For this post, I want to take a step back from Japan and think about the people back home. Coming to a new country does not mean I’ve forgotten about the people from before. I faced this issue when I went away for college the first time: how to balance the people you left behind with the new people you meet.
Traveling to Japan, I’ve found that communication back home has become much harder because the time zone difference is much greater. If you’re like me and have multiple friends who are all over the place, then that means multiple time zone differences to keep track of. Honestly, the situation is enough to give any sane person a headache! I will share some tips to keep the communication process on track, as well as my reflection on talking about studying abroad to those back home.
Before I left for Japan, I made a list in my head of all the people I had to call while I was abroad, and how often I should call. For example, my list included my mom and dad (once a week), my best friends (once a week), my roommate (once a week), my college friends (every other week or once a month). Of course, the best laid plans of mice and men, often go awry. As I realized once I got to Japan, just because I knew how often I wanted to call people did not mean everyone else wanted that amount or could fit the time into their schedule. Despite the complications, I do think it is a good idea to have an idea of who you want to call before you study abroad. Calling takes up a good chunk of time and when you’re abroad every second counts.
Keep a spreadsheet. If that feels a little too over the top, there’s no need to make an actual Excel spreadsheet. However, you should write down what days and times work best for people or keep a rough idea in mind. The time differences can sneak past you. Especially when there’s four different time zone differences you have to keep track of. With big time zone gaps, like 14 hours, you start to realize that calls like that are best done on the weekends. However, weekends are the best time to go out and explore. All this scheduling can get confusing and people can start slipping through the cracks. Which is why you should probably write do, like I didn’t do and am still regretting.
One thing I’ve realized when talking to friends about being in Japan is that nothing I say can really do it justice. I cannot express the experience in words. There is nothing more frustrating. Thinking about it, I think it makes sense though. Being abroad is an immersive experience. Every little bit shapes what I feel and remember. If I were to sit down and explain every little thing that happened to me that would make up my experience, I could possibly be there for a month. Some things cannot be expressed in words because there is too much going on at once to explain to someone who does not get it. Thankfully, many of my friends have or are studying abroad. They get it. Everyone who doesn’t has been kind enough to let me blather on without giving me an uninterested gaze (those people in my lives are the real MVPs). I hope for all of you who are hoping to study abroad have or will find people like that.
