Homesick..
-
Just arrived at Japan yesterday for 6 months.
FIrst day arrival already homesick. Every thing so unfamiliar, hardly anyone can speak english and I have to slowly digest their Japanese.
Their culture is so dfferent, feel so alienated.
Keep asking myself - "What am I doing here?"
Can't stop thinking about going home.
Day 2, hope today will be better. Getting from one end to another end was horrible, almost vomitted.
On a self note, SQ landing and take off was smooth. Almost couldn't feel it but flight was horrible with many turbulences. Not to mention the loud engine ensured that I did not get a proper rest at all.
-
And it's now 5.40am here.
-
Thought at first that being Chinese, we would somehow look alike. However, we still look so different and we get alot of stares where ever we go.
Despite being a advanced country, seems like there are still a good number of Japanese skeptical of foreigners.
There are even seperate facilities for foreign students here.
-
Am I correct in assuming that you're in Japan to study?
Sorry to hear you're feeling homesick. Is this your first time travelling abroad? To Japan? Whereabouts in Japan are you currently located?
I'm sure other forumites will chime in soon with suggestions on how to make your stay in Japan tolerable, even enjoyable, but here are some of mine:
1. Travel around your adopted town/city to get to know the lay of the land better. Once you get more familiar with the location of sites relevant to you stay there (e.g., supermarkets, restaurants, post offices, shopping centers, etc.), you'll gradually find the place becoming less "foreign" to you.
2. Are you familiar with the Japanese katakana and hiragana scripts? They are relatively easy to memorize, and will help you read the signage on streets and buildings which are frequently written in these scripts. My friends and I were in Japan for two weeks a few months ago, and we were able to read enough of names of streets, building, locations, etc. to find our way around with relatively few problems.
3. Are there other Singaporeans in your area who have been there for a while and are able to guide you around, at least for the first few weeks?
Let us know how your stay in Japan progresses. Enjoy yourself there and have fun!
-
I think it is a normal feeling especially after a long trip going thru custom etc....trust me at least you did not land in a Jungle.
Certainly Cannot Assume anything when u r travelling....Just remember the word to Assume is to make you An " ASS U (&) ME".
Enjoy and observe your own response.
Best of Luck.
-
why do you go to Japan when you can't speak Japanese?
You should have expected this before you went over..
-
Originally posted by fireng:
why do you go to Japan when you can't speak Japanese?
You should have expected this before you went over..
ya.. abit funny le. TS dont know how to speak jap and go jap study? Besides got alot of chiobu
-
Well babe, take some getting used to.
But most 1st trip is usually like that. You probably should cacoon yourself and sleep thru the cold weather 1st for 3 days to get use to the nite.
Its hard when the air you breathe is cold and freezing your nostril hair off, especially when you were used to Sg's humid or air conned weather.
I hope you packed vicks in your luggage and slather those onto your nose liberally before you sleep.
Its probably uncomfortable therefore the languages difference is making you homesick. But I read that you are digesting the japanese language, which means you are getting the hang of it already.
Go out, look for ramen stalls and have hot bowls of ramen and soup. It helps to flush out your first long haul flight trauma and get your body back in synch. Chances are, you are also constipated, so do try to take lots of fibre to clear your body out.
-
It's quite normal. most people either feel this, or extreme excitement when first travelling overseas on your own for long periods.
Do you know other people there? Try to keep yourself busy. Make sure you take care of your health too. Get adequate eats/drinks/sleep.
You mentioned there are seperate facilities for foreign students. Make friends with the other foreign students for a start. I'm sure there'll be people who will understand how you feel. -
I understand from my friend, who is a singaporean and in tokyo working now, that there is this Singaporean club something like that.
Once in a while they will gather or something like that.
-
u wouldnt wanna come back after u stay there long enough...
-
i used to learn jap in the past ^^
-
view their adult pay-tv channels.
mayb will make u feel more at home.
-
ultimately...it's all about your mindset. if you keep dwelling on being homesick..you'll definitely get more and more so. you're in a new place...just tell yourself to explore and experience the life there...take the initiative to make friends...if really hard to make new friends, then learn to enjoy life on your own. japan is a terrific place..you shld really go out and explore more. my brother was in japan for 5yrs...for most part of the first yr, he also didn't know much japanese...but picked up the language very fast 'cos he was forced to communicate in jap...thereafter, he was like fish in the water...i was quite sure he was very reluctant to leave after 5 yrs. the initial stage of change is usually quite painful...just be positive and things will slowly improve. with technological advances, it's so easy to keep in touch with your family/friends via skype, msn, email, facebook etc...and it's so easy for stuffs that you missed to be mailed to you or you can purchase anything online. take this as a good opportunity to experience life in another place...and to train yourself to be adaptable, independent and emotionally/mentally strong. most importantly...learn to have fun! take care!
-
I learned much Japanese in Singapore.
But once I got to Japan, it was very difficult because to everyone Japanese is so natural they speak quite fast and you need time to understand.
And Japanese girl may be pretty but mostly due to heavy make-up. BTW, their legs are extremely ugly.
Travelling is also expensive and difficult.
-
Originally posted by Agenda:
I learned much Japanese in Singapore.
But once I got to Japan, it was very difficult because to everyone Japanese is so natural they speak quite fast and you need time to understand.
And Japanese girl may be pretty but mostly due to heavy make-up. BTW, their legs are extremely ugly.
Travelling is also expensive and difficult.
You make me laugh.....hope u are not too disappointing.....in a way I am glad that you are travelling and learning new experience...because you have a rather navie view of anything outside Singapore don't u agreed.....
So don't take it negatively you should treasure all the experiences after all i assume you are there to learn not check out the Japanese human Anatomy....
Oh by the way it is the right way to learn a language trust me after 3 months you will be snapping japanese language like the local....
I learned spanish by living and working in all spanish speaking enviornment.
-
Wow, and knowing english is like turning on hack mode in flirting with girls.
-
Originally posted by Agenda:
Wow, and knowing english is like turning on hack mode in flirting with girls.
look at it this way...is the best way to learn the new language to express your feeling