Personal Narrative: Moving To Japan As A Moving To Japan

Moving to Japan at 11 years old was an irreplaceable experience. I had to adjust to a new lifestyle. I could not play in the woods, did not ride the bus to school, could not see the stars at night, and had to adjust to being unable to communicate. However, I grew to consider Japan my home. Now, I love tea made from wheat, green tea, raw fish, and crispy fish tails. I have lived overseas for almost seven years, and have only been back to the U.S. for a short amount of time. I do not have a driver’s license, follow American pop culture, or have a favorite American store or restaurant. However, I am also not Japanese. I have been influenced by both cultures, yet do not primarily identify with one or the other. My life experiences have allowed

One way I experienced this feeling was by playing soccer with a Japanese team. Through the year and a half that I have been playing with them, I have felt various emotions from silly to elated. As an American, I stick out like a sore thumb and my mistakes are easily noticed. I feel a bit silly bowing to the field before and after practice, as well as saying “Thank you for everything you do” to the people who walk past or watch the practice. However, I understand that it is important to show respect the Japanese way and do my best to blend in. The more “Japanese” I acted, copying the respectful actions of my teammates, the more my teammates were willing to listen to my broken Japanese. My teammates began asking questions about my life and were fascinated by how differently I live. While talking about my family, I was able, with some help to explain that my siblings were named after people in the Bible. As I was struggling to explain the names’ origin with my limited Japanese, a girl on the team spoke up saying she was a Christian and started explaining it to the others. This experience was just one of many that made me realize how important it is to show respect the way the culture that you are in