Tokyo Orientation Program

1. Intensive Japanese language classes for 3 hours every morning

2. Culture seminars twice a week, including field trips around Tokyo

3. Nanotechnology seminars given by American and Japanese professors on the basics of nanotechnology and exciting research endeavors in the field

4. Weekends to explore!!!

PICTURES: In and Around Tokyo – Always Somewhere New to Explore

The famous big Buddha statue at Kamakura!	Major shrine in Kamakura, showing off the dance moves with my friend.	On the beach at Kamakura – by far the best leaping picture I have ever accomplished.
Tsukigi fish market at 6 am!!! Octopus (or tako, in Japanese).	FRESH fish out for sale in the market.	These HUGE fish were everywhere!!!
The huge red lantern at the Asakusa temple in Tokyo.	I got my fortune for 100 yen ($1) by shaking up a can of bamboo sticks until one fell out, matching it to a drawer containing my fortune. Unfortunately, it was a 'bad' fortune so I had to tie it here to negate the fortune!	Everyone at the end of our private Taiko drumming class!
Sightseeing the collection of shrines and temples in Nikko even in the pouring rain!	A necessary Japanese experience: KARAOKE!!! In our Nikko ryokan, a traditional Japanese hotel.	The beautiful and serene outdoor onsen, aka public bath at our ryokan in Nikko.
Keggon Falls at Nikko National Park.	My friend and I showing off our dance talents for some memorable photos.	The whole group in Nikko on our weekend excursion to see the lakes and mountains about 3 hours outside of Tokyo.
Exhibit of kabuki theater at the Edo-Tokyo Museum.	The shop where all the girls purchased kimonos and obis to bring home as souveniers.	Standing in front of the imperial palace in Tokyo, after a visit to the Sony Headquarters showroom.
Shibuya, the young people's hangout in Tokyo – neon lights everywhere!!	Shinjuku, the business district of Tokyo – again, lots of bright lights and mobs of people out at night.	A unique Japanese experience – attending a sumo tournament, up close and personal.
For the last Saturday in Tokyo, we traveled to Tokyo Disney.	Mickey Mouse ears + orange popsicles = yum!	Posing as Jasmine from Aladdin!
The guestbook in the basement exhibition of our language class building at Tokyo Tech. Note the top entry from GT LBAT students (aka George P. Burdell). It is a small world!	Showcasing my newly purchased kimono and obi in the garden of the Sanuki Club.	Final party at the Sanuki Club hotel with the NanoJapan participants, teachers, and other Japanese college students.

Week One: Arrival in Japan

This first week in Japan has been overwhelming, but in a good and satisfying way. There is something great about going to bed every night exhausted, but knowing that you made the most out of the day. The people in Japan continue to surprise me, make me laugh, and make me smile. They are always so kind, so polite, and always apologizing. The hotel staff makes an effort to know who we are and our room number. If there is any chance that they are the cause of dissatisfaction on our part, you can see the distress on their face. If the hotel internet is down, they make it a high priority to get it fixed for us. The language teachers were upset at the thought that we might have complained about having to switch rooms, when instead, we were the ones trying to apologize. The Japanese are usually not that animated in their facial expressions, but the facial expression for apology and trying to please us is quite obvious, and something that comes up nearly every day.

As a group traveling through Tokyo, I am constantly feeling like we are in the way. In the subway station and even on the street, everyone has a destination and when I happen to be standing in the way, it’s rather difficult to get out of the way in the right direction (not to mention the confusing of driving on the left, standing on the escalator on the left)! The same idea applies to my feeling that as Americans, we can never be polite enough. I know I’m always leaving out a ‘please’, ‘thank you’, ‘so sorry’, ‘excuse me’, or something similar. Maybe by the end of the summer, I will be close to mastering this, but currently I feel like I will always be more rude than every Japanese person that I meet. Traveling with the group does have its perks though. I have found my peers to be the greatest lifeline and information source. We really depend on each other to find our way, to try to read and understand the Japanese language, to take pictures, to wake each other up, to wait and not leave people alone. The group interactions and bonding even in one week have been a valuable component of this experience so far. Another useful lifeline that pops up is the random Japanese person who happens to speak good English, particularly when they see us struggling to read, speak, or understand something, and step in to ask if we need help.

In terms of culture shock, sometimes the differences between cultures seem beyond comprehension, and that can be overwhelming. But once we get immersed, it’s been fairly easy to adjust and feel right at home. Someone in the group said as we walked down the streets of Tokyo, “do you ever forget that we’re in Japan?” and if I may again quote another student, “do you ever look up and think, ‘wow, there are a lot of Japanese people here’?” These comments made me laugh at the time, but they have a bit of truth to them. Everyone is human, we all have the same needs and desires, and there are inherently so many parts of Japanese and American culture that by necessity parallel and make the transition just a little easier.

It’s hard not to be viewed as an American or as a foreigner, when it’s obvious that we are indeed Americans, who can be loud and obnoxious when moving in large groups on the subway or elsewhere. Although the Japanese do a much better job at being ridiculously quiet on subways and other places, I’ve definitely experienced the other extreme volume of the Japanese voice. Whenever we run into a large group of Japanese, whether it’s at the hotel, tourist spot, or restaurant, they can get really loud too! The range of volumes and levels of politeness is amusing and surprising. If I have a question about the difference between two Japanese words, the answer usually involves the word ‘formality’ or ‘politeness.’ When we were in a restaurant in Harajuku, I got really frustrated when I felt like we were being ignored by the waitresses. I couldn’t identify if we were missing some obvious body language cues, or if we were being treated like that because we were Americans or foreigners. I’m not sure, but I did find it annoying. Another stereotypical reaction from the Japanese is to attempt to ask me questions in English, for example, when I’m trying to order, but I suppose my clueless look gives it away that I probably wouldn’t understand the Japanese anyway.

Probably the most stressful experiences come from difficulty with the language. I found the first day of language class to be very difficult and overwhelming, but since then, we have gotten to know the teachers and the textbook. I really enjoy the classes now. It’s one part of the culture and society that is fairly straightforward and academic. It’s easy to accomplish learning a word, put it into practice, and feel like you are making progress.

A few stories and experiences that stick out in my mind… I haven’t really experienced the intense crowding on the subway that I expected to encounter in Japan. I really enjoyed a few of the walks that I took around the Tokyo Tech campus. I wandered down the little streets when it was quiet, and without the usual crowd of people around me. It was much easier to appreciate, enjoy, and have fun people watching. I have discovered that the least intimidating situation to try out my Japanese language skills is with little kids. First of all, we’re much closer to their vocabulary level. Secondly, the parents seem to love it when we try to talk to their kid, and plus, they’re just so cute! As we walked through Shinjuku and Harajuku, my main thought was people, people, everywhere! It’s fun to wander in shops and speculate what trends have come from America, and which ones will probably show up in America after being in Japan. In the Edo-Tokyo museum, I realized that I did not know how much fire was a part of the history of Tokyo. Sumo was a completely new cultural experience. It seemed like something that should be so Japanese. I was surprised that a Bulgarian won the tournament and in the arena, I saw the most foreigners that I had seen the whole trip, but I guess the Japanese society isn’t entirely isolated anymore. My camera batteries died that day, so I was forced to just relax, eat the cute little candies, and people watch. Kamakura has probably been my favorite experience yet. The temples, ocean, views from the top of many stairs, running between trains, grabbing yakitori and vending machine ice cream in the subway stations, double dinner of sushi and okonomiyaki, seeing the big Buddha statue, talking to kids, someone recognizing Georgia Tech on my shirt – all of these moments together just made it a great day overall.

In any experience, there is always something that I should do more often. The food here is amazing. It’s nice to be able to try things at lunch that are less expensive. I think I have had less exposure to the food before, compared to others. I need to force myself to try new foods more often. In the discussion with Japanese students, I wish I would have taken more time to write down names or get phone numbers, but I suppose I have two more chances to do that.

In just one week, I am already becoming more comfortable with the Japanese language. I am slowly becoming confident enough to try to use it in stores or restaurants and with friends. I want to see the city as much as possible and explore, but it’s hard when we’re tired and need some time to rest also. I want to use Japanese as much as possible, but again it’s hard when I wish I had more time to dedicate to studying. Week 2, here we come!

Week Two: Noticing Similarities, Noticing Differences

Two weeks in Tokyo and we’ve ridden quite a few subway trains. There is the route back and forth to class on the same line every day, as well as learning our way around the subway map to get to various destinations in the city. Observing the rules and actions of the Japanese people in the subway system is like looking at Japan from one of the little models in the Edo-Tokyo museum. It really condenses many of the Japanese values and behaviors into one small sector of every day life.

The basic rules of riding on public transportation begin as you enter the station. First of all, there are vending machines everywhere. Yet, Japanese never eat or drink in a public place. The eki, or subway station, and the trains are certainly a public place. I find this a bit confusing. Going up and down escalators is another rule driven experience that took me a few days to master. With 100% consistency, passengers always stand on the left side and walk or perhaps run up or down the right side. Sure, we have these vague rules elsewhere in the world, but I have never seen it done with such respect for the rules. It’s certainly efficient, and everyone gets to where they’re going. This brings me to another aspect of Japanese society that transcends the public transportation system: punctuality. This applies to both the trains and the people. Some people claim that trains in Japan are never late. I disagree. I have waited for a few late trains, but never more than a few minutes. The Japanese people are also determined to be on time for their particular trains. The number of people running through the station in the morning to catch a train is amusing. I suppose they have the schedules memorized for trains that they take daily, and every minute is precious in the lives of the Japanese.

When approaching the train, first take notice of whether it is rush hour, going towards or away from the center of Tokyo, and how smashed against the window the passengers look. The rules for sitting and standing differ a bit depending on these conditions. On a nearly empty train, everyone getting on immediately takes a seat, carefully leaving one seat in between each person if at all possible. The next wave of people coming on the train carefully sits down in between the first people. Now, if the train is extremely full, the business men will automatically stand up when coming on to the train and leave the seats for the women. Several activities take place while on the train. Some people will be reading, either novels or newspapers. The younger generation is usually listening to music on their ipods or keitais (cell phones). Probably the most entertaining thing to watch on the trains is the people sleeping. I have no idea how they always manage to always wake up before their stops; we almost miss ours’ when we’re trying hard to pay attention. It must take a lot of practice, or perhaps a very accurate internal clock.

Even more evident than what the Japanese do on the train, is what they do not do. Basically, anything that involves noise is forbidden, or at least strongly discouraged. Any talking to other people on the train is done with a miniscule whisper to only the person next to you. I have almost never seen anyone make or receive a call on their cell phone. The only eating or drinking on the trains that I have observed is done discretely by the hungry American students!

The level or politeness and courteousness everywhere in Japan is beyond anything I have ever experienced in America, expect maybe in an etiquette class or something similar. Passengers wait politely in an orderly line for people to get off the train before getting on. To be as polite and appropriate as possible, you basically need to blend into the wall or the seat. Don’t move, don’t talk, and don’t cause any disturbance that would disrupt the orderly movement of other passengers. Everyone in the station seems to have an agenda and knows exactly where they’re going. If you are a bit too slow or walk in the wrong direction by a few degrees, you will mostly likely feel very out of place and in the way.

The public transportation system in Japan certainly differs from public transportation in Japan. Even within the U.S. though, the feel of the public transportation systems depends highly on the “culture” and lifestyles in the city. In Tokyo, this is an every day mode of transportation for the vast majority of city dwellers and commuters in Tokyo. Every age of people ride the trains, from little kids in uniforms going to and from school, to the older generation and people wearing kimonos. The system is very fast paced, orderly, and quiet. I have rarely seen a homeless person in the station, nor do I rarely feel unsafe or uncomfortable with the people riding the subways, unlike what I see in Atlanta’s public transit. It seems like there is much less potential for crime compared to my experiences in American big city subway stations. In New York, I was always running into problems with unannounced closures and construction around the subways, but in Japan, everything runs efficiently and it is clear as to where the trains go and stop, for the most part.

I think the best way to describe the relationship between activities and rules on the public transportation system and the Japanese culture is the observation that very little personality comes out on the trains. The picture of the train is very homogeneous, not just in that most passengers are Japanese, but more in the sense of homogeneous actions. Many of the actions and rules observed are very practical, to keep the flow of a large number of people going, but culture must have some impact to make the experience so different from other places. It is obvious that the Japanese highly value politeness, quietness, homogeneity, and punctuality.

Week 3: Final week of Orientation and Preparation for Internship

During the third week of the orientation, I felt like was adapting a little more to the Japanese culture. I finally followed the pattern of the locals and started sleeping on the train in the morning, when I wasn’t doing Japanese homework. I managed to speak enough Japanese to get my point across at the post office, which was very exciting. In Nikko, staying in the tatami mat rooms and going to the onsens also made me feel a bit more involved in the culture.

I enjoyed both the culture and nanotechnology portions of the orientation. I think Prof. Buckley gave me the greatest cultural awareness about Japan. He had very honest opinions from a slight outsider that had been immersed long enough to discover these things. His words, phrases, and explanations are ideas that I will always associate and remember when thinking about Japan. From the nanotech lectures, I enjoyed the most hearing my professor speak; it gave me a great overview of the lab’s research before getting there and trying to figure it all out. I liked the company tours of Sony and Elionix because they gave us a unique perspective on Japan that would be difficult to get in any other program.

Squeezing all our individual sightseeing into the evenings and a few free afternoons was hard to do, but I had fun exploring all the small neighborhoods of Tokyo (Shinkjuku, Shibuya, Asakusa, Akihabara, Ginza) and seeing the cultural aspects – Nikko, Kamakura, Asakusa, and Tsukigi. From the Imperial Palace to Ginza, I saw a wide range of Japanese interests and traditions, from preserving culture with a moat around the palace to shopping in expensive brand name stores. Visiting Tokyo Disney on the last day was a fun and rewarding trip. I expected to just ride the rides and see the park, but we actually found ourselves observing the culture and listening to the language being spoken around us. We even found an example of the groupism that Prof. Buckley described in the completely empty single rider lines! It was funny to see the differences inside the park from American Disney parks and from the rest of Japan. All ages of visitors had on costumes and Mickey Mouse ears/hats, where as in America, that is usually reserved for the little kids.

This experience has already changed my perception and understanding of Japan, Japanese culture, and Japanese people. I had only heard about Japan from other people, and I love the opportunity to see it through my own eyes. The Japanese people have been so amazing – polite, helpful, kind, and understanding. For a culture that is so tight knit and so foreign to outsiders, they do treat their guests well and respect them. When meeting with the Japanese students I realized the similarities to American students, and enjoyed getting to know Japan from their perspective.

In regard to language classes, I felt that the retention of vocabulary was very difficult at the fast pace we were learning at. I liked the small group setting; it was very interactive and encouraged conversation. I will take some formal language classes in Osaka, but I’m not sure how much farther it will push my skills, since I think it will be on more of an introductory level, although I’m not opposed to some review. I hope to take some serious time to review and practice what I have already learned on my own, because I think mastering this will be the most useful and important thing for keeping up with the language in the future. I need to have a strong base to go on for any future classes. Being in Japan gives you a completely different perspective on what is useful to learn how to say; we need to study the grammar and formal structure, but also learn how to briefly get your point across correctly in conversation. It would have been helpful to have some exposure to kanji reading would have been helpful, even as a suggested workbook or optional thing to study on our own, but it wasn’t even mentioned, and that has really hindered being able to read anything while in Japan. Overall, the classes were a great experience. Even speaking such a tiny amount of the language makes me feel like less of a tourist who doesn’t care about trying to speak the language, and more like a foreigner trying to fit into the culture. A little goes a long way in terms of convincing people that you are trying.

My research project involves reducing the photobleaching effect of fluorescent molecules by adding pauses in the excitation to let the molecules relax from the triplet state and not get over excited. I will be varying time and intensity, and adding pulse-like behavior to a continuous wave laser in a microscope set-up. I will help to finish the microscope/laser set-up, learn how to make samples to test, and take measurements with the new design to determine if photobleaching is reduced. I have not had much exposure to nanotechnology or optics in the past, so I know I will learn a lot! My goal is to accomplish at least one little thing each day, whether it is learning or understanding some concept, or making some small progress on my experiment. If something fails, I want to know why. If I’m told to do something with the equipment, I want to know why. If I listen to a presentation, I want to equip myself with a basic understanding of all the major words and concepts that are introduced. I want to understand more about the physics concepts, and when using equipment, I will try to master it so I can do it on my own for this project and in another setting, not just blindly follow commands.

I want to make close friends with some of the students in the lab, as well as stay in contact with the students that I met in Tokyo. I hope to get the chance to visit a few Japanese friends that I have from previous programs and get them to show me around parts of Japan. I also want to learn how to cook some Japanese food, and try as many different types of food as I can – Osaka is famous for many tasty foods! I want to travel as much as possible, probably in southern Japan where I am – to Kyoto again, explore downtown Osaka, Nara, Kobe, Hiroshima, and other places that people from the lab suggest. I want to attend one or more dance, theater, or music performances in Japan, whether traditional or more modern. I’d like to explore nature a bit, though I’m not a huge hiker/camper, so maybe I will just find some of the beautiful parks and gardens in the areas that I visit.

I plan to go abroad again at some point during my academic career, whether it is back to Japan, or elsewhere in the world. I think working in an international lab will help me in whatever I choose to do. Since I have already earned the Goldwater Scholarship, I have a good stepping stone for other scholarships that might let me go abroad, like a Fulbright during graduate school. I do hope to continue Japanese language classes when I get home, but I’m not sure exactly how it will work into my schedule at my university. If I don’t take formal classes, maybe I will do something smaller to keep up with the language. In terms of academic research, I plan on continuing research at my university when I return home. I am thinking about getting involved in more of the nanotechnology research that my current lab collaborates with, and possibly helping to build collaboration between my lab at Georgia Tech and the Kawata lab. All the work done in microscopy and improving image quality in the Kawata lab relates nicely to the image processing that some of my peers work on at GT. I think more than anything, working in a lab halfway across the world, on a subject very different from any that I have previously experienced, I will have a much better understanding of how all the research that I have seen fits together. I will have a better grasp of what kinds of research I enjoy and want to continue working in.

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