Imagine getting on a plane in a foreign country and being whisked away by a total stranger. There are so many emotions that run through your body at that point. You allow a complete stranger that you’ve never met, and most likely never had contact with, take you away from everyone you know. You leave the airport and get in a car and hope that this person sitting next to you is taking you to their home. The drive feels like forever, it just drags on, at moments you’re curious if you’ll ever make it to the final destination. Eventually, the car pulls up to a house and your host family gets out and begins to unload the luggage and show you to your temporary room. This is just the beginning of an exciting home stay.
We had the pleasure of experiencing home stays while in Japan. We lived with another family and lived exactly how they would on a normal day without us there. We ate the foods that they prepared, we bathed how they did, slept as they did, and traveled as they did. This meant something different for each person of course. Some of us had the luxury of a bed while others had a tatami mat to sleep on. Some ate out at more restaurants while some ate home cooked meals each night. Some traveled to school by bike, some of us got dropped off in a car. Each experience was unique and different in its own way. None of us had exactly the same experience while we were there. Some hosts spoke fairly well in English, while others spoke no English at all. You realize quickly how your game of charades is when you’re in a foreign country with a language barrier. We stayed with 2 different families while there so we got to experience very different situations. One thing that was universally the same throughout all the students home stays was the hospitality, kindness and forgiveness we received. These people allowed us into their homes and treated us as if we had been there for months or years. They would do anything to make sure you were comfortable and enjoying yourself. If there was something you wanted you were sure to get it within the days to come. They were so forgiving to us as well. Customs are different among each country. One important custom in Japan is removing your shoes when you walk into a home as well as some restaurants and schools. While you are expected to abide by these customs, when you make the mistake of stepping onto the floor with your shoes, they just politely remind you. They do not get mad or upset that you broke this cardinal rule. Gift giving is another custom in Japan that is important. When giving gifts in japan you must bow and hand the gift over with both hands. The Japanese will usually give their gifts at the end. I had given my gifts to them at the beginning of my stay and was surprised at the end by the surplus of gifts that I received. I woke up to a bag of gifts my last day in Japan and got another bag once at the airport. If you want to be treated like royalty this is definitely the place to go.
Throughout our stay, we remained in Saga. While speaking with my host mother one night, she informed me that the city produces some of the best seaweed in the world. This is because the sea in which it grows has a very large difference between high tide and low tide which fosters growth. The saga prefecture also has some of the most famous ceramics in the world. Arita is located within this prefecture and is sold throughout the world. Japan, in general, is known for their art of sushi making. Which I was able to experience on 4 different occasions. I was able to eat dinner at 2 different sushi restaurants. These restaurants were very unique they had the chefs in the back kitchen where they would load the sushi onto a conveyor belt for people to take and eat. You are then charged by the plate. We also learned how to make sushi from a Michelin star chef. A Michelin star is awarded to select restaurants for their excellence in quality, mastery of technique, personality, and consistency of food (McConnell). This was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. I also had the pleasure of learning how to make sushi with my host mother. I saw each end of the spectrum with sushi making
The experiences that I encountered while in Japan were certainly things that will affect my future decisions. I am asked about my trip very often by people that I have on social media or see in passing in my town. Everyone wants to know what my trip was like and it is so difficult to explain to them. I am constantly responding with “It was great, I’d love to go back”. It’s just so difficult to explain to them the volume of things I was able to experience and do while I was there. I traveled with a great group of people and made lasting friendships while there. I couldn’t replicate the trip if I tried.
This was my first time in Japan, but more importantly my first home stay. I had a little trouble adjusting at first as we all did. We weren’t quite sure how to communicate with someone that only understood words such as “yes” and “no”. We weren’t sure how to ask them to take us somewhere that we were dying to see. Over time we got better and utilized our charades skills as well as technology. I learned to love living with another family. It makes you less home sick than staying in a hotel but more importantly, it gives you such a unique experience. I know that I would love to do another home stay in the future.
I was able to experience everything I ever could’ve dreamed of. It was such a phenomenal trip from beginning to end. We tackled everything that you should while in Japan (in my opinion). One of the most important lessons we all learned while in Japan was that we aren’t that different. At the end of the day, we all are more similar than we think. We may speak different languages but we listen to some of the same music. We like some of the same foods. We like to do the same things for fun. My host family brought me to the beach one day because it was something we all enjoyed. This lesson will impact my personal choices for the rest of my life. I will always remember that anyone I encounter is not that different from myself. We can all learn a lot from each other if we take the time to learn acceptance and practice friendship.
If someone asked me “would you do it again?” I’d say yes a thousand times over. Did I enjoy this trip? Of course, but I learned more than I imagined. I was excited to be going to another country for a “vacation”. This was more than just a vacation. I wouldn’t have had the experience I did had I been vacationing in a beachside hotel. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity that so many people are not able to take advantage of. So many people miss out on some of the greatest treasures in life, traveling. There are so many neat things to see in other countries. Learning from the people of a country is one of the greatest gifts you could receive. I am so thankful for the opportunities I’ve had. Of course I was terrified of getting in the car with that stranger, but that stranger became family to me and that is something I wouldn’t change. McConnell, Akila. "What You Need to Know About Michelin Stars." About Travel. Foodtravel.about.com, 26 Oct. 2015. Web. 09 June 2016.
