From Dexter to Japan

This is Julia blogging to you, for the first time, from Tokyo, Japan!  So you can get a better picture of who’s blogging here, I’m a graduate who’s now living in Japan to study Japanese.

I’ve been studying Japanese since the start of middle school and always knew that I wanted to move here.  I did an exchange program for six months during my sophomore year of high school, so I know the area and can speak the language (enough to get around), and in the end, I decided I’d like to try to go to college here, too.

And here I am, well, I’m not in college yet, but I’m getting there.

A lot of people have asked me what it is it like living in Japan so soon after the tsunami, earthquake, and nuclear threat.  Honestly, in Tokyo, everything is pretty much the same as usual.  Rather than everyone being worried about the nuclear reactors, the focus here is much more on the situation on the northeast coast, where the Tsunami hit.  I think the mentality is that what happened in Tokyo is nothing compared to what happened there, so to worry for our own sake would be inconsiderate. 

One of the only noticeable differences in Tokyo is the power shortage. Well, I wouldn’t really call it a shortage (though I’m sure there is one) but more of a voluntary and collective effort to save electricity.  All over the city business have shortened their hours, the escalators in buildings are all shut down, people are refraining from using air conditioners, etc.  Everyone is just trying to help in whatever ways they can. 

As for earthquakes, there are still some minor aftershocks but nothing too big.  I think there have been so many that’s its started to get people confused.  It seems like everyone here falls into one of two categories: people who think there is an earthquake even when there isn’t one, and people who never seem to notice the earthquakes even when they do occur.  I fall into the latter group, and the former can be described as “earthquake sickness" — it’s a term that’s being used a lot lately. 

In a metropolis like Tokyo things are always changing so there is no saying what will come next, or even tomorrow, but I hope you all wish me luck and hope this blog can be at least somewhat entertaining or informative for all of you in Dexter. 

I look forward to updating you all next time!