kabuki-cho where we saw many prettyp people. It's amazing how much some of the SG JETs love Japan and can speak the language... SO WELL. I shall learn!!
Along Kabuki-cho
Second day of orientation. Feeling much better, I went for some of the workshops. That night, the Singapore Embassy in Japan hosted us SG JETs for dinner at an all-you-can-eat sort of a steamboat buffet. Ate beef. A lot of it. Die liao. ;p It was at a restaurant called Mo Mo Paradise, near Kabuki-cho. It was a fabulous time, and that was the last time I heard so many Singaporeans in the same place. That night, for a short 2 hours, it was like being home again. Singaporean accent all around, Singaporean jokes, etc. No need for accents, just Singlish, and the knowledge that we might not meet each other like this again. Bittersweet. There really is no place like home huh.
From left to right: Mr. Soo Siew Keong, Regional Director of STB in Japan and Korea, Jing Ying, Li Neng, Lydia, me, Daryl.
2011 SG JETs, plus some current JETs and alumni, as well as embassy people.
Till we meet again, gambatte kudasai!!
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