Memories of Japan

When I was a sophomore in high school, I was accepted to a month-long exchange program under Youth for Understanding (YFU) Philippines. YFU is a wonderful international organization that provides exchanges between young students of different countries to foster appreciation of different cultures all over the world. The exposure teaches young people about the bigger, very diverse world out there, and also challenges them to discover their own selves. The more they discover the world they live in, the more they realize and value themselves. My brother had gone to live in Japan for 10 months when I was in sixth grade under YFU, and when he finally came back he was definitely a changed man. He was more confident, more outgoing, and a lot funnier. He came home with outrageous purple hair and an earring just for kicks. (Good thing he explained to my dad that they were all temporary before he got kicked.)

I saw how much the 10 months had helped my brother grow and develop as a person, and he brought home so many interesting Japanese tidbits, too! He had packets of flavored powder that he mixed with rice. He walked around in Japanese mat slippers. He listened to Japanese rock music. He even slurped udon loudly straight from the bowl the next time we ate at a Japanese restaurant. It was really fascinating to see so many Japanese habits adopted by my brother. I felt that I was also discovering Japan for myself. When the opportunity to go to Japan for a month came up, I immediately took it.

I still remember arriving at my host family’s house, practicing how to say "Nice to meet you!" in Japanese in my head as I padded into the living room in my socks. I remember the strange feeling of lying in my bed (which wasn’t exactly a bed but a futon – basically seven layers of bedding that I had to lay out each night and then fold away every morning) the first night, staring up at the ceiling and wondering how I was going to survive the rest of the month. I had only been there one night and I felt like an eternity had passed. My okasan (mother) had shown me where to get my futon, how to lay it out and put it away, how to cook curry, where to place my laundry, how to make sure hot water comes out of the faucet when I’m going to take a bath, and more. I had met my otosan (father) and my sister. We had made plans to go to a tea ceremony class, to go to my sister’s college campus, to travel around Yokohama, and more.

Each day was filled with new adventures and discoveries. My okasan taught me a lot about living every day in Japan, from figuring out bus routes to making onigiri (rice balls with a viand inside – incredibly delicious!) to grocery shopping. She and my sister showed me popular fast-food chains, temples and traditions, and different Japanese food. I got used to removing my shoes before coming in the house, announcing "Tadaima!" to greet my family, drinking all kinds of tea, and watching Japanese TV shows.

I also got a chance to meet other YFU exchange students from all over the world, from Australia to New Zealand to Korea. It was fantastic to meet more people and share our experiences in Japan with each other. What’s more I got to discover even more cultures. I loved asking what it was like to go to school in different countries and marveling at the difference. We went on sight seeing trips together and we even went on our own gimmicks in Japanese malls. We had our very own international barkada.

One of the best experiences during my stay was going to school. My classmates were the absolute nicest people who doted over me and made sure I was comfortable. They invited me to go to the mall, showered me with sticker pics, busily translated lessons for me, made seating plans with their names, wrote me notes and told me so many stories to keep me entertained. Even when I came home, they sent me postcards to say hello and tell me that the cherry blossoms had finally bloomed.

There are just too many memories, and while I may not be able to mention them all, I’m certain that I won’t forget a single one. My stay in Japan is truly one of the most unforgettable and wonderful experiences in my life, and it has taught me so much about Japan, its culture, and its people. The experience challenged me to step out of my own culture and learn how to interact with other people from totally different orientations.

Whether it’s 10 months or just one, the YFU Japan-Philippine Exchange Program has touched so many lives over the past 20 years and has bridged so many countries and people together. It has helped the youth to become more tolerant of other cultures and to see the world as a global village. To celebrate their 20th Anniversary, YFU Philippines is inviting the YFU Japan returnees to a Christmas reunion dinner to be held on Dec. 16, Saturday, at 6 p.m. It’s going to be in the residence of Lourdes Cruz, at 143 Speaker Perez St., Santa Mesa Heights, Quezon City. Call 731-8780 or 0919-3574875 (look for Leny) at 415-2919 (look for Wittam) to RSVP or to ask for more details. Bring your memories with you – hearing about our Japanese forays never gets old!