I'm going to Japan!

[Lynna]

Hello!
I'm not sure how much exactly I've talked about it in the past, but for several years I've been really wanting to go to a Discipleship Training School with a missionary organization called Youth With A Mission, particularly the one that's based out of Tokyo, Japan. I've been wanting to go for around three years now, praying over it and saving up money.
Earlier this year, I applied to go to the DTS that's starting on September 22. Unfortunately, I got my application in a little too late, and they said they'd already received enough international applications. They did, however, offer to put me on a waiting list, and almost exactly one month before the DTS would start, a space opened up for me. Unfortunately, I only had a month left to prepare..a month that has slowly whittled down to a week. I'm really excited, but a little overwhelmed. On top of a lot of packing, I have to finish an online course that I've been working on. I have 2 major assignments left, and a good amount of minor ones -_- I do feel a great more peace over this than I normally would, which I guess is a good sign, but it still feels like an impossible task. Would you please pray that I'll have the motivation to give finishing it my best shot?
Other than school, most things have been working out fairly well. I kept wondering if something would go wrong but not much has. God has been very good indeed.
Thank you! ^^

[shooraijin]

Wow, congratulations! I hope the stress gives way to real blessings. Perhaps some of our folks like Kaori or bobtheduck have some advice for you.

[ClaecElric4God]

That's awesome, Lynna! We'll be neighbors (because Tokyo isn't enormous or anything). I'll be praying for you, and I hope all goes well!

[goldenspines]

YAY! I'm so happy for you Lynna! \^o^/
How long are you going to stay? O:

But yet another person I won't be able to visit in Japan. (no one will ever come to Osaka/Kobe. ;-; )

I'll be praying for you. Things will get very overwhelming (especially travel, jetlag, etc.), so make sure to always take time to rest or de-stress when you need it. Feel free to message me any time if you want!

[Lynna]

Thank you so much everyone ^^ I really appreciate it!

Wow, congratulations! I hope the stress gives way to real blessings. Perhaps some of our folks like Kaori or bobtheduck have some advice for you.

Thanks! I didn't think of that, I shall keep that in mind. I'd be quite happy to listen to any general advice/warnings that anyone has!

That's awesome, Lynna! We'll be neighbors (because Tokyo isn't enormous or anything). I'll be praying for you, and I hope all goes well!

Oh, you're in Tokyo specifically? I had forgotten. Maybe we could meet up sometime while I'm there? Speaking of which, if anyone is in that area and wants to meet up, I would be happy too.

YAY! I'm so happy for you Lynna! \^o^/
How long are you going to stay? O:

But yet another person I won't be able to visit in Japan. (no one will ever come to Osaka/Kobe. ;-; )

I'll be praying for you. Things will get very overwhelming (especially travel, jetlag, etc.), so make sure to always take time to rest or de-stress when you need it. Feel free to message me any time if you want!

I'm going to be there for three months, and then go on an outreach trip for two of the five months I'm there.

Aww, that is kind of far away( I think) Although I do plan on trying to visit a friend of my Mom's who doesn't live very close to Tokyo either.

[KazeShiki]

Congrats!!!

Speaking of which, if anyone is in that area and wants to meet up, I would be happy too.

Me! I'll be around until the very start of November.

But yet another person I won't be able to visit in Japan. (no one will ever come to Osaka/Kobe. ;-; )

Hey I visited Osaka! Before you were there...

[Kaori]

Wow, congratulations! I hope the stress gives way to real blessings. Perhaps some of our folks like Kaori or bobtheduck have some advice for you.

いやぁぁぁぁ、I don't know that I can say anything other than general and obvious things, for example, learn as much of the language and culture as you can. Not a single moment that you spend on language/culture study will be wasted, and if you make an effort to undersand the way that Japanese people think and act, e.g. the indirect communication style, that will help you out a lot. Indirect communication in particular is something a lot of non-Japanese people really don't get, but Japanese people often don't express their preferences directly, so you have to watch for subtle clues. For example, if you ask someone to do something and they say "That would be difficult" it means they probably don't want to do it. And on the other hand, if they say something like, "Would it be possible to go to _____?" that means they want to go there.

Although I'm not sure whether it is good to say this kind of complaint, I have to also mention that recently I have found that information about Japanese culture that I read in English (on the internet) is just not very good. For example, whenever in my internet wanderings I stumble across a Japan Times article and read it, I feel like the Japan Times ought to be called the "I don't understand Japan" Times. So できるだけ read things in Japanese if you can.

I don't know where your Japanese level is, but what I have read so far of the book 日本人の心がわかる日本語 is really excellent and has definitely deepened my understanding of Japanese culture (this after having lived there for six years). It's meant for Japanese-language learners, so it's at a nice upper-intermediate level and has furigana and glossaries to help you. But it is entirely in Japanese other than the glossaries. If that's too difficult, there's also a 日本人の心 that is a bilingual book so that you can read in English and still see what the names for the concepts are in Japanese (e.g. 和). I read that a long time ago and remember thinking it seemed vague, but it is at least a Japanese perspective, and I think if I were to reread it now I would understand better the things that are being referred to (having experienced them more).

As far as figuring out when to use polite form and when to use plain form, you can generally follow the lead of the person you are talking with, but if you are talking to someone who is significantly older you should probably use polite form even if they are using plain form. I guess another thing that will help prevent misunderstandings is if you have a sense of the way that polite form is polite but also can be distancing (use it with someone who wants to be your friend and it will come across as "I don't want to be your friend") and plain form can create a sense of closeness. So if someone is using plain form with you that doesn't necessarily mean they are being rude, it actually is something that, if mutual, creates a comfortable, warm feeling that feels really good to Japanese people.

If people ask your age a lot, it's because it's an Asian thing and they are trying to figure out how they are expected to act towards you based on whether you are older or younger than they are.

You might already know this, but it's good to know the nuances of the different ways of saying "yes." はい doesn't necessarily mean "I agree," it often only means "I'm listening" (verbal feedback to show you are paying attention). ええ is more clearly "yes," うん is an informal "yes" you can use with friends, if you want to clearly convey "I understand" you can say わかりました (informally わかった)、 and if you really want to say "yes" in the sense of "Yes, I will do what you are asking me to do," you can say 了解（りょうかい）です (fairly formal, e.g. for work situations).

Also something you might already know, but don't add ～さん to your own name when introducing yourself (a mistake I have sometimes seen people do; as far as mistakes go it is a pretty bad faux pas). And generally you should make sure to always add honorifics to the names of people you are talking with unless they specifically tell you not to or you are on very close terms and feel pretty confident it is okay.

Generally speaking, the more you try to adapt to a Japanese way of life, the easier things will be for you while living in Japan, i.e. if you try to eat a lot of Japanese foods rather than going to an expensive imported foods grocery store (the one in the Sunshine City mall, for example) and paying ridiculous prices for food because you want to eat something that Japanese grocery stores don't carry.

Since you're in Tokyo, prepaid rail cards (Suica, Pasmo, JR Pass) are convenient and nice to have. You will probably want to get one, though there's no rush since you can always pay for each trip separately.

．．．
．．．
．．．思ったよりありましたね。 Anyways, I will stop talking now and just say congrats, have a safe trip, and I hope you enjoy Japan!

[Rusty Claymore]

If you don't want to be stared at, don't have a beard. *remembers slightly awkward late-night train rides.*

Jokes aside, my only advice is don't fret over why God is sending you. I feel I missed a deeper portion of special places and people because I started to obsess that I was there for some "purpose", and having hung my happiness on that, I ended up focusing on my self and missing/ignoring the wonderful things I now only have fragmented memories of.

This trip is a gift, and God is sending you because He loves you and wants to give you good things. Keeping that in mind and thanking Him for His gift is the best way to keep a right mindset, and to keep from missing the good in store for you.

Of course, that might not be something you struggle with. n_n'

And one other thing: unless he has a cane or is obviously advanced in years, don't offer an older gentleman your seat. Just... don't.

[ClaecElric4God]

Hey, give us an update! I'd love to hear how things are going for you.
Also, me, you and Kaze should totally meet up sometime. *thumbs up* I would invite Goldy but Osaka...