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Life and Study in Japan
Johnah C. Galicia, DMD
I thought I already had a firm grasp and a clear understanding of Japan after
reading some “Life in Japan” articles and attentively listening to some
anecdotes of people who had a taste of Japanese life before. Armed with personal
experiences of an expatriate who once lived in a non-English speaking country, I
was oozing with confidence that I could easily adapt and blend to another life
and culture abroad, especially in Japan, a close trade and cultural partner of
the Philippines. I expected that I wouldn’t have to crave a lot for Filipino
food or to feel the excessive emptiness of living away from my family. Manila is
only four hours by plane from Tokyo, anyway. But after settling down, I realized
that I had to strive hard not only physically to acclimatize my tropical self to
the frigid climate, but also mentally and emotionally to untangle the cultural
and language barriers that would really make my sojourn less fruitful.
Japan is a very interesting and
intriguing country. Here, you can find a striking mix of the traditional and the
modern, of serenity and vivacity, of beauty and simplicity. The people blend to
these characteristics very well, as exemplified by how extremely opposite they
could become - simple to outrageous or subtle to flamboyant. The Japanese have
tried and succeeded in establishing a typical image that is ubiquitous and
easily identifiable to them. Talk about samurai, animation, sumo wrestling, and
even hara-kiri. They typify patience, industry and dedication to their job which
I think are the key ingredients to the economic success of this country. Japan
has this image of being so wealthy that people here earn tons of money with
little sweat and then fly by Japan Air Lines to squander their wealth from their
Louis Vuitton pockets. But if one looks vigilantly, these luxuries are gained
from hard work and frugality, some of the Japanese traits that I truly admire.
The first few weeks of my stay were
a mosaic of good, frustrating, funny and sad experiences. Yes, I was in Asia but
the feeling it brought me was very different. I felt like a complete stranger,
unable to read, comprehend and speak even the most basic Japanese phrases. It
reminded me of a child’s first day in school, very dependent and apprehensive of
the events to come. Each day was a struggle for me to keep my plaintive mood
from affecting my outlook, daily routine and my relationships with other people.
I found it hard to adjust and to answer questions about how I was coping with
everything.
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Understanding the intricacies of the
inner thoughts and feelings of a Japanese was another dilemma. I had to get
used to ambiguous answers given to simple questions that would only require a
“yes” or a “no” as an answer. It was also a big challenge to determine the real
answer from the veneer, knowing that most of the time, replies were meant to
please the ears and not to express the real thought or opinion. Of course,
there were other more complicated, unwritten and widely observed practices like
uchi-soto (us and them), tsukiai zangyo (stay until the boss
leaves) and many more. At first, I was dead serious in trying to understand
these things, oftentimes retaliating to some caustic and stereotyped remarks
about foreigners, especially about Filipinos. But eventually, I took what a
friend told me, to just take everything with a pinch of salt because even the
Japanese try hard to understand each other and still have a lot of issues to
settle, just like any other country in the world. Now, I have hurdled over these
cultural difficulties, imbibing the beneficial aspects, finding some really good
friends and making the most out of my four-year stay. There are still some rough
roads along the way, but I have learned how to iron things out and harmonize
without compromising my own beliefs and principles. One good thing that I am
grateful about Niigata is the network of international volunteer groups that
assist foreigners in adjusting to their new life. What a relief indeed.
Dentistry in Japan is well-advanced
and dynamic. The research facilities are world-class and research projects are
generously funded by the government. It is now very common to see Japanese
authors excel in high-caliber international journals, reporting breakthrough
discoveries and innovative projects. However, the law restricts non-Japanese
from performing any treatment procedure to the patient except in extraordinary
cases, and acquiring a temporary license to practice is a long and laborious
task which includes language tests and tons of paper work. So, I suggest that
dentists and even medical doctors who plan to study in Japan must be ready to
set their clinical prowess aside and concentrate on doing researches.
Niigata, the city where I live, is
not an extraordinary city in terms of natural and man-made structures but I
consider it as my second home. I have been to Tokyo several times and I was
impressed by the modern and swanky skyscrapers and amazed by the pizzazz and the
diversity of the overwhelming crowd, but I would always long to be in the
comforting environment of this city by the sea of Japan. In spring, tulips are
everywhere and the soft pink cherry blossoms fall like snow as the cool wind
rushes over the Shinano levee. In winter, everyone’s dream of celebrating white
Christmas is fulfilled. Niigata folks are very proud of their local
produce like rice, fruits and sweets which I must confess are truly delectable.
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Last Updated October 2004
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