T-40 Days to Japan: More silly things to do. Maybe start a new blog called bestonigiri.com

Last year, we went to a Japanese university exhibition wherein Japanese university representatives came to London to give out prospectuses and provide information for interested and prospective students from the UK. A friend and I and some other people we know went to find out about some of our partner universities, pick up freebies and listen to some people.

(I'm gonna start using a break now, because I realise a lot of my posts are super long and it gets tiring scrolling down to find the next post. See how considerable I am? Also because this post especially has no direction so it just sort of became one long ramble)
Some past exchange students also gave presentations of their experiences in Japan. It was great listening to and watching them, seeing as the presentations in UEA have always been only from students who went to everywhere but Japan. We get that we don't have anybody before us who went to Japan, being the first batch and all, but we've heard enough about the general 'your year abroad is gonna be the best time of your life, you'll learn so much, meet so many people, network with so many international people, you will not regret doing it, etc' But we wanted to hear about Japan too. Thankfully, that exhibition gave us that.

So of course they also said those general things about going on a year abroad. But specifically, they talked about their own experiences in Japan as foreigners, what they enjoyed, where they visited, the difference in intensity of exchange programmes in different universities, and study tips. We definitely picked up a few ideas we wanted to do, but upon telling our Japanese friends about one particular one, they highly recommended us not to. Ha. 

Hitchhiking, it was. Yesss, we understand and can see how terrible of an idea this could be. Especially for exchange students who can't gauge Japanese people's actions and politeness, and also the highly probable miscommunication. (But you know, it's talking with the natives, and practical use of the language? No? Even just a little bit? Come on...) But it's free (ish?) travel, interacting with locals, and being spontaneous. When else can we be or will be as stupid and reckless than during our 20s and our year abroad?  (Sounds like either a coming of age adventure film, or a slasher low budget film)

I would have made a witty film reference or something but I don't have any to share, so instead here's a cliche shuttershock photo.

I know, I know, it's terrible. Terribly good! Ha ha. *ahem* But I won't say I'm completely against it.. If we could somehow get enough people, maybe it'll be safer... And bring boys, they said. Nothing more dangerous than a bunch of women hitch hiking and attracting the wrong people. Oh to live in a world where gender wouldn't increase your probability of being attacked.

With hitchhiking, it led to the obvious plan of traveling around the country. Everyone, including those who went to Spain, France, America, and elsewhere, highly recommended traveling around. Some even went to countries outside their year abroad allocations. Japanese exchange students tend to go to Korea and China, seeing as those are the closest and probably cheapest countries to fly to. (If Philippines is cheap to fly to, I might be tempted to go!)
I'm definitely planning on traveling around Japan at least. All but two of us in our class are all going to be in the mainland. Thankfully, they're pretty scattered around the so I can visit them along the way. If our class don't end up on a trip together, I sure hope I make some friends in Hokkaido who would travel with me along the country!

Look at that variety. And there more!

One guy from the exhibition also talked about the amount of ramen he ate while he was there. (I also saw a documentary yesterday about a man who goes to as many standing up soba shops, i.e. a shop where you eat soba standing up, NOT an erect soba, gosh) And I thought, hey, I wanna do something like that! Maybe eat as many bento as I can. Or find the best beef bowl in Sapporo. Or eat in as many Mos Burger as I can. (Sponsor me, Mos Burger?) Or go to as many small independent cafes that I can find in Sapporo/Hokkaido.

So I want to do something that I can say was my personal project while I'm there. Learning the language and the culture is always gonna be the main goal, but something outside of that and something I can talk about and have as a reason to go out and see the city/country would be great. I'm thinking food (when am I not, amiright?) If I start collecting things, I might not be able to bring them back so something perishable, or experiences would be better. Or like Katy said, postcards would be good. Art prints also seem to be popular for travel collections. For decorations and also souvenirs. Maybe stamps? I don't know. I wouldn't start a 'finding the best restaurant' thing because that's gonna be expensive. Although I would love to eat out as much as I can afford. 

We will almost definitely talk to students when we come back about our experience, so I guess I want to make my experience as fun and as personal as I can for my own good and also for our dear little kouhai. And at the same time, I want to post as many things that will tempt my friends to come to Hokkaido at one point of their year abroad.

There are many more things I want to do, but this was more a spur of the moment idea. Not quite, but yes. I'll probably write a bucket list for Japan next time. But this, I really wanna do. If it makes me get out of my house, socialise and also find good food, it can't be a bad a idea right? (I mean, except for the hitchhiking, suuure)

As the dear god of mischief would say 'I DO WHAT I WAANT'