When it comes to studying abroad, we all know about the usual challenges that comes with it. You know, about how it’s tough to be away from loved ones, especially when a major event like death occurs, or how distance causes certain relationships to drift apart. Though rewarding, the experience of studying abroad is not without its share of hardships.
But what if we are to get more specific? For instance, what are the challenges of studying abroad in a specific country like Japan, perhaps?
And through the lens of a Malaysian, at that?
The following is a non-exhaustive list of the challenges of studying abroad in Japan. Though it is geared a bit more towards Malaysians, it should be helpful to non-Malaysians as well.
The language barrier
Most of your troubles in Japan will stem from the pesky language barrier. Suddenly, all of the things that used to be easy for you are now difficult. It is suddenly a challenge to place orders at restaurants, to do grocery shopping, to read your mail–to goodness have a conversation that goes beyond a simple “How are you?”. If you’re the type of person who thrives on being independent and social, this is something you’ll have to bear with until you’re able to communicate effectively in the language.
Till then, you can always occupy yourself with exploring Japan. The country has such a rich cultural history that there is something new to learn just about everyday.
Tip: If you have next to no knowledge of the Japanese language, learning key phrases like “Where is x?”, “I’d like this please” and “How much is this?” in Japanese can go a long way. As an extra precaution, learn the Japanese word for “earthquake” (地震: jishin) too. It is an earthquake-prone country, after all.
The Gaijin bubble. Or worse, your own personal bubble
As a Malaysian, you are more than likely to end up as one of those minority foreigners at school. Which means you’ll either end up in a tiny “gaijin (the shortened version of the Japanese word for foreigner, “外国人: gaikokujin“) bubble”, or… your own bubble. Unless of course, you are lucky enough to already be fluent in Japanese. If that is the case, then congratulations. If not, then this is one of the hurdles in Japan that you’ll have to face.
When you’re a foreigner, it is only natural to stick to people who are from the same country as you. This is easy enough if you happen to be part of the majority of foreigners who are from non-English-speaking countries like China, Vietnam and Thailand. But Malaysia? It’ll be a bit tough to find a community of us there.
I mean, it’s already tough enough trying to communicate with the Japanese, but now you have to worry about communicating with other foreigners as well? Yikes.
The food may take some adjusting to
If you’re a Muslim, vegetarian or have any kind of specific diet that is not the most convenient with Japanese life, this will make up another part of your adjustment period. Don’t fret. While it isn’t the easiest thing to do, it isn’t impossible. It will take time and effort, but soon enough, you will learn how to find the ingredients you need to fit your diet. You’ll learn how to recognize certain kanji and certain types of food and drinks you need to avoid, and you’ll also learn about the stores that have the things you need. It’s not easy, but it’s doable. Especially if you live in Tokyo, which has a more international community than other parts of Japan.
The only challenge after getting used to cooking and finding food for yourself is, if you are Muslim, you will constantly find yourself declining well-intentioned offers of food and drinks. Which would undoubtedly get tiring after a while.
Finding Malaysian food
What is it with trying to find Malaysian food overseas? It always seems like such a task to find a Malaysian restaurant overseas, and when you do find one, it is more often than not, disappointing. That, and or the taste has been adapted to suit the taste of the locals there. Of course, you can always cook your own Malaysian meals right here in Japan, but the ingredients are a lot harder to find than those for other cuisines, and not to mention, the range of choices are severely limited. I usually end up making Indian food, because that is the easiest and closest thing I can get to something from back home.
For those of you who aren’t aware, the Indian community is pretty strong in Tokyo. Indian grocery stores are usually where I do my grocery shopping. The spices are cheap and plentiful, and they have just about everything that I need to keep my stomach happy.
Daily life can seem overwhelming at first
When you first arrive in Japan, you will experience a sensory overload. Assuming that you, like most of us, arrive in Tokyo or any other major Japanese city, you’ll find yourself overwhelmed by the bright lights; the impossibly massive, sprawling train stations; and the sheer amount of culture and history that seems to be seeping out of every corner, just waiting to be delved into.
But most of all, as you start to settle into your new life in Japan, you’ll find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork to do. The Japanese really do love their paperwork, so it will seem as though you have an endless sea of it to go through at first. Things that would’ve been completed within a week elsewhere, might take months here. So be patient while you wait for crucial stuff like receiving your Japanese bank account, credit card and phone number. The amount of documents that you’ll have to deal with is ridiculous, but it is part of your learning curve in Japan.
